(erielack) Re: Erie 1100 series Coaches from Athearn Coach

["James Held" <jheld_@_roe.com>]

howard and list:

>>> <Hhaines_@_aol.com> 03/24/03 08:00PM >>>
Dear Jay and list:

The photo of you at your "how-to" convert a model Athearn coach to
represent 
an Erie chair car (at the ELHS meeting last fall) has caught up with
me.  I 
found a small fleet with Kadee couplers for $15 in Spokane. Thanks for
the 
work and info to date.   

The questions refer to paint on Erie 2205-2211 and their 1953 renumber
to 
1100-1106.  For the 1953-1965 colors, I can use the photo reference
page 13 
of the DeYoung and Del Vecchio Erie/DL&W Color Guide to Freight and
Passenger 
Equipment. The ELHS also sells a May 1952 version Erie Passenger
Equipment 
Diagram book with these cars already modernized.


1. Were these cars delivered in 1930 in dark Erie green (including the
roof) 
and after their first air conditioning from the 1934 (or 1942)?  

- -----------yes,delivered in dark green,i also have a builders photo
from dan biernacki,i'll have it scanned in. 

I recall reading in one of Carlton's books captions that the Erie
long-haul 
equipment was all dark Erie green, with black under the skirts, but not
on 
the roof.  The black roof seems to have arrived with the E-8 Erie
Limited 
2-tone green Erie paint scheme.

- ----------i would question that,the black on the roof may have been
water protection also,yes black under body.the remainder was pullman
green.


2. Did these chair cars remain in dark green until their 1953 air 
conditioning upgrade? (At this time, it appears the air conditioning
ducts at 
the mens-room end changed). 

- ---------i don't know the exact date.

3. Did these dark green cars have the 1-inch Erie-gold stripes above
and 
below the windows? (or was that only added after the 2-tone green
scheme 
appeared?)

- --------yes they did 1-inch,use microscale deluxe gold.this is with the
two tone green.but for placement,thats an issue,the lower stripe is
placed on the 1st rivet seam below the windows,cut your stripes in 12 to
15 scale foot sections with 6-inch or so overlap.the upper stripe is
placed above the rivit seam,between the 1st and 2nd rivits going
vertical along the doors.confused yet?again samethin applies for
decals.use the champ solvent,this will snuggle the decals down good.

4. When delivered, did these chair cars (2205-2211) have vents like the

Athearn models, or were they the "beak" vents like those on the
Stillwells? 
(I know, going for an easier conversion).

- --------yes they did,when you look at the builders photo,you'll think
of ATHEARN,but keep in mind these cars are 80 feet long,ATHEARNS are 70
feet long.but when working on the underbody,we will need to have a video
confrence on that.

i hope this helps,i'll work on the questions i don't have anwers to and
back to you.this model was an evolution as came upon more photo's.
                         jay

Thanks for any help.  

The paint information will also be useful for my next 
sow's-ear-to-(Erie)-silk-purse project using old AHM coach bodies to
build 
the Erie 2025-2066 coaches or Erie 804-807 combine (1921 Pressed
Steel).  
These heavy weight cars came with easily identifiable taller windows
and 
narrow letter boards.  The old AHM coaches have that narrow letter
board, and 
hopefully, lettering will be come available from an up and coming decal

company in the near future.  Two of the combines (804 and 807) made it
into 
the 1954 diagram book, group E, Sheet No. 2, but probably never made it
into 
Erie 2-tone green.  Discussions with Randy Brown indicate that the
trick with 
these cars will be to carve (or sand) the roof to the proper shape
between a 
monitor and a Stillwell roof.  I think I have an idea how to do that
with a 
sanding block, but I'll try it and let you know how it comes out.

Thanks
Howard Haines

 

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