Model Railroading > My 12th Ringling Circus Red Unit Car, RBBX 42019

My 12th car, RBBX 42019 recycled from a Walthers 44 chair coach. This car models one of three cars rebuilt with center doors. The cars retained the end doors. 

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RBBX 42019 CENTER VESTIBULE CAR

Original Reporting Marks:  UP 5438
Built in 1950 by Pullman-Standard – Lot #6844 / Plan #7617
Ordered 2/48; Delivered 4/50 – as a 44 seat Coach
P-S Book – Reference Section 3079 (Streamliner Cars, Vol. I, Pullman Standard, by W. David Randall)
 Ringling Bros.’ ownership data:  Purchased in 1994 from Metro-North. 
1950-1969: UP 5438 Union Pacific RR
1969     SOLD to Grand Trunk Western RR; rebuilt as 84-seat [Suburban] commuter coach
1969-1977: GTW 4815 GTW RR; Detroit Michigan      
(1971    ALSO SHOWS as “ALA 4815” during 1971 (??) )
1977     SOLD to Southeast Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) 
1977-1980: SEMTA 4815 GTW RR; Detroit Michigan
1980     SOLD to Metro-North Commuter RR, New York NY
1980-1994: [MTA] 4815 Metro-North Commuter Service
1994     SOLD to RBBB Circus - 6/94.  Sent to GFA Rail Services, Mulberry FL – 7/94, as W.Q. 4815
1995     W.Q. 4815 Mulberry FL - Stored
1996     W.Q. 4815 Mulberry FL - Stored
1997     RBBX 42019 PALMETTO Shops - Stored
1998     RBBX 42019 PALMETTO Shops - RECYCLE
1999-2000: RBBX 42019  (1) RED UNIT - ADDED MID-YEAR
2001-2006: RBBX 42019 (32) RED UNIT
2007-2008: RBBX 42019 (29) RED UNIT
2009-2017: RBBX 42019 (28) RED UNIT
2018 - RBBX 42019                 ___                               ___________
 Car Body Type:  (AL) Aluminum Body; carbon steel underframe
Brake Valve Type:  ABDXL
LAST Recycle Date:  6/1/1999 
NOTES: 2007 – CENTER VESTIBULE; ½ QUAD. Interior
 Equipment characteristics of RBBX 42019: AAR car type M530 (M-O-W, Scale, Passenger, Caboose, and End-of-train information systems), plate type B, tare weight 126,400 pounds, total gross weight allowed 220,000 pounds, load limit 93,600 pounds, external dimensions (length 85' 6", width 10' 6", height 14' 3"). [Courtesy of [i]BNSF Equipment Characteristics[/i], December 1999]
Railcar fleet details for RBBX 42019: Maintenance of Way, Scale, Passenger, Caboose and End-of-Train, Mechanical Designation: PS; Outside Length: 85 ft 6 in; AAR Car Type Code: M530; Outside Extreme Width: 10 ft 6 in; Outside Extreme Height: 14 ft 3 in; Height of Extreme Width: 7 ft 0 in; Plate Clearance: B; Draft Gear: 5; Tare Weight: 126,400 lbs. [Courtesy of [i]CSXT Railcar Fleet Details[/i], December 1999]

Nice work! I've followed all your posts on this train. I haven't seen how you do your window gaskets. From the photos, these appear consistent and clean. I've done a few scratch-bashed business cars using some fine point art pens for gaskets, but I can't find a fine point silver pen for cars that have a prominent metal frame. Haven't had luck using Microscale decal gaskets. Do you mind sharing?

Bob P

Posted from Android

domerider400 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice work! I've followed all your posts on this
> train. I haven't seen how you do your window
> gaskets. From the photos, these appear consistent
> and clean. I've done a few scratch-bashed business
> cars using some fine point art pens for gaskets,
> but I can't find a fine point silver pen for cars
> that have a prominent metal frame. Haven't had
> luck using Microscale decal gaskets. Do you mind
> sharing?
>
> Bob P
>
> Posted from Android

The windows don't have gaskets. I drill and file the windows, glue clear styrene to the back and fill the openings with canopy glue. Gives a good effect.

