New Weaver PRR GRA Gondolas

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Originally posted by PRR #1:
Today Weaver posted the available paint schemes for their new 40' gondolas which are really a PRR GRA specific-type gondola.

Unfortunately, for those of us that model the PRR in the late 1950s - early 1960s they are not offering a yellow MOW version like they did for the H30 hoppers. By this time period, a fair number of GRAs were transferred to MOW service. I was planning to use them on MOW and Wreck trains. They were used a lot to carry truck sets at wreck cleanups as well as cable reels, etc.

Does anyone know of any black lettering MOW decals available for the PRR GRA in O Scale?

I know I can paint an undecorated version (which Weaver does offer) with yellow MOW paint but still need black lettering to make it complete.

Don't know if one can make their own decals and level of difficulty to do this as another option.

Also thought about contacting Weaver to see if they could paint them yellow and letter them for me but afraid the cost will be way too high.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Bob

Call/write Weaver pronto and suggest this...they're very approachable folks...it's in their interest to offer roadnames/schemes that will move and I'm sure realistic schemes should sell...they should do these in LIRR -- if they had GRa's...

Brian

I had contacted Weaver weeks ago about ensuring a MOW scheme in the GR lineup. Either gray or yellow. I pointed out it would most likely help with sales if they did. I also encouraged friends who wanted it to do the same. The response from Weaver was polite, but it did not show up on the recently added list. If you want a MOW scheme, contact them!

BTW, Champs made a black lettering MOW decal set.

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I pointed out it would most likely help with sales if they did.

I can guarantee at least one more sale if they do, one less if they don't! I'll contact Weaver about making these in MOW Yellow or Gray

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Originally posted by PRR Man:
I had contacted Weaver weeks ago about ensuring a MOW scheme in the GR lineup. Either gray or yellow. I pointed out it would most likely help with sales if they did. I also encouraged friends who wanted it to do the same. The response from Weaver was polite, but it did not show up on the recently added list. If you want a MOW scheme, contact them!

BTW, Champs made a black lettering MOW decal set.

They might be saving it for a future production run. Never a good business idea to do all your possible schemes at once. Got to leave them wanting more...

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Originally posted by Lima:

quote:

Originally posted by PRR Man:
I had contacted Weaver weeks ago about ensuring a MOW scheme in the GR lineup. Either gray or yellow. I pointed out it would most likely help with sales if they did. I also encouraged friends who wanted it to do the same. The response from Weaver was polite, but it did not show up on the recently added list. If you want a MOW scheme, contact them!

BTW, Champs made a black lettering MOW decal set.

They might be saving it for a future production run. Never a good business idea to do all your possible schemes at once. Got to leave them wanting more...

...and something to complain about on internet forums,

Either way, it's finally a car that I can justify acquiring in both PRR and undecorated to make a CVRR version!

if the MOW scheme is not produced, the undec. version will have to be my route. not what I'd like, but I'm proficient enough to make it what I want.

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I'm proficient enough to make it what I want.

In that case, you may have an opportunity for a cottage industry

cottage industry John?
as glamorous, satisfying and financially profitable as that sounds, I'll have to leave that opportunity to those whose waking minutes are less occupied than mine.

but thanks for thinking of my financial security and modeling enjoyment!

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thanks for thinking of my financial security and modeling enjoyment!

Actually, I was just hoping to cajole you to do one for me. On second thought, it might be easier to get Weaver to do it

for you John? if it comes to that, absolutely!

Good Morning and Good News!

I took your advice and contacted Mr. Hayter at Weaver to learn firsthand if a Pennsy MOW paint scheme for the 40' gondola is being condsidered.

I have contacted him in the past on a fair number of occassions with various questions and he has always gotten back to me. This kind of direct customer care will win me over every time.

Below is the response I received:

"First of all, I need to let you know that this really isn't modeled precisely after the Pennsy Gondola. But it is actually a dead ringer for the car. We kind of did a generic one to accommodate a number of different roadnames, mainly to offset the tooling costs. We will do the Pennsy MOW gray & yellow paint schemes, once we produce the first batch of already announced paint schemes."

So I plan to purchase a PRR with Circle Keystone logo for now since there were still a handfull of GRa's in revenue service into the early 1960s. This will give me a chance to see the car before purchasing a whole bunch of the yellow and gray PRR MOW gondolas. As for rivet counting, I am fine if it is not an exact match and am just thankful it is being offered.

I know Public Delivery Track was working with Atlas O to possibly offer a G22 wood composite gondola with a PRR yellow MOW scheme. However, by the 1950's most of these cars were converted to steel sides. So the GRa's are really a better option and one that is being offered and not still on the drawing board.

There are a number of photos showing GRa's serving as idler cars for wreck cranes; typically carrying replacement or damaged truck sets or hoisting tools. In work trains, they carried crawler cranes, cable reels, and other common MOW equipment and materials.

Can't wait to get a more protoypical work or wreck train together once these come out.

Now if we can just convince Middle Division to produce the PRR XL Camp Cars (which they reportedly are considering) we will have everything that our HO brethen have.

Bob

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cottage industry ..........as glamorous, satisfying and financially profitable as that sounds

glamorous???? profitable???????


The timing ought to about right for you to do one for John after he escapes and they let him back in the country.............again,

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the PRR XL Camp Cars... we will have everything that our HO brethen have.

The camp cars would be excellent, but let's also see about getting X23, X23 camp car, NX23, and a Yellow Kid pass set, too, maybe?

for camp cars, take a look at the video I posted for the Cherry Valley open house thread. at the end of the video is a train made up of resin PRR wreck/camp cars made by Al Small that will be offered for sale in the near future. they are very well done.

Yes. I think I got the story a little mixed up about the XL Camp Cars.

I found a few websites that mentioned these cars and both Middle Division and Al Small were mentioned.

As I understand it, Mr. Small entered these cars in a National O Scale Train Show contest last year.

Can you offer any more details? Will they be "ready-to-run" or kits?

How does one contact Mr. Small? Want to reach out to him to express my interests in these cars so that I will be sure to be able to purchase once they are available

Thanks,

Bob

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Originally posted by PRR Man:
for camp cars, take a look at the video I posted for the Cherry Valley open house thread. at the end of the video is a train made up of resin PRR wreck/camp cars made by Al Small that will be offered for sale in the near future. they are very well done.

Been on my list of projects to do for years and I almost bought the Westerfield kits in HO to use a templates a few years ago......

I'll be interested in hearing more about these when the opportunity rises!

Once I receive the revenue service version with Circle Keystone logo it will be a good opportunity to determine if these cars can be converted into an FGRa flatcar.

Books indicate that about 1,100 GR and GRa gondolas were converted during WWII into FGR and FGRa flatcars to carry Sherman tanks. Several of these flatcars made there way into MOW use for same type of use as gondolas.

The conversion would involve removing the two wood sides and both end doors/side and adding stake pockets. Not knowledgeable as to possible ways to add stake pockets to these cars. Not sure if detail parts are available or if they would need to be scratch built or cannabalized from some other flatcar.

So a range of possibilities with these cars.

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Now if we can just convince Middle Division to produce the PRR XL Camp Cars (which they reportedly are considering) we will have everything that our HO brethen have.

Bob

NOT really! Still Waiting for the G22 Ore Jennie!