X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 5) - PRR X31B & C from Boswer

Time for the next installment of the X31 & X32 Boxcar modeling blog post series.  This time we're looking at the Pennsylvania's X31B & X31C sub-classes of double-door, round-roof boxcars.  Between the two sub-classes there are still 1194 cars in service according to the 1950 ORER listings.  Additional cars of very similar construction, including the double doors can be found in X31A and X31F sub-classes, which were discussed in previous blog posts X31 & X32 Boxcar - Part 4 and X31 & X32 Boxcar - Part 3 respectively.

PRR 61102, an X31B class car in automobile service, OEC pool stenciling.

As with many groups of cars suitable for automobile and parts loading, the class would be moved around between special assignments with their own racks or loading devices as the service dictated.  Notice under each of the notes below the individual cars in the service are specified by reporting mark number, while the photo of the 61102 (Bowser model below) with the tare date in 1946 is shown in "AUTOMOBILES" service, and even has the pool assignment painted on "OEC", the 1950 ORER shows the car as the lead car in the class, but in unassigned general service as an "XM" mechanical class.  This suggests some of the newer classes of boxcar to the PRR are taking over the specialized assignments.  Making the pre-war X31B sub-class somewhat redundant, to be phased out as newer cars are delivered.

X31B

PRR 61102 with "AUTOMOBILES" stenciling still applied in a March, 1946 re-weight stencil, suggesting some sort of automobile rack being fitted at the time, but gone by 1950.

The vast majority, nearly 90% - 345 cars, of X31B class cars in 1950 were already assigned to XM (general service) duties>  The rest of the class, 45 cars, were in a mix of assignments from auto-parts (22 cars), movable automobile racks - collapsible up against the roof (11 cars), and probably most interesting of all - 12 cars assigned to moving farm machinery specifically with special racks.

PRR 61102-62799, 345 XM cars (Note B) - General service

PRR , 22 XML cars (Notes B, L) - Misc. automobile parts service

PRR , 12 XMP cars (Notes B, U) - Farm Machinery service

PRR , 11 XMR cars (Notes B, AAA) - Movable Automobile Racks (10 small cars)

390 cars in this series.

Note B - Cars have roofs slightly higher at the center than at the sides.  The IH of 10'0" at the sides and 10'5" is obtained for 3'6" to each side of the centerline of the car.

Note L - Equipped with racks for hauling miscellaneous automobile parts, designated XML: 61125, 61156, 61284, 61421, 61434, 61436, 61565, 61615, 61802, 61802, 61859, 61917, 61964, 62110, 62151, 62185, 62356, 62477, 62503, 62543, 62582, 62706, 62765. (22 cars)

Note U - Equipped with racks for hauling farm machinery, designated XMP: 61339, 61360, 61481, 61533, 61668, 61679, 61743, 61959, 62257, 62321, 62632, 62648. (12 cars)

Note AAA - Equipped with permanent stowing equipment for hauling 10 small automobiles.  Inside height, width, and cubical capacity as follows:
    With Loading Racks in position for loading automobiles - IH 10ft 5in and 10ft (see Note B)  Width 9'2" Cu Capy 3,713 cu. ft.

    With Loading Racks raised in stored position against roof of car for loading other commodities - IH 8ft 6in, Width 8ft 10in, Capy 2,869 cu. ft.
61110, 61204, 61310, 61915, 61967, 62131, 62166, 62255, 62470, 62544, 62700. (11 Cars)

X31C

PRR 61056, another plain XM version, this time of the X31C sub-class.

The X31C sub-class was still 804 cars strong according to the 1950 ORER.  It seems to have about 2/3s of the cars (517) in XM (general service) and the other third in specialized automobile services, but with convertible automobile stowage racks, which can be moved up against the roof for other loading when needed.

PRR 60800-61099, 122 XMR cars (Notes B, E) - balance of series XMR, permanent automobile stowing racks installed (besides those shown below with Note G or CC).

PRR , 5 XMR cars (Notes B, CC) - Equipped with stowable racks for 8 small automobiles.

PRR , 172 XM cars (Notes B, G) - General Service - not equipped with automobile loading racks.

PRR 62800-63309, 345 XM cars (Note B) - General Service

PRR , 148 XMR cars (Notes B, K) - Equipped with stowable automobile racks.

PRR , 12 XMR cars (Notes B, CC) - Equipped with stowable automobile racks for 8 small automobiles.

804 cars total between these two series.

Note B - Cars have roofs slightly higher at the center than at the sides.  The IH of 10'0" at the sides and 10'5" is obtained for 3'6" to each side of the centerline of the car.

Note E - (Except cars showing in Notes G & CC) Equipped with permanent automobile stowing equipment. 

