Tag Archives: RDG Passenger cars

2021 Strasburg O Scale Show – August

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The Strasburg O Scale Train Show was today. In past years, the August show was often the lightest attended of the three shows that John Dunn and Rich Yoder host each year. Not so this year. It was well attended and buying and selling was at a good pace throughout the show.

They had on display a model that will be auctioned off at the next Strasburg Show, on October 16th 2021. The proceeds will benefit the Strasburg Fire Company where the show is hosted. We should all remember that they have had a rough year with the pandemic canceling the different shows and events that they normally host throughout the year.

This will be a great opportunity to buy a very nice model and help a great organization. The model is built from a kit offered by Wit and Wisdom Models, Dave Vaughn’s company and built by Martin Brechbiel.

On the model front, there were a number of Reading models on the tables, I saw two Weaver Crusader sets with the locomotive on different tables. I also saw the SGL G-3 Pacific and set of five cars. Another dealer had the two car add-on set on their table, while a different vendor had the “Wall Street” add-on car.

As usual I shared a table with my friend Michael Rahilly. Here is a photo of Michael and his daughter Lauren.

One of the things I often hear at train shows is that people attend them now more to catch up with old friends then to buy a bunch of trains. I heard this from more than one attendee today. I was glad to have some time to catch up with a few of the guys that were in the local club back during my time there.

Michael MacEwan, who didn’t have a table at this show, but was hanging out at our table with Michael. As always the conversation always circled back to talking about PRR B6sb’s.

Another former club member was Dave Richter sitting at the end of his tables.

Here at the end of the show was Dave Vaughn talking with Rick Trinkle who was in from Colorado.

One last old fried was also on two different tables at the show. This was a book my brother and I put out back in the late 1980’s. It was a reprint of a Reading Company photo book on the Reading and CNJ 55 Ton Welded Steel hopper Cars.

WB: In An Orange Box

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As a Proto48 modeler, I don’t often pay attention to what the 3-rail manufacturers are doing. Last year was no exception, but Lionel did list a new offering for Reading modelers that almost got past me. They released a new model with all new tooling for a Reading passenger car. Actually for two cars, a combine and a coach.

The cars are based on Reading prototypes built by Harlan and Hollingsworth. The cars appear to be a Reading coach class PBn and combine class CVm. Numbers for those cars:

  • Coach PBn 1100-1175, 1200-1284
  • Combine CVm 589-592

For 3-rail models, they are surprisingly nice. The body appears to scale out closely to published drawings. The roof contour is very nice, the details on the roof maybe be a little exagerated. The main issues I could find with the cars were:

  • Underbody details
  • Steps too steep
  • Roof vents undersized
  • Lack of end details to allow for the oversized coupler to have about
  • Two batten strips on the side of the cars, instead of four on the passenger cars and three on the combine
  • The car diaphragms are oversized

The two above images show that the steps do not go far enough into the car. Also they show the lack of end details like the uncoupling bars, safety chains, steam and air lines.

There may also be a question of how many roof vents are typically on the combines. Some further sorting through photos and equipment diagrams is needed to answer that question.

I’m pleasantly surprised by this offering from Lionel. The cars are much nicer than I was expecting. They will need some work but are a good starting point to build a nice model.

Lionel is offering three different two car sets. Manufacturers price is $379.99 for each 2 car pack. Prices do vary with different retail outlets. I would suggest shopping around. I picked up my cars at a much better price.