*8100 USRA MILL GONDOLA, B&O NYC } PMcK&Y PRR P&R RDG *8101 O-27 USRA/O-27A CLONE GONDOLAS Price: $33.00 Shipping: $0.00 Part Number: 8101 ERAS: 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s GONDOLA MODELS: USRA of 1919 and first clone order of 1922 until scrapping. ROADS: B&O Temporarily out of production USRA ordered 4,500 46' mill gondolas for B&O, Reading, NYC (including PMcK&Y) and PRR. The cars were based on the W&LE design of 1916 but with wood floors because of war shortages. Like the other USRA designs, several railroads adopted it as their standard car of the 1920's. B&O, Reading and NYC ordered thousands of the cars. The unusual design was a pivoting brake staff that could be used whether the ends were tight or dropped. B&O received 500 USRA mill gondolas from Standard Steel Car Co. in 1919. They were given series 250000-250499 and classed O-27. Like NYC and Reading, B&O adopted the USRA design with minor changes as its standard throughout the 1920's. A total of 6,000 clones were purchased between 1922 and 1925. While all were classed O-27A, three of the five purchases differed physically from one another and from the USRA design. The 1922 cars built by Cambria differed only in the removal of poling pockets and the use of Washburn/Tatum-design arch bar trucks. Beginning with 1923 Bethlehem Steel took over the Cambria plant and continued filling orders for the gons. On 1923 deliveries the corner was strengthened with a pressed steel post which allowed the end opening to be expanded from 7'11" on earlier cars to 9'0". There was also a switch from Carmer cut levers to bent rod style. The trucks on the early 1923 deliveries were Washburn/Tatums but beginning at about car 252400 they were switched to Symingons. With the 1925 deliveries the drop ends were changed to a style uniquely B&O. A single large, inward "crease" ran the width of the end. The stake hold downs were revised to three links of chain secured at both ends, the tack boards were placed in a higher location and standard 70-ton cast sideframe trucks were used. Kit 8101 models the USRA and first clone series of B&O cars from delivery to scrapping. Decal 8101 - Price A WESTERFIELD 53 RIVER LANE CROSSVILLE, TN 38555 Telephone: 931-484-7233 E-Mail: westerfield@charter.net