Note G - Not equipped with auto loading racks and are classified as XM:
60801, 60803, 60804, 60808, 60809, 60811, 60812, 60813, 60817, 60818, 60820, 60821,60823, 60824, 60825, 60828, 60829, 60831, 60832, 60836, 60838, 60839, 60840, 60846, 60848-60851, 60855, 60858-60862, 60864, 60866, 60867, 60868, 60870, 60873-60877, 60880, 60882, 60883, 60884, 60887, 60889, 60890, 60892, 60894, 60897, 60898, 60899, 60902, 60904-60908, 60911, 60915, 60917,-60920, 60923, 60926, 60930, 60932-60935, 60937, 60939, 60941, 60943-60947, 60949, 60951, 60952, 60956, 60959, 60960, 60962, 60964, 60965, 60966, 60968, 60970-60978, 60980, 60981, 60984-60988, 60991, 60993, 60995, 60999-61004, 61006, 61007, 61007, 61012, 61014, 61017, 61019, 61019, 61020, 61023, 61024, 61027, 61029-61032, 61034, 61036, 61038, 61039, 61042, 61045, 61050, 61051, 61052, 61054, 61056, 61059, 61060, 61061, 61063, 61066, 61068, 61069, 61071, 61072, 61073, 61075, 61078, 61080, 61082, 61083, 61085, 61086, 61087, 61089, 61090, 61091, 61093, 61095, 61096, 61098, 61099. (172 cars)

Note K - Equipped with permanent automobile stowing equipment.  IH and cubical capy as follows:

With Loading Racks in position for loading automobiles - IH 10ft 5in (see Note B), Capy 3,713 cu.ft.

With Loading Racks raised in stowed position against roof of car for loading other commodities - IH 9ft 3in, capy 3,435 cu.ft.
62800, 62803, 62806, 62811, 62812, 62821, 62825, 62828, 62833, 62834, 62838, 62843, 62850, 62853, 62855,62860, 62865, 62870, 62873, 62876, 62879, 62884, 62886-62889, 62897, 62899, 62902, 62904, 62905, 62910, 62912, 62915, 62916, 62920, 62921, 62922, 62928, 62930, 62932, 62934, 62936, 62938, 62939, 62943, 62949, 62954, 62958, 62963, 62966, 62967, 62987, 62990, 62993, 62994, 62998, 63001, 63005, 63007, 63019, 63023, 63024, 63025, 63028,63035, 63036, 63039, 63044, 63045, 63051, 63054, 63056, 63060, 63068, 63070, 63079, 63081, 63082, 63085, 63088, 63090, 63091, 63093 63094, 63099, 63100, 63108, 63114, 63116, 63124-63127, 63131-63134, 63137, 63141, 63142, 63144, 63155, 63161, 63165, 63166, 63169, 63174, 63175, 63178, 63181, 63199, 63202, 63205, 63206, 63228, 62230, 63234, 63235, 63237, 63240, 63241, 63243, 63244, 63247, 63249-63252, 63254, 63266, 63269, 63272, 63275, 63276, 63278-63281, 63283, 63287, 63290, 63294, 63295, 63303, 63304, 63305, 63308. (148 cars)

Note CC - Equipped with permanent stowing equipment for hauling 8 small automobiles.  IH and cubical capy as follows:

With Loading Racks in position for loading automobiles - IH 10ft 5in (see Note B), Capy 3,713 cu.ft.

With Loading Racks raised in stowed position against roof of car for loading other commodities - IH 9ft 3in, capy 3,435 cu.ft.
60805, 60807, 61037, 61043, 61094. (5 cars)

62814, 62925, 62931, 62978, 63072, 63118, 63159, 63168, 63192, 63194, 63198, 63268. (12 cars)

In Closing

Yes, it's time for some new decals!  I'll cover upgrades in the future...

This post brings the show and tell of the X31 & X32 classes to an end.  I'll probably be adjusting the lettering on a couple of the older models, upgrading them to newer standards.  So there will probably be upcoming blog posts about those cars individually or in small groups.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 1) - Era Corrections on NP Cars

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 2) - PRR X32As from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 3) - PRR X31F "Turtle Roofs" from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 4) - PRR X31A from Bowser & Rapido

Freight Car Overview Index - One page with links to all my modeling blogs on freight cars.

https://jbritton.pennsyrr.com/index.php/tpm/blogs/latest-articles-blog/248-1954-freight-class-model-cross-reference

Common Foreign Freight Cars (Part 1) - Mather Boxcars

I'm starting a new series... I know, I know, you say... what about all the series you've started and not finished?  Well, like model railroads, this blog will never be done!  I've hit on some of the foreign cars already, PRR X31/X32 series boxcars, WWII War Emergency Boxcar, 36ft Fowler Boxcars - NC&StL, NP Double-sheath Boxcars, and Milwaukee "Rib-Side" boxcars.  I'll probably done one on some basics of things like X29 and B&O M-53 "Wagon Top" boxcars.  So while those previous blogs were on specific common types, I'm going a bit more a field with this series of "Common Foreign Freight Cars", into prototypes that I could see coming through the territory I model, or just about anyone models as interchanged traffic.  These cars would be ones that "could show up anywhere" and wouldn't be bad to help 'fill out your roster' with that were either common prototypes, or standard designs which are available in model kit/RTR form (aka, easy to model).

