Description
Between 1940 and 1942, The Baltimore and Ohio took delivery of 1500 40′ boxcars from orders split between Pressed Steel Car (M55 series), and Pullman Standard (M55A and M55B series). The orders specified a 10’ interior height and 6’ doors built to the AAR standard but with a few distinguishing features. Both builders used their own proprietary ‘Car Builder’s Ends’. The Pressed Steel Cars had unique 4-5 square corner ends with a stepped flat style rib while the Pullman Standard Cars had 4-5 round corner ends with a tapered rib that wrapped around the round corner end. All cars were equipped with Duryea cushioned under frames. Two styles of Duryea under frame construction were fitted. The M55’s and M55A’s used centre sills built up from ship channels while the M55B had a centre sill utilizing a Z26 rolled and welded steel member. All cars were equipped with a flat panel roof with interior car lines that featured a lower flat panel used on the panels closest to the car ends. Both builders supplied Youngstown doors with Camel fixtures.
These cars wore many different lettering arrangements throughout their service lives. Refer to prototype photos. The kit includes decals to model the as-built through 1957 lettering arrangements and heralds.
The kits include:
Pressed Steel or Pullman 4-5 Ends
Resin under frame parts
Flat panel Roof and Laser Cut Trusses
Tack Boards and Route Card Holders
Slack Adjuster
Etched details (Duryea)
Decals
