| Car | LV numbers | Date & No. Built or acquired | No. on roster | Notes on Prototype | Available models & modeling notes | Prototype Photo References | ||||||
| Jul 42 |
Apr 46 |
Jan 53 |
Jul 60 |
Apr 64 |
Oct 69 |
Oct 74 |
||||||
| Gondolas, 37-42 ft | ||||||||||||
| Gondola, 40 ft (GBS) | 10500-10510 | 9/64 11 |
– | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | Rebuilt from 11000-11174 series for ingot service. | ||
| Gondola, 37′-11" (GB) | 13501-14000 | 1906 500 |
48 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Cambria Steel built, 1′-1" steel sides, wood drop ends, flat bottom, steel floor | ||
| Gondola, 37′-11" (GB) | 13709, 13782, 13788 | in above series | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | As 13501-14000, but with 2′-1" high steel sides | HO: Funaro & Camerlengo 6700 resin kit (LV 13709). | |
| Gondola, 41′-7", 3′ steel sides, steel drop ends, (GB) | 27300-27302 |
1943 3
|
– | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rebuilt from series originally built 1905-1910 | ||
| Gondola, 40′-9", 4′-6" steel sides, steel fixed ends, (GB) | 27500-27528 |
1937-39 29
|
20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rebuilt from 28000-28499; flat bottom, steel floor. | ||
| Gondola, 40′-9", 4′-6" steel sides, steel fixed ends, (GB) | 28500-28799 |
1937-39 300
|
299 | 293 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rebuilt from 28000-28499; flat bottom, steel floor. | ||
| Gondola, 40′-9", 3′ steel sides, steel fixed ends, (GB) | 29000 |
1936-37 1
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rebuilt from 28000-28499; flat bottom, steel floor, low sides. | ||
| Gondolas, 50-52 ft | ||||||||||||
| Gondola, 50′-10", steel sides, steel drop ends (GB) | 27000-27024 | 1930 25 |
25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 3′ steel sides, steel drop ends, flat bottom, wood floor | ||
| Gondola, 52′-7", drop bottom cement containers (GB) | 27100-27124 | 1936 25 |
25 | 25 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 3 | 0 | Renumbered from 31000 series, steel sides, steel drop ends | ||
| Gondola, 52′-7", air activated, container, 3′ sides, drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 27200-27298 except below | 1936-41 68 |
69 | 35 | 49 | 59 | 58 | 12 | 1 27224 |
Converted from 31000 series, air activated for cement containers. Presumably, more were converted over the years. | Jim Hertzog’s 1/95 MR article shows how to kitbash from Athearn #1653 container gondola. | 27211 (red): MR 1/95 p.124 |
| Gondola, 52′-7", air activated, container, 4′ sides, drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 27234-27238, 27240, 27242, 27245, 27247, 27248, 27257, 27258, 27259, 27261, 27263, 27266, 27267; 4/64 additions: 27281-27283, 27285, 27287-27288 |
Incl. in above | – | 17 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 2 27236 27256 |
0 | Converted from 31000 series, air activated for cement containers | ||
| Gondola, 52′-11", air activated, container, 4′ sides, drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 27239, 27241, 27243, 27246, 27249-27256, 27260, 27262, 27264, 27265, 27268 |
Incl. in above
|
– | 17 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 4 27252 27254 27255 27268 |
0 | Converted from 31000 series, air activated for cement containers | ||
| Gondola, 52′-7", 3′ steel sides, steel drop ends, (GB) | 31000-31099 |
1926 100
|
40 | 40 | 32 | 22 | 196 in 31000 -31299 | 196 in 31000 -31299 | 27 in 31000 -31299 |
Bethlehem Steel built, wood floor. By 1964, lumped together as 31000-31299, all with 4′ steel sides. | ||
| Gondola, 52′-6", 4′ steel sides, steel drop ends, (GB) | 31100-31299 | 1929 200 |
183 | 188 | 177 | 174 | see above |
see above
|
see above | Bethlehem Steel built, wood floor. | 31283 (red): CFC Vol.6, p.24 | |
| Gondola, 52′-11", 4′ steel sides, steel drop ends, (GB) | 31300-31549 | 1935 250 |