The updated ACY 1295 with chalk marks using the white and gray GellyRoll pens.

Back in the late 1990s, I picked up some wood-sheathed boxcars.  These came from the first series of Proto2000-LifeLike as R-T-R boxcar models, which was very new at the time.  Thankfully they didn't need much work to bring up to standards.  While they look similar to the modern Rapido B-50-15/16s, these are not SP prototype.

Roster 1950

Here's some roster info that I was able to find on-line.  The Mather cars were built with standardized parts and design.  It gives some idea the size of the Mather fleet and also some of the variations in car height, which is new information to me.

7'8" IH cars, P2K models correct

ACY 1250-1299 (50 cars)

C&EI 400-500? (100 cars)

CIM 8000-8454 (453 cars)

IN 2000-2099 (100 cars)

MRS 7500-7599 (24 cars) - 50% total roster of MRS in 1950.

PH&D 1506-1522 (11 cars), 7'10" IH version though, so 2" taller.

8'5" IH cars, taller than P2K models, Sunshine Resin made these (6.1-6.4)

ACY 1100-1199 & 2200-2149 (242 cars), but these are 8'5" IH cars (why P2K lettered my car in this series is weird.)

MWR 1201-1275 (25 cars)

TC 7751-7850 (96 cars)

9'11" IH cars (Sunshine kits 103.1-103.3)

ACY 1200-1220 (21 cars)

MWR 1276-1300 (25 cars)

10'3" IH cars (Sunshine 102.4-103.10)

ACY 3001-3149 (149 cars)

GM&O 7500-7524 (25 cars)

MRS 8000-8024 (25 cars) - other 25 cars in their fleet

Data from Randy's Layout Blog on Mather Boxcars

It seems that with these differences in height, Proto2000's research in the 1990s were not holding to as high a standard as they were claiming at the time.  Resulting a couple of the models not really being as accurate as we have come to expect 25 years later.  So I will be doing a brief overview of four examples from the 1990s production.

ACY 1195

I have to move this car's number to 1295 to be in the correct series for this height car, see roster above.  I don't know why Proto2000 would make this kind of error, but research in the pre-internet 1990s was much more challenging than these days.

ACY 1195, Mather standard boxcar

The ACY car doesn't have heavy weathering, but mostly just some running grime along the lower carside.  I put on some paper routing cards and a few chalk marks.  Tare date is CR 2-47.

The updated ACY 1295 with chalk marks using the white and gray GellyRoll pens.

In September, 2023, as I was finishing up the Accurail Fowler kitbash, I decided to go ahead and renumber this car to the correct number series for the car's height.  The NC&StL decal set from K4 Decals is very similar in font style and height to the ACY car, so I scratched off the "1" with my No.11 Xacto blade and applied the "2" from the decal set.  I think this photo was before I slightly toned down the new decal, but in the end it matched very nicely on the car.

FtDDM&S 14007

FtDDM&S 14007, Mather standard boxcar

The car has some light chalk marks and some board highlighting with grime.  A couple routing cards are also placed on the carside.  This car is tare dated for CR 3-55, but is preceded by "MSSCO" which I think is the Mather leasing company shops, as some of these cars were leased.  This scheme might not be prototypical in 1950, given the 1950 roster and the tare date on the model... I guess I can hope that it was a lease that started after 1950.

TC 7702

The prototype roster shows these cars should be 9" taller.  Meh, oh well.

TC 7702, Mather standard boxcar

I went into more chalk marks on this TC car, marking loading tallies to the left of the door.  I generally applied a moderate grimy weathering on the sides of this car.  Additional chalk marks around the reporting marks at the left end of the car.  The car's tare date is for MSSCO CR 9-47, so again, I'm guessing another leased car.

PH&D 1509

PH&D 1509, Mather standard boxcar

The PH&D 1509, I kept pretty clean.  They only had 11 cars!, so again I unfortunately found a model that didn't have many cars, so this is another "rare" car to see, you're not going to have a whole train of these.  It looks like some one over lubrication has been applied to the door mechanism.  Minimal chalk marks are applied.  Tare date is for MSSCO CR 4-46.  A couple of routing cards are also applied to the car side.

