From the St. Louis Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet in Collinsville, IL: Tangent Scale Models is pleased to announce the availability today of our latest run of the legendary Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) Shops HO Scale X58 Class Box Car. Between 1964 and 1966, the Pennsylvania Railroad built a large fleet of new multiple-purpose boxcars. Constructed as class “X58,” PRR rapidly produced 2,565 cars, plus another 100 for Lehigh Valley. PRR outfitted the interiors of some cars with “loader” appliances and/or insulation which resulted in PRR designating 4 sub-classes: X58, X58A, X58B, and X58C. Being highly-useful boxcars, X58 boxcars were rampant nationwide roamers during their service life. Many X58s lasted beyond the Conrail era. Most cars were retired in the mid-2000s.
Tangent offers distinctive phase and era variations with our PRR X58 replicas, including high or low ladders, high or low brake appliances, and Keystone or Hydra-cushion underframes. Our PRR X58 includes our “near-scale” extended-length draft sill with beautifully rendered side “key” detail and gorgeous “trombone-style” coupler lift bars, plus accurate ASF 70-ton roller bearing trucks as utilized by PRR. Finally, our scale replicas operate as well as they look, equipped with free-rolling CNC-machined wheels and Kadee® scale couplers, meaning our models are truly ready-to-run.
Available NOW by clicking here in these seven RTR scheme offerings:
New: PRR “Original 1965 X58B” wears the attractive “PRR freight car red” scheme featuring yellow “Cushioned Car” stencils, plus a sharp PRR white keystone. Like PRR paint practices, this car has an unpainted galvanized roof and running board, except for the ends that have the characteristic paint spray line as seen in overhead photos of these cars when fresh. This new run of PRR cars is a new paint scheme variation we have not offered previously, and has a Keystone underframe and represents production from 3-65. These classics are available in 6 road numbers.
New: PC “1974 X58B Repaint” shows off distinctive PC green with large white worm to the right. This series of cars includes a Keystone underframe, and typical of many PC repaints is detailed to accurately replicate a car with a full shopping. This model features no running board, lowered side and end ladders, and lowered brake appliances. These PC replicas are available with 3 different road numbers.
New: PC “1974 PRR X58 Green Restencil” w/ LD provides two great examples of PC patched ex-PRR X58 boxcars. This scheme includes a Hydra-Cushion underframe, and is layered with the various green and black patches from prototype photos. Check out the accurate COTS and ACI label! This model features no running board, high brake appliances on the B-end, and lowered A-end ladders. These PC replicas are available with 2 different road numbers, each with minute differences in their paint schemes.
Rerun: CR “LV 1979 X58 Restencil” represents a “paintout” car for the Conrail era modelers. This car retains the “Insulated” and “LD” graphics of the original LV car, as well as the LV flag. However, the large “LEHIGH VALLEY” and the LV reporting marks and number have been painted out just like the prototype was, including two different shades of gray. The car includes the CR initials and road number, as well as a “RDG 4-79” reweigh, and is a match for this 1979 restencil model available with one road number. We first ran this same car number in 2017, and it was a fast sellout. If you missed this car the first time, here is a rare second chance!
New: CR “LV 1976 X58 Restencil” represents an all-new patch option for a former Lehigh Valley car and is a great compliment to the car above. This time, Conrail shop forces used an off-white color to patch over the LV lettering. The running boards were removed, but the B-End brake appliances were left high. resulting in nothing less than a bright, stunning patch job. This beautiful car (sorry LV guys) is available is one accurate number.
New: CR “1978 X58 Repaint” gives CR modelers a stunning red scheme selection. It has all of the appropriate stenciling to represent a 1978 car including stacked COTS stencils and a U-1 wheel stencil. Typical of most Conrail “shopped” X58s, this one retains the high brakewheel and ladders at the B end, with cut down ladders at the A end of the car. Like its prototype, this scheme includes a Hydra-Cushion underframe. This sharp scheme is available with 3 road numbers.
New: NYC (CSX) “1998 Restencil” introduces a “later” scheme for this release. After the Conrail breakup was approved in 1998, NYC and PRR reporting marks were utilized to split the freight car fleet between CSX and NS. This scheme illustrates a NYC patched X58B, ready for duty in the CSX freight car fleet. While the running board is long gone, the high B-End ladders and matching high brake appliances remain. This post-CR survivor is available in one accurate number and lasted well into the 2000s!
RTR Painted “PRR Freight Car Red” w/HC UF gives modelers some much needed attention. This is a PRR painted and assembled RTR car – all it needs is decals to model your favorite PRR scheme, patch variation, or your own home road. This build features full running boards, high ladders, high brake equipment, and a Hydra-Cushion underframe. Excellent PRR decals are also available – see our website for details.
RTR Painted “PC Green” w/Keystone UF is another example of a one-night modeling project. This is a PC Green painted and assembled RTR car – all it needs is decals to model your favorite PC scheme variation or your own home road. This build features running board brackets only, low ladders, low brake equipment and a Keystone underframe. Multiple variations of excellent PC decals are also available – see our website for details.
RTR Painted “Conrail Red” w/Keystone UF provides modelers with a great canvas for finishing a custom car. This is a Conrail Red painted and assembled RTR car – ready for your favorite CR or home road decals. This build features running board brackets only, high B-End ladders & brake equipment and a Keystone underframe.
PRR Shops X58 Undecorated Kits are also back in stock! We offer three different kits for our PRR Shops X58 all-new box car, including ASF Ride Control truck and CNC-machined 33” wheels. This offering is for those of you who still relish the kit building process and “roll your own” aspects derived from building a kit from the ground up.
PRR X58 Parts are also back in stock! Yes, all our X58 part sprues, wire, and etched parts are back in stock. Check our Stanray diagonal panel roof! Have you seen our styrene ladders? These are perfect for custom builds or upgrading other brands of freight cars. Check out our Parts Department on our website for details.
Want to see photos of our new spectacular replicas? Click here for a link to the new models!
We studied the prototype to accurately reproduce it with the following features:
– Dimensionally-correct exterior post box car with trademark 1960s design features, produced from actual PRR blueprints and from photos and measurements taken from a real X58 at the Danbury Rail Museum in Danbury CT
– Different roof, brake appliance, side/end ladder, and center door arm variations correct for the era / paint scheme of each paint scheme
– Two different underframe variations: hydra-cushion and keystone
– Separate door rods and door roller detail
– “See-through” running board and crossover platform
– Full “lacy” AB brake detail and train air line
– Highly correct “true to life” colors
– “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement
– Durable wire grab irons and “trombone-style” coupler lift bars
– Separate air hoses
– “Near-scale” extended draft gear box with beautifully rendered side “key” detail
– Kadee® “scale-head” couplers
– CNC-machined 33” wheels in ASF 70-ton roller bearing trucks, matching PRR practice
– Replacement 33” semi-scale wheels are available separately from Tangent
– Recommended age 14 years and older
Don’t miss out on the Tangent Scale Models PRR X58 series box car. Priced at $44.95 each, these replicas are very useful for modelers from coast to coast and will stand out well on any layout from 1965 to 2005!
Thank you for continuing to support Tangent Scale Models, a family-owned and operated company!
David Lehlbach