Hi everyone, I am trying to work out what a typical PRR coal train consist would look like in the 1950s/60s, specifically what ratio of PRR hoppers and those from other railroads. Am I right in thinking coal was not like other freight where you had a good mix of cars rather than predominatley those from the home RR. I am slowly amassing a colelction of pennsy H21s from Bowser and MT 2 bay hoppers but would like to know how far I should expand it to other RRs.
Welcome to Trainboard, Matt. I'm a retired engineer from Western Pa. - on the ex-PRR lines between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg - Bituminous coal country. Though I wasn't "around" in the '50s/'60s, because coal traffic originated on the PRR would use cars supplied/delivered by the home road and for which the railroad received car-hire $$, your speculation is well founded. As a source for you and others interested specifically in the P Co. : http://kc.pennsyrr.com/ is a group (Web-Ring ?) of model & Prototype sites - one of them will likely have precise data on your query...and keep you coming back for additional resources. The PRR it seems, has lost some of its glamour...but still once was known as "the Standard Railroad of the World"...and holds the inspiration for many historical modelers. Again, thanks for adding another voice to our e-convention of train nuts. Stick around, enjoy what's here & show us what you do, too. Bob C.