In Closing

I know single-sheathed foreign cars did still come to the Jawbone in the early 1950s, because of the photo of SP 3237 at Bartlett with a single-sheath Seaboard car.  While not a Mather car, these cars will fill some holes in my foreign boxcar pool to bring the look of single-sheath boxcars, albeit with rather rare small-fleet railroads.  I should also note that these cars are rated as 40-ton capacity cars.

C&NW 32833, a standard Mather single deck stock car by Proto2000.

 

The Mather cars are interesting in that they also produced a large number of cars with the same standard structure as stock cars, both double and single deck cars.  In 1996, LifeLike-Proto2000 produced the stock car kits and I picked up a couple of them.  I was also happy I picked up a couple of the boxcar versions when they came out.  I think there are a couple other railroads that I didn't get.

Walthers took over the Life-Like line and the Proto2000 tooling.  Between the two owners of the tooling they have gone on to produce several more railroad schemes of these cars, including: Illinois Northern, Chicago & Illinois Midland, Chicago & Eastern Illinois, & Manufactures Railway Supply.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

Randy's Layout Blog - Mathers Boxcars - MRS (green), M&WR (yellow), & CIM (yellow) Proto2000 models. Randy goes into more depth on the mechanical standards and specifications of the prototypes.

Chalk Marks - A New Method - Adding the extremely common prototype 'weathering' to steam-diesel freight cars.

X31 & X32 Boxcars (Part 1) - NP, A Correction In Era - 1960+ Double Door 40 & 50ft

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 2) - PRR X32As from Boswer - Double Door, 50ft

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 3) - PRR X31F Turtle-Roofs from Boswer - Double Door raised roof, 40ft

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 4) - PRR X31As from Boswer - Single door, 40ft

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 5) - PRR X31B & C from Boswer - Double Door, 40ft

ATSF 129782 - Bx38 - Weathering with Pencils & Acrylics - WWII War Emergency Boxcar by IMRC

Weathering NP 11661 - A Rapido Double-sheath Boxcar - A standard design used by NP in large numbers.

36ft Fowler Boxcars - NC&StL 15337 (Part 2) Details & Decalling - Accurail's plastic kit (and bashing)

Milwaukee "Rib-Side" boxcars - Accurail and Rib-Side models, the 'clasic' steel car design, unique to Milwaukee Road.

Freight Car Index Page - Overview of all my freight car modeling and kitbashing articles.

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 4) - PRR X31As from Boswer

 This time we're continuing my series on Bowser's X31 and X32 kits (links to the previous three parts at the bottom of this post) by looking at the "plain" X31A class boxcar.  The X31As were built in 1934 most of these are general service AAR mechanical designation "XM" cars.  There were other subclasses as well, which pushed the class to over 7,000 cars still in service in 1950 spread between several numbering series.  These cars were still the second largest class of boxcars on the PRR until the new post-war cars started arriving, meaning the X31s were fairly common to see around North America and even as far away as the west coast where I model.

PRR 67526, an X31A from Bowser kit. (May 5, 2011 photo)

I should note here that the cars I'm showing came from Bowser kits bought in the early 2000s, some of the cars don't have the best artwork for the pad printing, especially notice the changes in the "PENNSYLVANIA".  I think Bowser's more recent runs have improved the lettering artwork, as seen on the PRR X32As in Part 2 if this series.  The X31A class cars fill a nice spot behind the X29 in numbers and newer cars, as I wasn't able to find very many Red Caboose PRR X29 kits out on the west coast in the early 2000s when they came out, instead I picked up the mix of cars that are making up this series of posts.  The PRR certainly had enough visually unique cars that a modeler could comfortably have 4-6 PRR cars and not own cars that looked like duplicates!

New Rapido Offering

Rapido X31A boxcar - photo from Rapido website (cropped to remove whitespace)

A newly tooled version of the X31As by Rapido (website here), which are currently in-stock as of 2022-10-27.  I already have plenty of the Bowser X31 & X32 cars, so I'm not in the market or planning to purchase any of the new Rapido cars.  However, I will happily suggest them to modelers who are expanding their fleets as they certainly are bringing the X31 & X32 modeling up to the standard of many other prototype cars with separate grabs and more complete underbody detailing, etc.

