Western Maryland Troop Sleepers and Kitchen Cars

Like many railroads in the post-war era, the Western Maryland acquired several troop sleepers and kitchen cars to use on Maintenance of Way and Wreck Train service. In addition, several troop cars were painted caboose red, decorated with the round herald and converted for use as large cabooses.

The Walthers troop cars released in 2004 are good matches for the Western Maryland cars. As always, there are a couple minor modifications required, and plenty of room for added details. However, as far as detailing projects go, these are very straight-forward. I purchased an undecorated kitchen car and an undecorated sleeper at the June 2004 Scale Model Train show in Timonium, MD.

Although no painting or lettering specifications exist for the era around 1952, the concensus among many WM modelers and fans is that the MOW Troop cars around this time period were all painted caboose or oxide red. Black & white photos from that time period back up the theory that the cars were neither black nor gray. I lean towards a caboose red, myself.

Once I start the conversion project, I'll post details here.

Walthers Troop Kitchen Car

Troop Kitchen Car Pete Brown, June 27, 2004.

Troop Kitchen Car Opposite Side Pete Brown, June 27, 2004.

Troop Kitchen Car Underbody Pete Brown, June 27, 2004.

Modifications

For these cars, I recommend the following modifications to start:

Replace the drop stirrup steps with formed wire or Tichy stirrup steps.
Add in the missing underbody details such as the boxes and drains found on the prototype
Possibly add in additional vents/stacks on the roof

Walthers Troop Sleeper

Prototype

Troop Sleeper in Elkins Doug Boyd, Date Unknown. Collection of Pete Brown

For reference, here is a shot from my collection of one of the troop sleepers from a more modern time. This shot was taken in Elkins by Doug Boyd, presumably during the 1960s. Notice how the side sill bends behind the stairwell under the door. Notice also how one of the windows was plated over to provide room for the ladder.

According to the Dwight Jones Caboose book, sleeper number 3021 was retired on 11/22/1971 and presumed scrapped. The caboose book does not mention 3021 as having been one that was converted to caboose use; however, the changes made, including the roofwalk, drop-step and the ladders, are consistent with the caboose modifications made to other cars. It is possible that this car, like similarly outfitted 3017 and 3020, was converted for washroom lobby service.

Prior to the gray scheme used in the speed-lettering era, most of the troop cars were painted a shade of red. Some stayed red throughout much of their service life, others were painted red with a horizontal white band level with the windows.

Model

Troop Sleeper Side Pete Brown, June 27, 2004.

Troop Sleeper Underbody Pete Brown, June 27, 2004.

Modifications

One of the most obvious modifications to make to the troop sleeper is modification of the side sill, and replacement of the drop steps under the door. The troop sleepers acquired by the Western Maryland used a trop door and deeper step wells on the side, necessitating that the reinforcing sills bend behind the steps instead of riding along the side.

As with the kitchen car, I would advocate replacing the drop stirrup steps on both ends with formed-wire or thinner tichy plastic versions. In addition, I would recommend possibly beefing up the sashes around the windows, as they are far more visible in the prototype.

Depending upon the era you model, some windows were plated over or had opaque screening or shades put behind them.

Discussion

Don Smith wrote on the WMRY Mailing List:

Pullman-Standard made all of the troop sleepers in two lots. Lot 6704, WAA nos. 7000-8199, had the side doors with trap doors and step wells. Lot 6753, WAA nos. 9000-9999 had the side doors without the step wells. All of the WM cars came from lot 6704. It appears that Walthers has modeled the cars from lot 6753. All of the kitchen cars were made by ACF.

As for colors, I would assume that when the WM initially acquired their cars in 1947, they would have still been in their original Pullman green. When the first batch was put in service as cabooses they were painted caboose red. Later in MOW or camp car service, some of them acquired white or light gray stripes in the window area, and later became overall gray. There are a lot of color photos of these cars in Dwight Jones' caboose book and the WM Color Guide. Jones also has a listing of which cars were assigned where in MOW service - PC, HAG, EK BOW, or RI. With a little luck, you'll be able to find a photo of a car appropriate for your era and location to use as a painting guide.

Some excellent references for these cars are:
Railway Prototype Cyclopedia No. 5
MR 1/99, 12/01, 2/02, 9/02

I believe there is also some data regarding the Cannonball Car Shops kits at mrrwarehouse.com

References

Bob's Photos : WM Troop Kitchen Car K-3010 (photo FWM9), and Troop Sleeper S-3003 (photo FWM8). Both taken in Elkins on July 25, 1952.

Western Maryland Cabooses by Dwight Jones

The Western Maryland Railway Historical Society Pictorial Calendar for the year 2000 (good for speed-era shots, and for the 1947 as-delivered photos)

The good folks on the Western Maryland Railway Yahoo Group.