1. Messages
  2. NP 1937 AAR 40’ boxcar

Re: NP 1937 AAR 40’ boxcar

Peter Ness
 

Chuck,

Thanks for the usage tips, they are much appreciated.  As far as clunky or complexity to manipulate, no need to apologize.  When it comes to historical freight car information that’s a non-existent prerequisite to me because I am just so pleased the information is available online and thankful for the volunteers that see fit to put it there and maintain it.

 

As a New Haven modeler, for my simple purposes, I need to know what foreign road equipment in what paint scheme is appropriate for my era. Many railroad historical societies/associations provide such information, and I am grateful. If they want to go so far as to recommend accurate models or reference articles on how to improve model accuracy, so much the better.

Not that a lot of folks are clamoring for prototype info on NH freight cars to model for their era, but try to find anything on the NHRHTA website. I’m joking, there is no content.  NHRHTA does not even post equipment diagrams, but fortunately they are all available on the Alphabet Route site and many prototype freight car photos are on George Elwood’s fallen flags.

 

Don’t think I am idly complaining about the NHRHTA site. I tried to advocate and contribute to directional changes in the Association serving as Modeling Editor when their modeling magazine, Speed Witch, was launched a few years back. The Association leadership just has a different take on the Association’s purpose, content and accessibility than I.

 

Peter Ness

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Chuck Soule
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2018 12:19 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] NP 1937 AAR 40’ boxcar

 

The NPRHA site is a fabulous resource, but it is difficult to search, and you often need to have a pretty good idea what you are looking for in order to find specific information.  For example, you cannot really search it for 1937 AAR 40' boxcar.  You will be able to search it better if you already have an idea what the car number range is, or else you can search the equipment diagrams to see if you can determine the closest match that will give you numbers..  Here is a way to approach the site:

1. go to www.nprha.org

2. click on the tile for equipment.  When that tile page comes up, then on the tile for freight cars.  It will give you a list of internal links, such as "Freight Car Roster" or "Freight car rosters by era", or "Box Car Diagrams"

3. click on Freight Car Roster.  It will give you an extensive table.  Note the instructions at the top about how to search the table using column filtering.    This is very clunky, but is the way to narrow your search.

4. an example -  hover your mouse over Equipment type, and you will see a little arrow show up to the lower right of your mouse.  Click on the arrow to get a drop-down box, and select box car.  This will immediately narrow the list from almost 500 items to 117 items.  You might be able to do additional filtering with builder column or date column to whittle the list more.  

5.  You will see two columns of interest: "Diagram Number" and "Diag No".  the second one is a live link to the diagram. 

6.  Once you think you have the number range you want, go back to the top and select Equipment, then Freight Car.  Down at the bottom of the list of resources, you will find four different photo collections listed.  Each of these will give you a table that needs to be column filtered.  They have a thumbnail photo for each entry.  If you find a picture that you would like, email research@... with your inquiry, and they will respond, including the way to get scans of the photos or diagrams of interest.

Chuck Soule

Join main@RealSTMFC.groups.io to automatically receive all group messages.