X31A Models from Bowser

Roster 1950 ORER Data

PRR 67400-68999 X31A  (1585 cars XM)

PRR 69000-69499 X31A  (465 cars XM)

 - (Note DD 4 cars XAP), 

 - (Note T 23 cars XMP), 

 - (Note BB 6 cars XMP)

PRR 70000-70399 X31A  (394 cars XM)

PRR 76400-81099 X31A  (4656 cars XM)
PRR 81100-81199 X31A (90 cars XM)

 - (Note T 10 cars XMP, 12ft Staggered Doors )

Note T: Individual cars equipped with racks and hoists for handling spools of rayon yard on beams and differing in AAR Mech Designations from other cars in same series - XMP: 

(T1) 69037, 69086, 69117, 69132, 69210, 69266, 69268, 69269, 69307, 69308, 69311, 69321, 69333, 69340, 69359, 69378, 69392, 69409, 69412, 69421, 69467, 69469, 69480. (23 cars)

(T2) 81103, 81142, 81148, 81149, 81151, 81154, 81168, 81172, 81181, 81189. (10 cars)

Note BB: Individual cars equipped with hoist beams for loading linoleum and differing in mech AAR Designation from other cars in the series XMP: 69014, 69071, 69135, 69230, 69274, 69371 (6 cars)

Note DD: Individual cars equipped with racks for hauling automobile engines and differ in mech AAR Designation from other cars in series: XAP: 69108, 69323, 69332, 69427 (4 cars).

PRR 67401 with very large (tall) road name, large numbers as well. (May 5, 2011 photo)

PRR 67401 general service XM with placard warning about carrying a load of delicate machinery.  The 67401 has some patches of black car cement applied to the roof and a number of chalk marks on the side of the car.

PRR 67526 with compressed name spelled out with larger numbers. (May 5, 2011 photo)

PRR 67526 has some general weathering and some worn chalk marks.

PRR 67578 seems this lettering is almost too small with the name and the numbers a bit wide. (May 5, 2011 photo)

PRR 67578 is showing more signs sooty roof with rusty sides and scrapes from the door rubbing on the car side.  The car's also wearing several chalk marks for the car clerks and carmen to repair the door lock mechanism.

PRR 80265 with more correct lettering size and form. (May 5, 2011 photo)

I forget if I relettered this car or if it actually had a good set of pad printing artwork on the base kit.  In any case, the PRR 80265 is getting pretty crusty with rust.  The reporting marks have been rubbed clean and reweigh data is still visible due to recent restenciling at P712 (station code on the PRR) in Januaary, 1952.  I may end up actually doing a bit of de-weathering on the road name with a fiberglass brush.

The Weird "X31A" Double-Door Cars

Bowser has offered their 40ft double-door X31 model lettered as the following series of X31A double-door series of XMR (automobile loading racks).

PRR 69743 X31A, with double 12ft doors. Probably needs redecalling for road name and number. (May 5, 2011 photo)

Additional cars listed as "X31" class, but show with double doors.  These should be some other suffix class, probably rebuilt.

1950 ORER Roster

PRR 59873-60110 (Note C 35 cars XM, 12ft Staggered double doors)

PRR 60224-60720 (Note C & E 145 cars XMR, 12ft Staggered double doors), 

 - (Note C & G 39 cars XM, 12ft Staggered double doors), 

 - (Note C & E, TT 28 cars XM, 12ft Staggered double doors)

PRR 69504-69997 (Note C & E 136 cars XMR, 12ft Staggered double doors), 

 - (Note C & G 32 cars XM, 12ft Staggered double doors),

 - (Note C & E, TT 34 cars XM, 12ft Staggered double doors) 

Note C: Center of roof is higher than sides IH 10'0" for 3'9" to each side of center.  IH 9''4" at the sides.

Note E: Permanent Automobile stowing equipment various IH, etc. XMR

Note G: Individual cars in series NOT equipped with Automobile loading racks. (number of cars listed in the 69504-69997 series standard XM classification.)  XM: 69505, 69510, 59539, 69542, 69544, 69559, 69564, 69582, 69590, 69594, 69612, 69612, 69622, 69680, 69631, 69668, 69591, 69718, 69729, 69730, 69741, 69764, 69768, 69780, 69791, 69818, 69867, 69877, 69889, 69927, 6936, 69939 (32 cars)

Note TT: Individual number of cars in series have loading racks made inoperative by securing in roof of car for the purpose of transferring cars to general service loading and differing AAR Mech Designation from other cars in same series AAR XM: 
(TT1) 60230, 60232, 60250, 60256, 60273, 60309, 60311, 60385, 60393, 60453, 60473, 60475, 60496, 60509, 60512, 60534, 60545, 60566, 60573, 60641, 60646, 60647, 60667, 60669, 60683, 60694, 60700, 60715 (34 cars)

(TT2) 69516, 60531, 69575, 69576, 69581, 69598, 69603, 69604, 69607, 69619, 69626, 69652, 69655, 69659, 69677, 69694, 69750, 69753, 69807, 69831, 69849, 69872, 69873, 69892, 69896, 69913, 69917, 69924, 69926, 69949, 69951, 69972, 69987 (28 cars).

It's interesting that the X31As covered both single and double-door boxcars and auto rack boxcars.

