John Hall_4
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Just as with the class GMk gondola, John’s model of Reading class GMl gondola 25140 was made by splicing two American Flyer gondolas together to get a 46’ car. A new center sill was made of Evergreen styrene and additional underbody details were added, as well as grab irons and stirrup steps. Andrews scale trucks are from Trains Stuff and the #5 couplers are from Kadee. Kappler scale lumber was used for the floor. This car, with the “pre-1941” lettering, also received drop ends, as this class of car should have.
Prototype Information: The Reading purchased 4000 class GMl gondolas between 1923 and 1927. Number series 20000-21999 were built during 1923 and 1925 and series 23500-25499 were built during 1926 and 1927. These orders were all split between Standard Steel Car, Pressed Steel Car and Bethlehem Steel. These cars were equipped with 70 ton capacity trucks, drop ends, wood floors and had a capacity of 1325 cubic feet. In 1933 the Reading converted 44 class GMl gondolas into flat cars (class FMd) for the purpose of transporting steel sections for the
Golden Gate Bridge from the steel plants to the docks in Philadelphia. In 1954 the Reading converted five class GMl gondolas into their first TOFC cars becoming class FCa, number series 9900-9904. Four more were converted to FCa cars in 1955. In 1957 the Reading downgraded over 300 class GMl gondolas to 50 ton capacity due to deteriorating center sills. Large quantities of class GMl gondolas were retired during the late fifties and early sixties, with the last few being retired in 1968.
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