PC: Re: Former PC 168046

[Bx39crle <Bx39crle@xxxxxxx>]

In a message dated 3 January 1998, Darrell W. Sawyer asked:

<< Yesterday afternoon while photographing box cars at the Kimberly-Clark
facility in Everett, WA, I came across...CP 211666. ...Also on the frame is
"CR 215337" and "PC 168046".  My copy of  the 1/82 ORER lists this as a class
X75 under both the CR and PC series (215216-215510 & 168000-168499
respectively).
<< Does anyone out there know who this car was manufactured by?  The ends
looked as though they could be PS (R4/5s) but the sill doesn't appear
consistant with PS.  Was it built by PC?  Anyone know a lot number? >>

  The Penn Central X75 class boxcars were built by Pullman-Standard at their
Bessemer Alabama plant in 1972, according to "Box Car Production 1963-1994,"
by David G. Casdorph.
  Originally 5077 cu.ft., 100 of these cars had their roofs raised during May
1992 and their capacity thus increased to 6007 cu.ft. as part of MDSR series
192200-192299.  This is according to an item on page 20 of Freight Cars
Journal Number 59, which also mentions the original P-S lot number as being
9602.
  The MSDR rebuilds were the subject of a modeling article by Mike Rose in the
May 1997 Railroad Model Craftsman. Photos of the MSDR car shows a sill that
tapers down just inboard of the third side post from the corner, unlike the
more familar P-S sill, which is straight with a portion cut out around the
stirrup steps (as can be seen on the MDC PS Rib Side Boxcar kit).
  However, that tapered sill was used on several types of P-S boxcars built in
the same period, notably some Southern cars.  One can see somewhat similar
tapered side sills on SOU 550194 & 550318, photos of which appear on page 59
of a Casdorph article in the April 1997 Model Railroading.  Both of these
Southern cars also have ends ressembling those on the PC X75s.

    Tom Jelinek
    Bx39crle -AT- aol.com