In Closing

PRR 67401, time for some new decals?  I'll cover upgrades in the future...

These X31A cars have shown good service for about 20 years at LMRC, showing mechanically they are quite good.  The main issue with them now is the incorrect lettering, which has bugged me over the last 10 years or so.  So I picked up some Speedwitch (now National Car Co) decals around 2012 for the X29s.  At some point I'll patch these X31As with new road names.

PRR 61102, one of the X31B series automobile cars, which I'll cover next time in Part 5. (May 5, 2011 photo)

So I'm getting to the end of covering the X31/32 series of cars.  The next post in this series will probably be a quick one on the X31B (double door) car.  After that I'll probably be doing a post on correcting the lettering on some of these cars.  When I do the decal upgrades, I'll probably also install some basic brake levers and rods to the underside of the cars.

I'm also working on repainting some Red Caboose X29 kits, which may take most of my current stash of PRR boxcar decals, so I may need to get another set of decals (multi-car set) to cover several of these X31 and X32 cars.  Plenty of 'projects' to be blogging about!

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 1) - Era Corrections on NP Cars

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 2) - PRR X32As from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 3) - PRR X31F "Turtle Roofs" from Boswer

Freight Car Overview Index - One page with links to all my modeling blogs on freight cars.

Modeling X29 (Part 1) - PRR 100813 Basic Construction

PRR 100813 from a Red Caboose "Late" X29 kit.

In previous posts, I've covered some foreign "Signature" cars, which almost every layout in the steam-diesel transition time should have.  However, I've not covered two of the premier unique prototypes because I'd not finished building any. (Gasp, I know!)

Prototype History

This post starts my PRR X29 build articles that are going to be posted along with the "competition's design", which was formed by the NYC's design for an All-Steel boxcar during the 1920s.  Both designs were built in the thousands by the two designing railroads as ARA looked for a way to gather the railroads into more standardized freight car design moving forward from the USRA's war-emergency designs.  

Partly complete Red Caboose kit of PRR's "Standard" X29 boxcar (left) and BLI's NYC "Standard" 1920s All-Steel boxcar (right).

The ARA's concepts eventually resulted in the early 1932 ARA standard boxcar.  These early designs then evolved into the 1937 AAR design that dozens of railroads bought all the way into the early days of WWII before construction was curtailed "for the duration."

PRR X29 horseshoe with freight cars - Matt Glumac collection - Cropped

This PRR X29, which just out of focus enough that I can't make out the car number, has plate-steel ends and three-panel plate doors and I think still has vertical staff hand brake!  Yes, this photo has a pair of GP7/9 in the foreground as point helpers on an E-unit powered passenger train, showing just how late this X29 is still running around with vertical staff brakewheels!

Circa 1957+ tare date on ATSF 213481 (left) and dirty X29 with plate-ends (right). - Tim Logan collection

This photo shows how dirty PRR X29s could get.  This photo is circa 1957+, judging from the tare date on the ATSF boxcar.  So I'm not sure how much of this filth was already on the PRR car during the post-war to 1953 era, but probably most of it was already there.  Interesting how patchy and partly worn off the dirt/soot is in some places on the car.

Starting Point

Red Caboose X29 Battery Car kit

Many years ago I started reworking a Red Caboose X29 kit which was decorated for PRR's MW Battery Car service, which I'll cover the finishing details in Part 2.  For now, I'm going to start with one of Red Caboose's PRR "Circle Keystone" X29 kits which I finally was able to pick up a couple years ago.  I should add that IMRC of course now has produced several runs of X29s as RTR models.  But I think the older kits are certainly fun to build and deserve some love too.

Basic Car Assembly

PRR 100813, RC decorated X29.

Installing the doors is the first steps I did in construction of the body.  Later cars were repaired along the lower body as the side sheets rusted out with a new strip of metal riveted in place on the exterior.

Underframe

Underframe of PRR 100813 kit starting to be assembled - B-End to the right.

While the underframe injection sprue is accommodated with notches in the centersill, I went ahead and carved the boss down a bit.  Note that at the upper part of this carving are the two small pin-holes for the brake cylinder bracket.

PRR 100813 with basic parts glued in place.  B-End to the right and marked.

Next came the four cross-stringers at the door, then the main underframe/bolster added.  Note the alignment of the holes in the underframe for brake parts & rigging.  At this point I also drilled out the bolster and coupler box holes with #50 drill, then tapped for 2-56 screws.

Later Dreadnaught Ends

B-End of PRR 100813, RC decorated X29 kit

This model has the Dreadnaught ends.  Earlier X29s had plate-steel ends.  The PRR 100813 shows a build date in 1934, making this one of the later X29s to be built.

