Penn Central 361444

Not entirely Seaboard Air Line or Seaboard Coast Line related, but a heck of a lot of fun to build, I completed construction of Penn Central X58 361444. The model will play a part in a string of relatively new cars that form a block of RBLs. The remaining cars consist primarily of FGE, BRCX and FGCX RBLs enroute to the local cold storage facility. As a child, I recall seeing multiple RBLs spotted at and around the central Florida cold storage warehouses serving the grocery and citrus industries. Waking up to the smell of oranges never got old or tiresome living just a mile south of an orange juice processing plant.

Mike Robbins' photographs, Orlando, Florida mid-1970s

    Just as the X-5 was a signature car to SCL, the X58 was the signature car to the Pennsylvania Railroad. Building out a consist of 1960s-1970s era boxcars lead me down the path of PC 361444. The prototype was constructed in 1964-1965 and was modernized with lowered ladders, side grab iron removal, and lowered brake gear. The prototype was serviced in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania in 1972 when it was repainted into the stacked Penn Central scheme with the small PC herald.

The model was constructed as per the instructions and built to follow the prototype which was captured in 1972. The Tangent Scale Models Penn Central variation kit included multiple parts and being in need of an exterior post boxcar, I couldn't resist the opportunity to build a model. The major difference of the kit and my model is the location of the end tack boards which were relocated to a high position. The existing mounting location was drilled and filled with Evergreen styrene rod which was cemented into place then once dry, sanded smooth using increasingly finer grit sand paper.

 

PC 361444 courtesy of George Elwood's Fallenflags website

I'm working outside my wheelhouse when building a model of a Penn Central RBL, and have amassed a few sets of decals to build yet other Penn Central models. The model will be primed prior to painting it with Model Flex Penn Central green for the car body, and a variant of steel for the roof. The model will be lettered with Kohlberg Penn Central decal set SE-06. As progress is made additional posts will be updated.