Billy is correct (although I don't remember the number series off hand). The feature they got wrong was the side ladders, which should be individual grab irons. The car was shown in the 1931 Car Builders Cyc. and one of the Trainshed reprints.
If you change out the ends for Dreadnaught, using either Permabuilt stamped metal, Stewart/Ye Olde Huff-n-puff cast metal or AF boxcar parts, the result is close to the standard AAR gon of the 1940s, used by ACL, C&NW and some others. I'd bet a search of the list archive would find further details. Pieter E. Roos --- On Sat, 7/7/12, Billy Click <[email protected]> wrote: Don, I believe that the prototype was a T&P gondola in the series 177150-18249. Billy On Jul 7, 2012, at 9:03 PM, [email protected] wrote: Members - When we relocated six years ago, I disposed of my back issues of NASG Dispatch. However I recall that one issue included identification of the prototype for American Flyer's gondola (approximately 40 ft., steel, fixed bottom, fixed ends, straight side sills, et al.). Can anyone remind me of what prototype the author sited? I have "S"cale Railroading, Oct./Nov. 1992. On page 5 is a photo of Central Hobby Supply's NYC "USRA Rebuilt" gondola, which appears to be a lot like the A.F. product. Were these the A.F. prototype? Thanks. Don Hand
