After receiving much very helpful advice lately about how to put a cobble of one of these X28a cars together from Red Caboose X29 parts, I noticed the comment that this kitbash would not duplicate the narrow panel second from the left of the door.

I've reviewed all the photos of the X28a I could find on line, which is just about none. Thankfully the X28 photos are pretty clear. From these I understand that when built as X28s (a door and a half car) the panel immediately to the left of the half door was narrower than the rest. So I am guessing that when the cars were converted to single door X28a status the PRR simply added one normal width panel to replace the half door. Is that correct?

Then from the modelling point of view, are the X29 side panels the same width as most of other X28(a) side panels? If so, are the X28 and the X28a cars longer than the X29? If so, are the other panels all the same width as the X29 panels, so that the extra car length is incorporated in that narrow panel? And finally (you knew this was coming) how wide is the narrow panel?

Alternately, if the X28 and X28a normal panels were different from X29's, does someone have the comparison measurements of each car?

Maybe someone has a Sunshine kit instruction sheet with scale drawings that would help with this kitbash?


Rob Kirkham
(hoping he only has to cobble together one odd side panel per car side, rather than 10)