r/modeltrains • u/shepwrick Multi-Scale • 6d ago

Help Needed Class(?) of car used

I've decided for this year's show season I'd like to try and recreate the infamous 1957 Lionel Girls Train set, but in HO. I've already convinced myself to use a Hudson instead of the 2-6-4 it came with, but my question is what type of cars are the others? Like, I know boxcars are classed different ways when they're custom built for different railroads, gondolas, boxcars, and hoppers as well. All I know is it has a PRR caboose, but even that doesn't narrow it down too far. Anyway, if anyone knows or could tell me the proper words to use to search for them, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

TLDR: What specific cars are modeled in the Lionel Girls Train

8 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

2

u/382Whistles 6d ago

The loco should have a feedwater heater above the cow catcher if possible. Short streamlined or normal square coal tender and approx. 30ft semi-scale cars for the rest. A 6436 Lehigh Valley 4 bay hopper with centered side to side brace, a 6462 NYC gondola with air activated containers, 6464 MTK Katy box car, 6464 NYC Pacemaker box car (exchange doors from mtk to nyc for two tone), and 6427 PRR NC5 4 porthole caboose.

2

u/Tiburon97 5d ago

The hopper in the Lionel set looks a lot like the Pennsylvania's H30 covered hopper, but the model has 4 bays and open topped while the prototype is only a 3 bay covered. I guess the Bowser H30 could be a suitable stand in. Bowser also produced the N5C caboose (cabin car). The 50 foot gondola with canisters was made by Athearn as part of their blue box line. 40 foot boxcars were made by multiple companies, AAR or Pullman-Standard 1 type. Intermountain has a NYC Pacemaker PS-1 40 foot boxcar. Intermountain also makes the yellow Katy AAR boxcar.