Brake Wheel Experimenting

PRR 100813 B-End with details & RTV installed brakewheel.  The retainer valve & pipe still needs to be installed.

I'm experimenting with using some Hi-Temp "Red" RTV Silicone, which is similar to the PRR FCR, to bond the brake wheel to the geared brake housing.  I need to give it a full 24 hours to fully cure before I see if it really will work.  The problem is that the RC brake wheel is too fine to support the brake wheel if it is bumped.  The Battery car (PRR 100305) brake wheel already been knocked off, so I'm also testing the RTV on the 100305.

I still need to install the grab irons at this point in the construction.

Early Plate Ends

RC CGW 85240 shows off the "early" plate-steel ends.

The one RC model of an X29 I have that has the plate-steel ends isn't a PRR car, but a CGW car which bought clones of the X29s.  Also note that the CGW model shows the 'patched' side sheeets in the bottom foot or so of the sides.  Many PRR X29s received these patches.  Some cars had multiple patches which varied in height, reflecting the extent of the unsaveable sections of the sides that rusted out.

Patched Sides

PRR early X29 built in 1924 with double door stops and patched sides - Pintrest webphoto

One of the reasons that I picked up the Battery Car versions, was to be able to make some custom replacement patches on those models.  Hopefully, in some future post I'll be able to show what I come up with in that area.

PRR 2136 X29 patched panels - pintrest photo

This stuffed-and-mounted example shows a better example of the continuous replacement lower side sheet.  This car also shows the later-built X29s with the Dreadnaught ends.

Stuff to Do Next

What's left to do at this point?  It's mostly down to wrapping up the smaller details.

Stirrups & Grabs

I'll probably be replacing the plastic stirrups with A-line flat-wire parts.

I'm not sure which option I'll go with for the grab irons, but I'll probably be using 0.012" PB wire, which I'll end up forming on some of my standard OwlMtModels grab iron jigs.

Underframe Brake Rigging

Like with the grabs, I'll be replacing the brake rods with 0.012" PB wire, but using the plastic brake levers.

In Closing

PRR 100813 at the end of Part 1, I still need to do the grabs and stirrups, and paint the underframe.

That covers the first part of this build.  I'm also working on wrapping up the PRR 100305, which I started years ago, it is currently about the same point that I got the new 100813 kit to.  So we'll start the next part of this series working on both cars.  The X29 blog posts will be at least two more posts, not counting if/when I build the Battery car kits with custom side-patches installed.

BLI NYC 111869, early 1920s all-steel standard boxcar.

Another series of posts that are going to intertwine with the X29 build posts will be on the BLI NYC "Standard" 1920s All-steel boxcars (Lots 437-B, 438-B, 439-B, 489-B, 490-B, 491-B, 559-B, 563-B).  These were the competing designs to the ARA's request for standardizing an all-steel boxcar design in the 1920s.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

Other PRR Posts
X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 2) - PRR X32As from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 3) - PRR X31F "Turtle Roofs" from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 4) - PRR X31As from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 5) - PRR X31B & C from Boswer

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 3) - PRR X31F Turtle-Roofs from Boswer

The X31F class boxcars were rebuilt during the early days of WWII with the center portions of the roof raised to allow taller vehicle loading, such as stacking inclined jeeps, etc.  These cars result in a very unique look in a regular freight train.  Nearly 700 cars were rebuilt into this form, they certainly did make their way around the country after the war for a number of years.

According to the 1950 ORER there were still 457 cars in XMR (Note: A & E) service with fixed automobile racks which could be retracted into the roofs in the 81200-81889 series.  In addition, 233 XM (Note: A & G) plain boxcars filled out the 81200-81889 series.  See Notes E and G for exact car numbers for which AAR class car desired.  This series filled number range, to-the-car, at the end of the X31A series below and butted right against the X41A series above.

PRR 81205 - XM (Plain boxcar)

PRR 81205, earlier Bowser X31F "Turtle Roof" boxcar, painted for general service

One of my older X31F kits built up as a general service boxcar.  The lettering for the "PENNSYLVANIA" seems incorrect compared to the 81348 (below) being a bit too large and tall, this seems to be fixed on the newer models.  Decals from National Car Shops/ex-Speedwitch should be able to fix this, but would require repatching the paint before replacing the road name.

PRR 81348 - XMR (Auto-Rack)

My newer swap-meet bought unbuilt kit shows the car stenciled with "Return when empty to PRR Canton Baltimore MD" assignment stencil, which gives the car's home station.  When the car returned to that station, the Freight Agent there would then assign the car to go to an auto assembly plant for loading.  These cars were called "boarded empties" and would be returned directly by fastest route to the named station.  Certain freight symbols were specifically indicated to handle high priority loads and these "boarded" empties to expedite their return for reloading.

