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PRR 253851 H32 Covered Hopper

History

From July 1948 through October 1948, the Pennsylvania Railroads Altoona Shops constructed 300 cars in series 253500-253799. The cars used welded construction. The roof was a plain welded roof with 14 hatches with a 3 foot by 3 foot opening. The roof walk and running boards were made of Apex Tri-Lok material. The hopper unloading mechanisms were by Enterprise Railway Equipment Co. The sliding doors were hand operated using rack and pinion.The trucks were Class 2E-F22A made by American Steel Foundries with Type A-3 Ride Control. The couplers were Type E with Imperial rotary bottom operated uncoupler devices.

Over the years, the cars went through several painting and lettering schemes. The cars, as delivered, were painted PRR Freight Car Color (FCC) with white lettering and the Circle Keystone. The second scheme occurred when some of the cars were shopped and repainted gray with black lettering and the black Circle Keystone. Later shoppings showed some of the cars painted gray with black lettering and a Shadow Keystone. The last scheme was gray with a Plain Keystone. Some cars lasted into the Penn Central (painted gray and green), and into the formation of Conrail. (painted gray and red)

The Model

The car is Funaro & Camerlengo's Kit Number 2091. The car was built stock from the kit. I did substitute the green floral wire provided by F & C with .012 wire for a scale appearance. Because the corner posts on the corner are fragile, use a #80 drill bit and carefully drill out the openings for the grab irons. I used the kit decals. If you are unhappy with the decals, Mount Vernon Car Shops. The decal set is HO-CLO.

Broadway Limited has issued a limited run car with different paint schemes.

Bibliography

Broadway Limited's Web site.
River Raisin Models, http://www.riverraisinmodels.com/libraryData/prrh30h32.pdf
Funaro & Camerlengo Data Sheet