Pacific Limited MOW car question

[up148]

I've never owned many pieces of brass rolling stock......I saved my money for locomotives and cabooses and other items that would not be made in plastic, resin, wood, etc. But a Pacific Limited MOW car became available to me for what I considered a good price and I bought it. I've always liked MOW items and I wanted to resprayed this car UP silver. This car is built by FM Models and I think it might be one of PL's early imports, but actually have no idea where it falls into their import timeline.

But, what amazes me, is I can find no visible way to take it apart. Every brass model I've owned has had screws allowing you to remove the chassis from the body, but not that I can find with this car. Anyone familiar with PL or seen other brass models that didn't come apart or any thoughts on this?

[sarge]

I wish I had it in my hands to be sure, but a couple things. A few of Pat's cars were held by bolster and/or coupler screws. Pull them all, then open the doors and try working the floor loose. I suspect whoever threw that coat of grey on there did so assembled, so the paint has leeched in between the floor and sides, serving as an unwelcome adhesive.

[up148]

That was sorta what I thought. I tried gently to slide the doors open but they didn't budge, so I'll have to be a little more forceful without doing damage. Since I saw no body/chassis screws I didn't know if the doors were soldered shut. Been converting pantry open shelves to cabinets, but I'll have time to play with it today.

Who is PL and how long have they been in business. Their cars were always detailed fantastically, but very expensive, so I never owned one before.

[sarge]

Pacific Limited was the moniker under which Pat O'Boyle imported what was then the higher-grade freight cars, a cut above PSC for example, often in many prototype variations. He and Bob Hundman (Mainline Modeler magazine) did a fair amount of research together so car plans published by Hundman often got made in O scale brass by Pat.

I can give an example of his style, as I got mixed up with his NYC ARA 1923 steel box project, a rather typical project of his. I'd bet there were seven or eight variations of that car imported, each off original drawings. The only thing I really did was supply drawings I had for three or four different lots of that car.

Memory serves he passed away in the first decade of the 21st century, and PL passed with him.

[up148]

I remember both names, but especially Bob Hundman, as I enjoyed Mainline Modeler and his magazine was the "go-to" source for accuracy of a model.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that this car was not built to be disassembled. I see what looks like solder between sheets of side brass and the floor of the car, which is the same as the underside, sticks out beyond the door openings 1/8". Sure it could be removed, but at what cost.

The doors might also slide, but due to the scale size of brackets and rollers that hold it in place, the door would have to be put in position (open, closed, partial) and secured for handling and operation, as the top just falls away..............but these are some of the most accurate scale size details I've ever seen.

The car might be factory painted and was obviously done with the door in place and hasn't been off since. Window glazing would have to be attached from the outside (doable) but adding an interior would require major disassembly and the project might become an exploded box of parts.

[sarge]

All soldered is a foolish thing to have done but so be it.

I'd remove the other door, too. Paint it and the doors, then glaze through the door openings, interior stuff too if you want it.

I assume the roof is soldered, too?

[up148]

Yeah, it looks like totally soldered together. I may reach out to a fellow I communicated with years ago who seems to be somewhat of a PL guru.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Yeah, it looks like totally soldered together.

This all prompted me to pull out my one PL car - PRR R7 reefer -- had never had good cause to look for its disassemble since it was a painted model.

Not seeing any screws, etc. Am seeing what appears soldered joinery at edges of sides to floor just as you showed above. Have to file this bit of info away; not sure I'll ever need it, but one never knows....

[sarge]

I want to say these were his first series, all cars based on the PRR X23 boxcar, including X23, R7, NX23 caboose, a round-porthole work car and that rectangular windowed car you have, Butch. There might have been an X24 auto-box in there, too.

If that construction was constant throughout the series, I'd not be surprised. Admittedly, I don't remember even though I've painted a number of X23 and I seem to remember doing at least one NX23.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

There might have been an X24 auto-box in there, too.

There was an X24 auto-box.

[up148]

Don't mean to go OCD, but this has bugged me so I had to know. Apparently PL has used several builders over the years, but it seems the project dictated whether the model was screwed together or soldered. I say that because these photo show two different models on BT website represented to be imported in 1990, both by the same builder and one soldered and one screwed. So, I'm done. I'll leave this be.

[sarge]

Same builder, Butch.

That PRR series came first (X23, R7, &c). The MDT car came afterwards. I suspect the lesson was learnt after the PRR series; make the floor removeable.

Your photos are out of order in that the MDT car is #1 and #4, while the R7 is #2 and #3, making it look like the MDT car has no screws whilst the R7 does at casual glance.

I'd not really believe BT regarding timeline on this one.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Your photos are out of order in that the MDT car is #1 and #4, while the R7 is #2 and #3, making it look like the MDT car has no screws whilst the R7 does at casual glance.

That explains things....

[up148]

Your photos are out of order in that the MDT car is #1 and #4, while the R7 is #2 and #3, making it look like the MDT car has no screws whilst the R7 does at casual glance.

If I'm anything....it's out of order. I had to run to an appointment and didn't double check the photos before posting.

[E7]

Never fear Butch, we can weasel out of our mistakes by calling them senior moments! I have a few of these cars, but they are nicely painted, so I never looked for ways to take them apart! As I recall, Pat O'Boyle came to a sad demise, but then, it's that way a lot of the time! They (PL cars) are, in my opinion, great pieces!

Rich