Update - The G-39 ore jennie is complete, including weathering. I’m working on the ore load. The first G-38 is almost complete. I have a few grab irons and details for the brake system left. Besides the lower height sides, the G-38 differs from the G-39 in that they were built with 32 portholes on the sides to insert steam lances to thaw frozen ore. Later on, when taconite ore became the primary loads in these cars, these portholes became problematic for the PRR as the taconite pellets would leak out of portholes not closed properly or broken, especially on the high line through Philadelphia between the ore docks and the Zoo interlocking. I’m guessing there were broken car windows, slip and falls on the marble like pellets, etc. I laser cut these portholes and they were easier to apply to the car then it looks - a template also laser cut helped with the alignment. I’ve updated the laser cutting tool paths to mark the sides of the G-38s to eliminate having to use the template.
The next complete car will be a G-39A.
