Steam-era boxcar roof/end color Q

Mon Jul 6 06:04:22 EDT 2020

I am very interested in the 5 car lot identified in your data as PS Lot 8160D  for five cars with the cushioned underframes (N&W 53595 – 53599).  What type of cushioned under frames were these?

Brent
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Dr. J. Brent Greer
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From: NW-Modeling-List <nw-modeling-list-bounces at nwhs.org> on behalf of NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 4, 2020 9:49 AM
To: NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: Steam-era boxcar roof/end color Q

Andre,

I contacted Ed Hawkins who is a freight car historian.  He was co-publisher of the Railway Prototype Cyclopedia series and has worked with many model manufacturers to bring accurate models to market.  Ed advises that he has reviewed and studied many of the Pullman-Standard contract files and has gained a working knowledge of how PS did things.

The short answer to your original question is yes, the model you purchased is accurate.

Perhaps for some, the longer answer may be of interest.  Ed advises that in developing the PS-1 boxcar the company developed not only the production line approach of assembly, but an entire Spec based on how the company dealt with the railroads.  Beginning with the first cars produced in 1949 the company developed its own paint specifications.  The PS paint spec called for the car sides and doors to be painted the freight car color as selected by the railroad.  Black car cement was to be used on the underframe, roof and ends, and the trucks received black paint.  This was the Company’s standard and production was set up for the cars to be finished per this spec. Because of the assembly line process and use of standard materials PS was able to offer a lower price per car to the railroads.

In 1950 PS received an order from N&W, which would become PS Lot 8002 (N&W 44000 – 44499).  N&W referred to its paint specifications, known as N&W Spec 900-D, and wanted the cars painted in accordance with it.  N&W’s specification required, among other things, brown sides, doors, ends and roof, and black underframe and trucks.  This conflicted with how PS did business and Ed reports there was a lot of correspondence between the companies.  PS used galvanized steel for the roof panels while the seam caps were forged steel.  PS explained that paint would not stick well to galvanized steel, even if a primer was used.  There was a suggestion that the primer might react with the galvanized steel which would result in earlier rusting.  PS explained that it used car cement on the roof and ends to better seal the rivets to prevent leakage into the car and onto the cargo.  Eventually N&W accepted the application of black car cement to the roof.  Ed indicated that each car received four to six gallons of paint for the freight car color, but forty-four gallons of black car cement.  The cost of paint was around $3.00 per gallon, while the black car cement cost just $0.32 per gallon.  PS preferred to use Mortell F-1 black car cement.

Before the cars from PS Lot 8002 were completely delivered to N&W, the railroad placed a second order for additional cars.  This would be PS Lot 8035 (N&W 44500 – 44999).  These cars would follow the same specifications as Lot 8002; that is they received black car cement on the roofs but not the ends.

In March 1952 N&W placed a third order with PS, which would become PS Lot 8100 (N&W 53000 – 53499).  Ed relates there was much correspondence between PS and N&W regarding the finish of these cars.  Apparently N&W had reverted back to its specification for an “all brown boxcar” and PS disagreed once again.  N&W Paint Spec 900-E was provided to PS and it had been revised to require the use of Mortex (another brand of car cement), or equivalent, on the roof and running boards. There was much correspondence between the companies over the use of primer before the application of the car cement.  Several chemists concluded no primer was necessary for any brand of car cement.

Before the cars from Lot 8100 went into production, N&W sent another paint spec revision, this one 900-G (no idea if there was ever a 900-F).  This spec still required the use of Mortex.  PS did not recommend Mortex because it was a water emulsion based product and would congeal in cold weather.  Its preferred Mortell F-1 did not have this problem and could be applied in the coldest temperatures, as these cars were being built in its Michigan City plant.  However, N&W Spec 900-G now called for car cement to be applied to the underframe, roof and ends!  Ed notes that at this time N&W had also changed the stenciling of the road name and reporting marks from 7 inches to 9 inches in height.

In 1953 N&W would again place an order for more boxcars from PS.  At this time PS had built 100 cars to the PS-1 design, but with cushioned underframes.  PS Lot 8159 (N&W 53500 – 53994) was for cars with standard underframes, while PS Lot 8160D was for five cars with the cushioned underframes (N&W 53595 – 53599).  PS Lot 8159 had Superior doors instead of Youngstown, and the placards had been lowered in accordance with an AAR recommendation that took effect January 1954.  These cars would be exact duplicates of Lot 8100.

In May 1955 N&W placed an order for an additional 450 cars which would be PS Lot 8261 (N&W 42000 – 42449).  These cars were built at the PS Bessemer plant in Alabama, whereas the prior cars had been built in Michigan City.  The group of cars received Dednox 58-36 on the roof and underframes as it could be applied in the warmer temperatures of Alabama.  However, these cars had brown doors, sides and ends.

I hope some of you found this information interesting. It would be interesting to study N&W Spec 900 and see what changes were made over the many revisions.

Jim Brewer

On Thu, Jul 2, 2020 at 12:10 AM NW Modeling List via NW-Modeling-List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org<mailto:nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>> wrote:
The model ( I also have one) looks identical to the photo of 53499 on page 52 of the N&W Handbook, but you cannot see anything of the ends or roof in the photo.

Dick Dunford
Blacksburg

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Subject: Steam-era boxcar roof/end color Q

Hello all,
In a moment of weakness, I bought a Kadee HO scale 40’ boxcar that poses as an N&W B8, with a 1953 build date in the 53000-53499 number group. Unlike most all others I’ve seen, this one has a black roof and ends. Izzat prototypical? The microscopic lettering on the car side denotes “For Clean Freight Only” — dunno if that makes any difference.
Thoughts, memories, etc., welcomed.
Thanks much,

Andre Jackson
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