lettering for PRR X31 and X32/33

In the middle of the depression in 1934, the Pennsylvania began a massive car building program in it’s Altoona, PA shops. Over 12,500 cars of this design were built by the end of 1936. The round roof design was adopted to achieve the maximum cubic foot capacity loading and still clear tunnel restrictions, and became their new and distinctive  PRR standard boxcar. Two basic roofs were adopted - one ush to the sides and the other with a 2” setback at the top of the roof. Cars were both 40‘ and 50’ in length and came with either single or double doors with 6‘ and 12’-1-1/2” or 14‘-6” openings respectivly. During one period between March and April 1936, 3,051 of these cars were contracted out between builders AC&F, BSC, GATC, GSC and PSC. In 1939 and through 1940, the PRR modied the roofs of 690, 40’ double-door cars with a distinctive extended roof to accommodate jeep shipments. These were designated as X31F and classifed XAR.

 

This lettering set is designed to cover the round, or wagon-top, roof cars of the PRR. The numbering system and class designations of these cars are rather complicated. To fully understand the complexities associated with these cars, a careful study can be undertaken in the very comprehensive article by Ed Hawkins and Pat WIder in their RP CYC Vol 22, pages 1 through 74.

 

Paint & Lettering: Cars painted PRR freight car red. Lettering all white stencil paste.

Decal set designed and created at Protocraft Decals