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> domerider400 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Nice work! I've followed all your posts on this
> > train. I haven't seen how you do your window
> > gaskets. From the photos, these appear
> consistent
> > and clean. I've done a few scratch-bashed
> business
> > cars using some fine point art pens for
> gaskets,
> > but I can't find a fine point silver pen for
> cars
> > that have a prominent metal frame. Haven't had
> > luck using Microscale decal gaskets. Do you
> mind
> > sharing?
> >
> > Bob P
> >
> > Posted from Android
>
> The windows don't have gaskets. I drill and file
> the windows, glue clear styrene to the back and
> fill the openings with canopy glue. Gives a good
> effect.

I think he was asking how you do the black outline (gasket) around the windows. They're so straight and uniform.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > domerider400 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Nice work! I've followed all your posts on
> this
> > > train. I haven't seen how you do your window
> > > gaskets. From the photos, these appear
> > consistent
> > > and clean. I've done a few scratch-bashed
> > business
> > > cars using some fine point art pens for
> > gaskets,
> > > but I can't find a fine point silver pen for
> > cars
> > > that have a prominent metal frame. Haven't
> had
> > > luck using Microscale decal gaskets. Do you
> > mind
> > > sharing?
> > >
> > > Bob P
> > >
> > > Posted from Android
> >
> > The windows don't have gaskets. I drill and
> file
> > the windows, glue clear styrene to the back and
> > fill the openings with canopy glue. Gives a
> good
> > effect.
>
> I think he was asking how you do the black outline
> (gasket) around the windows. They're so straight
> and uniform.

I don't do anything. What you see is the effect the canopy glue has ounce it's dried.

Whatever the methods, they're looking great so far Jan. I may have asked already in the past, but what's your goal here? A full 40+ car train??? Kudos to you if that's the case.

~ Mr. MRL

MrMRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whatever the methods, they're looking great so far
> Jan. I may have asked already in the past, but
> what's your goal here? A full 40+ car train???
> Kudos to you if that's the case.
>
> ~ Mr. MRL

Red show had 60 cars before the 4 animal-carrying Stock cars (ex-UP 6-axle baggage cars) were removed in May 2016, a year before the show shut down.

MrMRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whatever the methods, they're looking great so far
> Jan. I may have asked already in the past, but
> what's your goal here? A full 40+ car train???
> Kudos to you if that's the case.
>
> ~ Mr. MRL

I have enough coach and baggage cars to do every car in the 2015 red unit, 39 cars I think. Add the two channel side 89' container flats, eight 89'flush deck flats. I have a early Walthers 5 unit spine car to kit bash into the 5 unit flat Ringling had, not sure about that though. I also have the car to do the bilevel flat that was carried on the train a bit earlier than my version.
So I'm looking at a 50 car train right now. Be interesting to run a long train like that. John Rezuke runs a 32 car Blue Unit tain, so a 50 car train is doable, I think

Posted from Android

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MrMRL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Whatever the methods, they're looking great so
> far
> > Jan. I may have asked already in the past, but
> > what's your goal here? A full 40+ car train???
> > Kudos to you if that's the case.
> >
> > ~ Mr. MRL
>
> I have enough coach and baggage cars to do every
> car in the 2015 red unit, 39 cars I think. Add the
> two channel side 89' container flats, eight
> 89'flush deck flats. I have a early Walthers 5
> unit spine car to kit bash into the 5 unit flat
> Ringling had, not sure about that though. I also
> have the car to do the bilevel flat that was
> carried on the train a bit earlier than my
> version.
> So I'm looking at a 50 car train right now. Be
> interesting to run a long train like that. John
> Rezuke runs a 32 car Blue Unit tain, so a 50 car
> train is doable, I think
>
> Posted from Android

I would tend to agree, depending on the layout size it runs on.  Excellent!  Before the animals came off both railroad tours, Red show had 39 passenger cars (their 4 animal cars were originally passenger car fleet baggage cars from U.P.), and Blue show had 40 passenger cars (including their 4 stock cars, which were also from the UP baggage car fleet).  Both of those consists were the length of modern day's Amtrak Auto Train, and THEN both trainsets ALSO had 19 piggyback flats behind all that!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/23 18:14 by rbx551985.