Prewar and postwar prr coaches

[JLK2707]

I am just wondering if there any differences in the PRR pre and post-war coaches. 

[Len]

Which war? 

Assuming you're talking about WW2, then the short answer is yes, there were differences. Pullman sleepers were converted to coaches, paint schemes changed, worn out cars were replaced, etc., etc.

For a history of the PRR paint schemes, and when and where they were used, and the cars they were used on, I highly recommend this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Pennsylvania-Railroad-Passenger-Painting-Lettering/dp/0961972904

It's out of print (limited edition by the PRRHS), but generally still available used on Amazon and a few other places. If you're really into the PRR passenger service, there are a number of other very good books on their trains, and the cars used in them, put out by people who eat, sleep, and dream PRR, as well as the PRRHS.

Len

[electrical whiz kid]

Len;
While you're sitting there doing nothing...

I have about twenty passenger cars.  Most of them are Athearn.  They are 75? feet in length.  I would like to cut them down (next winter's project, should I live that long,...) to about 60 feet, which would traverse 30+" curves fairly well.  My experience with same and the 75+"  cars was disastrous!   Even if there wasn't any such prototype...  I don't want to approach this project with a gleam in my eye, but rather, gather as much insight on this as I can before I start.  My thought is to convert most of them to 4-wheel trucks-which I have; I tagged Branchline before they sold out.  Glad I did, because I haven't seen hide nor hair of these critters since!  FYI:  I model no particular prototype; just a free mind and a fresh heart...  The one thing I would like is to keep them around circa; 1930-40.  Thank you in advance.

Rich C.

[Len]

Rich - I've never cut down an Athearn passenger car, so have no idea how to go about it. What I do instead is use the Kadee #451 and #454 adapters when body mounting couplers. I operate them on 22" and 24" curves with no noticable problems.

In general, the Athearn cars are 72', with the streamline baggage and combine cars loosely based on ATSF prototypes. The other cars are very loosely based on eastern road prototypes. In particular the RF&P, which did in fact operate some 72' streamliners.

The heavy weight cars are a freelance generic style done by several car makers, also around 72' long. Which isn't completely inaccurate, since many heavyweight cars on the eastern roads were actually in the 70' - 75' range in length. The exceptions being the Pullman sleepers and diners, which were all around 85' long.

Len