PC: Re: NYC->PC->CR->NYC->CSXT

[Bx39crle@xxxxxxx]

  In a message to the Penn Central mailing list dated 1 August 1998, Bill K
asked:

<< What's the difference then between a LV 8300 and an LV 8100?   the 8100
cars are classed as X58's (X58L?) and I have shots of them numbered in an
entirely different CR series.   (Remember that the LV was a PC component when
these cars were built)...

<< Athearn offers their 50' OB plug door box decorated as a LV 8300 and once
as a PC/P&LE car in green.   is it accurate for any of these cars or just
looks close? I know the ribs are wrong for the 8300 cars. >>



  There are only 2 series of LV cars listed in the reference work I cited last
night, "Box Car Production 1963-1994," compiled by David G. Casdorph (Society
of Freight Car Historians  1st Edition: 1995).

  One is LV 8300-8399, 4720 cf, 50'-6" IL box cars built in 1969 at the
Despatch Shops Inc., East Rochester NY.  Tom Wolfgang describes his web site
image of CR 229782 as:

<< A former LV 50' boxcar from the LV 8300-8399 series >>

  and that Despatch end car certainly resembles the X65 I saw, CR 266707.



  The other LV series in that Freight Cars Journal publication is LV
8200-8259, 4963 cf, 50'-8" IL cars built in 1965 at the Pennsylvania
Railroad's Samuel Rea Shops.  Like the 8300-8399 series, it has 10'-6" wide
door opening.  The roster lists this series as class X58B.


  Images of X58s can be viewed at the Penn Central, Conrail Cyclopedia, and
George Elwood E-L web sites:

http://prozac.cwru.edu/jer/pc/

http://crcyc.railfan.net/

http://www.dnaco.net/~gelwood/


  Articles on upgrading and making the Athearn kit more closely resemble an
X58 include:

"Pennsylvania (PC) X58 Plugdoor Boxcar" (RMC Protofile 9)" by Larry Hanlon,
pages 73-4 May 1980 Railroad Model Craftsman

"An Athearn Conversion" by Greg Martin and Paul Chandler, pages 36-7, March
1991 Mainline Modeler

"Conrail Insulated Boxcar" (RMC Protofile 65)" by Douglas Fleming, pages 73-4
October 1993 Railroad Model Craftsman



  Perhaps someone with more Lehigh Valley information could describe the LV
8100 series, about which I know nothing.

  Also, considering the references cited above, I don't know why an Athearn
X58-based kit would be "decorated as a LV 8300," when 8300 is an X65 serial
number.



    Tom Jelinek
    Bx39crle -AT- aol.com