Re: PC: 40' boxcars

[ShenangoRS@xxxxxxx]

Ken,

Looking at my Penn Central Color Guide, there are only 5 pictures of 40' box 
cars.  None of these cars are (as yet) commercially available to my 
knowledge.  You are correct, the Athearn 40' car isn't close to anything 
NYC/PRR/PC had.

If "close" is good enough, I'd suggest the Accurail PC 40' PS-1 boxcar.  The 
color is good and their numbering is usually pretty accurate.  Besides that, 
the price is reasonable.  137714 is a representative number in this series.

Other than that, its pretty much paint and decal.  Not much else out there in 
PC already painted and lettered.  Now if you're interested in building kits, 
painting and decalling, I'd suggest the Branchline Blueprint series 40' box 
cars when they are reissued later.  They will come close to the ex NYC cars.  
Also Red Caboose has recently reintroduced the former Front Range 40' AAR box 
car with many improvements.  They sell an undecorated version.  Building it 
as is will gie a very close approximation of the PC's ex PRR X-43 class box 
cars.  I don't rember the nos. off hand.  If you're interested, get back to 
me and I'll find the number series.

By the way, the PC Color guide is a fantastic book.  There needs to be a 
follow-up of several volumes to reasonably coer the PC.

Mike Bradley
ShenangoRS -AT- aol.com