(erielack) freight car rosters

[Edward Mines <ed_mines_@_yahoo.com>]

I've been interested in prototype freight since about 1980. I'm most interested in cars found on Erie circa 1946.
 
Freight car rosters turned over about 1/3 in a 10 year period. Old cars retired, new cars acquired. I'd say overall the percentage was even greater between 1947 & '57. Fewer new cars were acquired during the depression & old cars had extended lives during WWII. THere were a good number of wood sided cars in '47, much fewer in '57. Many more 50 ft. box cars in '57.
 
For a realistic roster in O scale (assuming 1/48th scale rather than Lionel/MTH), start with which cars are available and pick the most common ones. You can make compromises depending on the number of cars you need, pocket book, degree of accuracy you want etc.
 
Typical model railroads have too many of the same car (in the past from Athearn).
 
You can see actual railroad freight car rosters in Official Railway Equipment Registers (Westerfield sells them). If you're interested in 1947 the NMRA freight car book is ideal. The Tabor bok with freight cars is geat too.
 
Any common box car from any railroad would be at home in '47. Gons and hoppers depend on how close the foreign road was from Lackawanna. 
 
I'd like to know if you uncover any good pictures of 40 ft. DL&W 40 ft. gons or stock cars in 1947.
 
Ed Mines

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