I was hoping some other forum members would talk about their road’s baggage cars, but so far this is a PRR topic. Hopefully that will change.
NOTE: Post initially identified car as K-Line. It is a Williams and post has been updated to correct to Williams.
This time I’m looking at the B70 baggage car and what available models are out there. I hope to cover the various B70a/B70b horse and scenery cars in the next installment.
The B70 is an easy car to discuss. There were only 55 of them (one source shows 60), and all of them were converted from M70/BM70 baggage-mail cars in 1938. All B70s had the clerestory roof, and like the B60 baggage cars, they all had slotted windows when first built and then got the round windows in the 1940s. The only accurate model of a B70 that I know of is Golden Gate Depot’s plastic B70 with round windows. There may be a brass model out there, but I have not seen one.
The old Williams and MTH 70’ heavyweight baggage cars look like they used the same mold and are pretty close to a B70, just a bit short. Unfortunately, the Williams does not come with lens in the portholes. I would not run these cars with the GGD car because of the length difference, but by themselves they can easily pass as a B70.
Here is the MTH car
Here is the Williams car.
Here is a photo showing the length difference between the GGD car in back and the MTH car.
The Williams (left) and MTH cars would go very good with 18" passenger cars.
Here are all three cars with the GGD car in front and the MTH on the right. Note the color differences.
Lionel’s and K-Line's baggage cars are similar and may share the same mold. However, their door placement, door size, and window arrangement are too different from a B70 to be acceptable.
