MoPac 70′ Mail Storage Model

[benjamintickell53]

The question of the trucks is intriguing, and the idea that trucks came from older express boxcars is particularly so. I wonder if we could develop enough of a photo database of different numbers of these cars to either confirm or refute the truck origins? The diagrams for these cars specify that 135-159 had trucks matching General Steel Casting Drawing 30370, while cars 160-184 had trucks matching GSC Drawing 32595.

Per Ed Hawkins in Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #6, boxcars 86150-86174 and 88300-88324 were modified by Sedalia in 1942 for box-express service, getting Allied full cushion trucks. The cars were rebuilt and renumbered circa 12-1958, becoming 4300-4324 and 4325-4349, both series getting GSC trucks in the process. So far, I have not found a diagram for the 4300 series box-express cars, which might help answer this question if truck details are specified.

Regarding the number of these cars converted to something other than tool cars, here is another one, in the later UP version of M/W colors. Its not legible in this view, but on the other end of the car it appears to be stenciled “Dining Car.”

And, for those who have forgotten, these cars did actually exist in colors other than faded blue, tuscan, rust, silver or green… as the photo of car 159 southbound on the GM&O at Joliet in 1967 confirms.

Bill Pollard

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[attachment=0:13v2j3v0]159.jpg[/attachment:13v2j3v0]

[clemmie_doris12]

Here is another photo. This was taken in 1992 at Ft. Gibson, OK. Note the “Palestine” post-UP font reporting marks.
[attachment=0:30lf0smz]MP Express Car FGIB 1992.jpg[/attachment:30lf0smz]

[peggyrothschild]

Photos from Bill Herbert wonder what the 30300 series was?

[princessclyne69]

Oh wow, now we even have one that’s had a truck change.

Here’s what I think I know about MoW renumbering after 1961. In order to accommodate the large number of cars that were starting to crowd each other out in the five-digit numbering system, St. Louis developed several new numbering systems for locomotives, passenger cars, company service cars including cabooses and MoW, and freight cars. It appears that it was intended that equipment which was nearing the end of its life or becoming obsolete was not going to be renumbered. This was true of freight cars, and it seemed to have been true of MoW cars also. Cabooses were assigned the 11000, 12000 and 13000 series number blocks, and there was a clear plan here that others have elaborated on much better than I, about 13000 series being road cabooses and renumbering them successively downward as they aged.

I have never heard of a renumbering document for company service cars, but it would be logical that there would not have been need for one since system shops weren’t being asked to catch cars and assign them a specific new number.

So evidence seems to say that cars put into MoW service after about 1963 were renumbered starting with 14000, probably in order as they were assigned, although with plenty of gaps. The number series extended into the 15000s, although there were some exceptions (possibly pre-existing) such as the 70000 series sand cars and the 99000 series wheel cars. The CEI 16000 series sand cars of 1972 were probably intended to fit in with this numbering, even though they were nominally revenue cars.

My interest really doesn’t go this far into the future, but I suspect that after 1982 the numbers jumped ahead to the 30000 series, just one of many changes after this date.

RG7

[clemmie_doris12]

The photo of the green bunk car in Bill Pollard’s last post was taken at the museum in Atchison, KS. They used to go by the Northeast Kansas Railroaders moniker. But, there have been some ownership changes and the local Chamber of Commerce seems to have control of the full size rolling stock. The former group was using this car as a workshop for maintenance of the miniature train that they run next to this facility.

The interesting thing about this photo, at least for me, is the position of the photographer when he snapped the picture. Unless this is a fairly recent photo, he would have been standing near the end of my caboose, MP 13569.

As for the 30304 number, I think this is a UP renumbering of some sort. Due to age and other factors, it has to be in non-revenue service.

[peggyrothschild]

I just spoke to Hubert Mask on the decal set and have 25 ordered. You’ll be able to do the original Dark Eagle Blue passenger scheme, the passenger scheme with freight data added or a MoW car. Each set will do two cars. Will post when they arrive with a link to the company store.

[John Garavaglia]

Got mine today…These are really nice castings, actually. I’m going to build it like the last picture, in the oxide red with the freight car trucks under it. One of these sat for years in West Frankfort on the siding south of the depot. It was a tool car.

The decal set is incomplete, however. There are no reporting marks that come with the set.

Is there an add-on set?

[princessclyne69]

When the cars were built, there was only the car number, in one place per side, plus the buzzsaw and white striping. The only other lettering on the car would have been 1″ height, in a couple of places including the end of the car, for dates of last inspection or lubrication or brake test.

In 1969, when the cars were reclassified as freight from passenger, many of them got the capacity data that any normal freight car would have. Capacity data is supposed to be on the left end of the car side. Dimensional data, which on a freight car is supposed to be on the right end of the car side, was never applied to any car I ever saw. (“supposed to be” means according to AAR interchange standards, which used to be published in the ORER.)

So you have everything that was ever there, for the cars as they appeared when being reassigned to freight service. For the next change, when they were assigned to MoW service and renumbered, you’ll probably need another decal set.

Ron Merrick

[John Garavaglia]

I’m modeling a M of Way car…in the oxide red scheme.

[peggyrothschild]

@JoppaSub wrote:

Got mine today…These are really nice castings, actually. I’m going to build it like the last picture, in the oxide red with the freight car trucks under it. One of these sat for years in West Frankfort on the siding south of the depot. It was a tool car.

The decal set is incomplete, however. There are no reporting marks that come with the set.

Is there an add-on set?

Tom
The decals ‘are’ complete and done off the Passenger and freight photos we had. There’s several buzz saws, several numbers and the capacity, load limit and light weights complete with the star and MP weighing station. Reporting marks were not used so the set isn’t incomplete.

Charlie

[John Garavaglia]

Charlie:

There are photos of these cars with reporting marks on them. I think there is one in this thread…

[peggyrothschild]

Tom
I was aware of these and discussed them with Kevin Love. We decided they were post merger style standards (i.e. That Big yellow RR) and decided to not include them. There is a TPX lettering on the set for a pre merger MoW car that was included.

Charlie

[clemmie_doris12]

I looked at some of the photos in this thread and if you see large numbers, they are post merger. Some follow the MP standard of including the periods following the M and the P. But, as stated, this was applied post merger, probably at the Palestine shops. Even though it took awhile after the merger of the corporations to merge the mechanical departments, the UP influence started almost right away. So, the decal set in question is accurate for a “true” MP car.

[peggyrothschild]

While I had my decalling solutions and tools out to decal the GP-12 (small scissors, needle in a pin vice, Exacto knife and brush) I tackled the mail storage car in freight service. I gave the sides two coats of Tamiya gloss for decalling.

Mask Island decals are very thin and I flood the area with water when I put them down as they have a tendency to want to curl. Micro scale decal blue and red bottles were used as my setting solutions. Hubert’s mail storage decal sets give you enough for three cars or you can mess up twice and still have a backup decal. I’ll get back to detailing the underside next.

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[mopac]

well done very nice Charlie

Bill Basden

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