Pennsy X31F class "Turtle Roof" automobile boxcar, newer Bowser kit version.

Looking up in the notes, the PRR 81348 shouldn't have the racks fitted, per what the door marking says, in 1950.  However, as the car's tare date shows the stenciled September 1948 date, it's possible the car was still assigned and fitted for automobile service with Evans racks.

B-end of Bowser X31F which needs the brake staff linkage fabricated.

Like the other Bowser kits from this era, I'll be needing to fabricate a brake staff and bell crank for the handbrake.

Underframe with modified air reservoir position on the basic underframe.

Underframe with air reservoir moved and turned 90 degrees from most other non-PRR cars.  I may install some lead strips between the centersills to help the Center-of-Gravity moment on the car.

In Closing

X31F PRR 81209 XM in a string of interchange cars at Kern Jct., Jan 4, 1953 TT/TO Ops LMRC

These cars of mine have provided some variation "Standard steel boxcar" look of the 1950s fleet at LMRC for most of 20-odd years in automobile service and auto-parts service in trains such as Santa Fe's 59, WGFX, and BK symbol freights, and regular transfers to the SP to connect to  the Bay Area from Bakersfield on Altamont West (AW), returning on Altamont East (AE) symbols with auto-parts.  Auto cars in general service showed up in other symbol freights such as: VXE, VXW, NCP, OCM, etc.

The newly built PRR 81348 and another sister X31F kit, yet to be assembled, will be available for service occasionally on the Jawbone Branch.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

X31 & X32 Boxcars (Part 1) - NP Correction in Era - Correcting Bowser NP X31 & X32 class models.

X31 & X32 Boxcars (Part 2) - PRR X32A from Bowser Kits - Both plain and Evans Automobile cars from Bowser kits.  Also Automobile and Auto-Parts History.

X31 & X32 Boxcars (Part 1) - NP, A Correction In Era

Many years ago I was looking to add some more lumber cars for my fleet.  I came across the Bowser X31 & X32 class cars that were painted in Northern Pacific scheme, showing 1951 tare dates.

NP 39159 with black car-cement roof applied to the model

Unfortunately, as we'll see, these weren't exactly what I was hoping they would be useful for once I dug into their history.

History

Fresh X32 NP boxcars on ATSF freight with 260-class F-units, 1961+ Walong - Richard Jahn collection

In 1961 the Northern Pacific leased 40 and 50ft round-roof boxcars from PRR/DT&I for lumber service.  Bowser released these models in the 1990s and early 2000s, I picked up a couple of each based on the printed tare dates on the models.  However, I did learn that the models are not accurate for the 1950s era that I model, but are more properly accurate for post-1961 layouts.

X31 40ft Round Roof

NP 39159 with black car-cement roof applied to the model

The 39159 has the roof painted black to represent the change to the car's paint for service on the NP.  I wouldn't be surprised if this was a coating of black "Car Cement", which was a water-proofing tar-like material to seal up the roof on these older boxcars for finished lumber loading on the NP.

Basic Bowser model with light chalk marks.

I'll still need to apply the black roof to correct the model.  Also changing the tare date on the model is still needed.

X32 50ft Round Roof

NP 39648, a 50ft X32A weathered from service on the NP in the 1960s.

These two 50ft models will need to have black roof coating applied and the tare dates changed.  The cars should have a "JN 9-61" as the tare date, based on the NP Historical Society special run of NP X32s available here, which just need the roof painted black: https://store.nprha.org/bowser-ho-scale-x-32-50-np-round-roof-boxcar/

NP 38715, another example of an X32A boxcar, which will need minor changes for the 1960s.

These cars will hopefully still find a good home to provide lumber service after the slight corrections to the era of service.

In Closing

These models are nicely painted and another example of the "Shake-the-box" kits from Bowser.  Once the modeling community realizes which era these are correct for, I think they'd make a great bit of "something different" for the 1960s era modelers of the Pacific North West, and also a chance to model an NP car that could be off-line as well.

PRR 59505, an X32A Bowser model.

I'll be covering two PRR cars of X32A in Part 2, which is a bit more historically accurate out-of-the-box.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

Weathering NP 11661 - A Rapido Double Sheathed Boxcar - Prisma Pencil & Acrylic Weathering

Outside Links to Bowser's X31/32/33 type kits and RTR models in HO Scale.

Bowser's Current Offerings - Link to available kits and RTR models from Bowser. (looks like mostly Undecs for X31/32/33 variants.

X31 History Offerings - Past production runs of X31 type cars (Including 2 & 4 door, along with 4 door "Turtle Roof" version)

X32 History Offerings - Past production runs of X31 type cars (Including 2 & 4 door versions)

X33 History Offerings - Past production runs of X31 type cars