Lettering for C&O’s 52’-6” Greenville drop-end gondolas

In 1944, the Pere Marquette received 100 70-ton drop-end gondola cars from Greenville Steel. Cars were delivered as follows:

 

Series 18850-18949, 100 cars, Greenville Steel Corporation, O.O. 420, wood floor - delivered July 1944

 

In 1947 the PM was sold to the C&O, however repainting of these cars with C&O lettering did not begin to take place until the early 1960’s when the cars needed repainting.

 

Starting in 1958, these cars were slowly transferred to the C&O. Series numbers were maintained by adding a ‘2’ in front of the PM number. Also, starting in late 1958, some of the PM and C&O cars were converted to various types of special service such as automobile frames, and the C&O added outside brackets to the cars for special auto frame loading. After the cars were placed back in general service the brackets were left in place. When ownership changed the C&O added a ‘2’ in front of the PM numbers but otherwise retaining the same series and then repainted the entire car. In-service photographs of the repaint and relettering into the C & O are rare so it is dicult to speculate which and when cars were repainted with the C&O markings.

 

This decal set is designed to provide the repaint lettering for new the C & O ownership as Series 218850-218949. Placement of the lettering is exactly as is shown on the images on this page even though they are one series earlier.

 

Paint & Lettering: Cars were painted all black and underframe coated with black car cement. All white stencil paste Roman lettering.

 

For a more comprehensive understanding of these cars, refer to the Ed Hawkins/Pat Wider RP CYC Series, Vol 3, pages 52-67.

 

Decal set designed and created at Protocraft Decals

Printed by Microscale Industries

Model for this car is Protocraft PC-3608a