PRR Shops X58 Class Box Car

Between 1964 and 1966, the Pennsylvania Railroad built a large fleet of new multiple-purpose boxcars at their Samuel Rea Shops in Hollidaysburg, PA. Constructed as class “X58,” PRR rapidly produced 2,565 cars, plus another 100 for Lehigh Valley. PRR outfitted the interiors of some cars with “loader” appliances and/or insulation which resulted in PRR designating 4 sub-classes: X58, X58A, X58B, and X58C. Being highly-useful boxcars, X58 boxcars were rampant nationwide roamers during their service life.

Many X58s lasted beyond the Conrail era. Most cars were retired in the mid-2000s.

Tangent offers distinctive phase and era variations with their PRR X58 replicas, including high or low ladders, high or low brake appliances, Keystone or Hydra-cushion underframes and all-new 50’ Stanray diagonal panel roof system with prototype options. Tangent Scale Models PRR X58 includes their “near-scale” extended-length draft sill with beautifully rendered side “key” detail and gorgeous “trombone-style” coupler lift bars, plus accurate ASF 70-ton roller bearing trucks as utilized by PRR. Finally, Tangent Scale Models scale replicas operate as well as they look, equipped with free-rolling CNC-machined wheels and Kadee scale couplers, meaning their models are truly ready-to-run.

Tangent Scale Models studied the prototype to accurately reproduce it with the following features:

– Dimensionally-correct exterior post box car with trademark 1960s design features, produced from actual PRR blueprints and from photos and measurements taken from a real X58 at the Danbury Rail Museum in Danbury CT

– Different roof, brake appliance, side/end ladder, and center door arm variations correct for the era / paint scheme of each paint scheme

– Two different underframe variations: hydra-cushion and keystone

– All-New Stanray 50’ Diagonal Panel Roof System design, tooling and options.

– Separate door rods and door roller detail

– “See-through” running board and crossover platform

– Full “lacy” AB brake detail and train air line

– Highly correct “true to life” colors

– “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement

– Durable wire grab irons and “trombone-style” coupler lift bars

– Separate air hoses

– “Near-scale” extended draft gear box with beautifully rendered side “key” detail

– Kadee “scale-head” couplers

– CNC-machined 33” wheels in ASF 70-ton “Ride Control” roller bearing trucks, matching PRR practice

– Replacement 33” semi-scale wheels are available separately from Tangent

– Recommended age 14 years and older

Penn Central (PC) “X58B Diesel Shop Service 1971+” PRR Shops X58 Plug Door Boxcar

• Product: PRR Shops X58 Class Box Car
• Scale: HO Scale 1:87.1
• Truck: 70-Ton ASF “Ride Control” Roller Bearing
• Wheels: CNC-Machined 33″ Wheels
• Era: 1971-1976

PC “X58B Diesel Shop Service 1971+” represents one of Tangent Scale Models most-requested paint schemes for their X58 box car. In 1971, Penn Central assigned a single X58B box car to its Collinwood, Ohio Diesel Locomotive Shops in Cleveland, OH. It was repainted a very light gray (off-white!) with stacked black Penn Central lettering and a large black PC logo that spans 3 panels of the box car side. The model features a Keystone cushion underframe, lowered brake wheel and lowered ladders, as modified by Penn Central. In the world of PC paint schemes, this one is definitely falls into the “unique” category.

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