Jeff, Group;

 

I decided to spend enough time with mine to know what I was talking about, so here goes:

 

The cars most accurately (and do they!), represent the final and largest group of F30A built 1934-ish, with the wider B end frame extension outside the bolster, and the stake pocket lips.  They are pretty much spot on for those cars.  Mine are numbered accurately.

 

They are also pretty accurate for the F30D and F30G, except for the stake pocket lip, which if you are a real stickler, you could shave off.  I can’t believe anyone would even notice, but that’s your solution.  Touch-up paint = Modelflex Dark Tuscan Oxide Red (DTOR), for PRR era.

 

Remember:  Some F30A were converted to both F30D and F30G, so don’t get caught up in that argument.

 

The “nail hole” in the stake pocket is not a mistake.  Some F30A had them, some didn’t.  In all my research for the PRR flat car book, and staring at hundreds of photos, I never figured that out.

 

The lightening holes in the u/f are spot on.

 

The trucks are good renditions of the “spring-leaf-spring” PRR truck found on these cars.

 

The deck looks very accurate for the F30 in general.  The drilled depressions for the carriage bolts are especially well done.

 

The look of the cast frame is very convincing.

 

Even the hand brake wheel looks correct.  First time for that.

 

The design/construction choice of metal for pretty much the entire car means they track really well without a load.  Ingenious.

 

With the number that were built, and the fact they traveled all over, this is a good add for your fleet, even if you model west coast.  The F30A I repeatedly crawled all over measuring and photo documenting over the years was found at the Orange Empire Railway Museum.

 

If you want to question my enthusiasm for this car, I will admit I have been part of some PRR projects that did not turn out well.  This was an exceptionally good outcome.

 

Elden Gatwood