The Athearn 60ft Pullman Common Standard Baggage Car model replicates a pivotal piece of early 20th-century railroad history. This model, often featuring an underbody tool box, reflects the transition from wooden to steel railcars and the innovative “Common Standard” design adopted by several major railroads. Let’s delve into the features and historical context of this significant rail car.
Athearn Model Features Highlight the Common Standard Design
The Athearn model meticulously captures the distinct characteristics of the prototype baggage car. Key features include: an arched roof with simulated rivets, Pintsch gas vents and piping, roof vents in a staggered arrangement, a stove smokestack, drip strips above doors, and formed wire grabs. The model boasts a magnetically attached roof for easy access to the interior, accurately depicted wooden or ply-metal doors, and two underframe variations: the “As-Built” with a toolbox and gas tanks, and the “Modernized” with a battery box. Additional details include diaphragms on the ends, stirrup steps, brake components, an air tank, McHenry scale knuckle-spring couplers, four-wheel trucks, window glazing, and a weighted interior for optimal performance on curves with an 18″ minimum radius.
Specific Railroad Variations in the Athearn Model
The Athearn model further distinguishes itself with railroad-specific details. Southern Pacific (SP) models feature wooden doors, an underbody battery box, and an air cylinder. Union Pacific (UP), Western Pacific (WP), and unlettered versions showcase wooden doors, underbody gas tanks, a toolbox, and an air cylinder. Meanwhile, Maintenance of Way (MOW) models include wooden doors, an underbody battery box, and an air cylinder. These variations accurately reflect the unique specifications of each railroad.
The Historical Significance of the Common Standard Baggage Car
The development of the Common Standard Baggage Car stemmed from the urgent need to replace flammable and structurally weak wooden cars with safer steel alternatives. In the early 1900s, the Southern Pacific pioneered an experimental steel passenger car utilizing I-beams and cast body bolsters, a design that significantly improved safety. This innovative approach, featuring a robust girder construction and an arched steel roof, provided superior strength and prevented telescoping during collisions.
E.H. Harriman, then controlling the Southern Pacific and other major railroads like the Union Pacific and Illinois Central, recognized the value of standardization. The “Common Standard” design, adopted across these “Associated Lines,” streamlined engineering and reduced equipment costs. Pullman Standard constructed most of these 60-foot baggage cars.
These baggage cars primarily transported passenger luggage, but they also carried a wide variety of other items. From skis and golf clubs to parcels, company mail, and even caskets, these cars played a crucial role in the daily operations of the railroad. They even occasionally transported pets in crates, newspapers, and dairy products in milk cans.
The Athearn Car Tool Box: A Symbol of Innovation
The Athearn model, with its detailed replication of the underbody tool box and other key features, serves as a reminder of the ingenuity and progress in early 20th-century railroading. The shift to steel construction and the adoption of the Common Standard design significantly improved safety and efficiency in rail travel. This model offers enthusiasts a tangible connection to a pivotal era in railroad history.
