Walthers Chesapeake
& Ohio
Converted Troop Sleeper
Item #: 932-4166
MSRP: $26.98
HO Scale
Walthers has recently introduced ready-to-run
models of the baggage and express car conversions done by several
railroads of the surplus WWII Pullman troop sleepers. The specific
model reviewed is Chesapeake & Ohio’s car number 362.
The Prototype
America’s railroads were severely challenged by the
demands of World War II for the movement of people and material. Annual
rail passenger miles traveled quadrupled from just before the war to its
depths in 1944. At the same time, the War Production Board placed
emphasis on directing the country’s industrial output to needed war
materials. As a result, relatively few new passenger cars were built
during the war years, so this huge increase in passenger traffic was
largely handled by stretching existing resources to their limits.
To help alleviate this situation, the Defense Plant
Corporation contracted with Pullman to build 2400 troop sleeping cars to
be delivered between 1944 and 1946. For production efficiency, Pullman
based the design on the AAR standard 50’ 6” boxcar design. The cars
lacked typical box car ladders to the roof and roof walks. Other
modifications included smaller 3’ wide side doors, addition of 10 large
windows, 2 lavatory windows, and 6 small upper berth windows on each
side, end doors with diaphragms, passenger train steam and signal air
lines, and special, smoother riding Allied “Full-Cushion” trucks. The
first half of the production had step wells and trap doors under the
doors centered on each side of the cars. Latter production eliminated
the step wells and used simple strap foot rungs.
After the end of WWII, the government sold these
now excess cars to the railroads at “war surplus” discounted prices.
The Chesapeake & Ohio acquired 244 troop sleepers and 8 troop kitchen
cars at prices of $1,950 and $2,500 per car. Most became maintenance of
way camp cars, 15 became cabooses (for only four years before being
transferred to MOW use), and one became an auxiliary steam generator
car. Twenty-five sleepers were obtained for the ex Pere Marquette
district in December 1947 and were converted for baggage/Railway Express
Agency use in 1948 and early 1949. The C&O conversion date records may
not be completely accurate, as a photo taken in April 9, 1949 shows car
356 lettered “Chesapeake & Ohio” in Pullman Green, still with all its
windows, roof vents and narrow doors, in spite of the C&O records
stating the conversion was completed on January 29th of that
year. These cars were originally numbered in the 339-363 series. Three
of the cars were diverted to work train service, and in early 1952 the
remaining cars were renumbered to 355-376.
When built, the cars were painted in standard
Pullman green and carried the “Pullman” name on the upper car sides.
The C&O conversion of these cars for head-end use included blanking all
the windows with steel plates, widening the side doors to 6’ width, and
removing the roof ventilators. The Allied Full-Cushion trucks had a
reputation of derailing and were outlawed on interchange equipment in
the late 1950s (one source says 1956 and another 1959). The C&O troop
cars in on-line maintenance service, including those formerly used as
cabooses, continued to ride on the Allied trucks. The troop cars
converted as baggage cars received standard “Commonwealth” type single
drop equalizer passenger car trucks of about 7’ wheelbase by the early
1960s.
In 1951, the C&O adopted its lightweight car
tri-color (federal yellow, enchantment blue, and aluminum, later changed
to gray) paint scheme for its heavyweight passenger and head-end cars.
Most photos of the modified troop sleepers from the 50’s and 60’s show
them in this tri-color configuration, although there is a published
photo of number 362 in the early 1960’s still in Pullman green, with
blanked windows, wide door, and passenger car trucks.
The Model
The Walther model of the troop sleeper compares
closely in all dimensions to published scale drawings by Harold
Russell. The cars come with working diaphragms installed. The
underbody details include the dual AB brake system components of the
prototype, but do not include any of the air, steam or signal piping.
The car is provided with very nice free-rolling plastic Allied
Full-Cushion trucks with blackened metal wheels on plastic axles. The
RP-25 wheel flange and gauge conform to the NMRA standard gauge, but the
wheel treads are slightly wider than the NMRA standard. The car comes
equipped with Proto MAX Kadee compatible couplers installed, and with
substitute horn-hook couplers in the parts package.
The cars come with separate handrails that the
purchaser can install if desired. Walthers provides locating dimples
for drilling these holes with a #80 drill. The handrails are provided
in a bright finish simulating stainless steel, but photos show that the
handrails on these cars were painted in the same color as the rest of
the car sides. Walthers does not identify recommended matching paints.
The Walthers C&O troop sleeper conversions in
Pullman Green would be appropriate for use after 1948, or 1951 for the
tri-color scheme, until the late 1950s with the Allied trucks. For use
in the 1960s until the modified troop sleepers were removed from service
in 1965, modelers should substitute short wheelbase passenger car
trucks.
The C&O version of the troop sleeper with a
recessed 6’ baggage door is also available in the C&O tri-color scheme,
in 2 different B&O schemes and in B&M. Walthers is also offering the
Pullman troop sleeper in its as-built configuration, and as rebuilt by
the New York Central with a Youngstown 6’ box car door. This version
will be available painted in 3 different NYC schemes, and in Erie, DL&W,
E-L, CRI&P and Alaska paint and lettering. Walthers is also producing
the similar troop kitchen car in its as-built configuration, and as
modified for use on the CB&Q and Monon. All versions are also available
undecorated.
These are excellent models of a widely used car.
The Walthers modified troop sleepers have a list price of $26.98 for the
C&O versions, and $24.98 for the as-built cars, NYC style sleeper
conversions, and for the troop kitchen conversions.
Reviewed by
Gary Quale
C&O-Style Former Troop Sleeper Express Boxcars
C&O (Pullman Green)
C&O (blue, yellow, gray)
B&O (MOW Green)
B&O (blue)
B&M (Tuscan)
Undecorated
C&O-Style Former Troop Sleeper Express Boxcar Limited-Run 2-Packs
C&O (Pullman Green)
C&O (blue, yellow, gray)
B&O (MOW Green)
B&O (blue)
B&M (Tuscan)