233 | 233 | 233 | 204 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Bethlehem Steel built, wood floor. | ||
| Gondola, 52′-7", 3′-6" steel sides, steel drop ends, (GB) | 32000-32599 | 1941-42 600 |
600 | 597 | 595 | 595 | 491 | 422 | 2 | Bethlehem Steel built, wood floor. Concentrated load may equal load limit cap. provided load is supported at cross bearers | See the Modeling Page on LV’s green USRE leased rebuilt gons. HO: Sunshine Models resin kit #70.1 at $23 direct from Sunshine. Con-Cor 1-009000 (undec) can be made into a reasonable low cost stand-in with a some work. Use Herald King G-850 decals from the later green and red paint schemes. |
32109 (b&w photo, probably red): MRG 1/89 p.21 |
| Gondola, 52 ft, composite, stl drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 32600-32849 | 1943-44 250 |
– | 249 | 247 | 247 | 247 | 0 | 0 | Built by Bethlehem, dreadnaught drop ends, AAR 70 ton trucks. | HO: Tichy 4041 (Undec) Ulrich CG5 275 (LV 32732) (OOP) |
32843: Bossler, p. 75 |
| Gondola, 52 ft, fishbelly sides, drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 32850-33349 | 1950 500 |
– | – | 500 | 499 | 498 | 478 | 364 | Built by Bethlehem | See the Modeling Page on LV’s green USRE leased rebuilt gons. HO: Sunshine Models resin kit #70.1 at $23 direct from Sunshine. Con-Cor 1-009000 (undec) can be made into a reasonable low cost stand-in with a some work. Use Herald King G-850 decals from the later green and red paint schemes. Champ HG-103 for black cars. Mantua’s model of LV 35952 is nothing like the prototype. |
32953 (gray), 33031 (black), 33059 (gray), 33185 (red) & 33263 (black): Bossler, p. 75-76. 33237 (green): Yanosey (1989), p. 108. 33021: RMC 11/76 p.56. |
| Gondola, 52 ft, drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 33350-33699 | 1952 350 |
– | – | 350 | 348 | 347 | 333 | 262 | Built by Bethlehem | 33426 (red): FD&S 2/1, p. 23 | |
| Gondola, 52 ft, drop ends, side stakes, wood flr, for pulpwood loading only | 33351, 33585 | In above series | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | Modified with 12 permanent metal side stakes extending 3′ above sides, chains & load binders. | ||
| Gondola, 52 ft, fixed ends, wood flr (GB) | 35000-35010 | 1966 11 |
– | – | – | – | – | 11 | 1 | Rebuilt at Sayre from 32600-32849 series. | ||
| Gondola, 52 ft, wood flr (LS) | 36000, 36001 | 1960 2 |
– | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | Rebuilt from 32200 series for special service as idlers for transporting subway cars. Special subway car coupler A end, AAR type E coupler B end. | ||
| Gondola, 50 ft, fixed ends, wood flr (GB) | 36100-36110 | 1968-70 11 |
– | – | – | – | – | 3 | 6 | Converted from LCL cement container gons in series 50400-50589. | 36107 (black): Bossler, p. 79 | |
| Gondola, 50 ft, fixed ends, wood flr (GB) | 36150-36160 | 1968-70 >9 |
– | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | Converted from 27200-27298 series. | ||
| Gondola, 52 ft, fishbelly sides, drop ends, wood flr (GB) | 37000-37109 | 1969-70 110 |
– | – | – | – | – | – | 110 | Rebuilt from series 32000-33699 by U.S. Leasing, and leased back in early 1970. | See the Modeling Page on LV’s green USRE leased rebuilt gons. HO: Con-Cor 1-009000 (undec) is a reasonable stand-in. Needs brake wheel instead of lever. Use Herald King G-850 decals. Mantua’s 731627 ( LV 37101) is a 43 ft gon with straight sides. |
37048 & 37049 (entire series was green): Bossler, p. 79 |
| Gondola, 52 ft, fixed ends, wood flr (Ingot molds) (GB) | 40000-40099 | 1970 100 |
– | – | – | – | – | – | 96 | Leased. Built by Bethlehem. Longitudinal load bearing devices (4 x 4 timbers) to protect floor from lifting lugs on ingot molds. | 40066 (green): Bossler, p. 80 | |
| Gondola, 52 ft, fixed ends, 3-section removable roof (Steel bundles) (GBR) | 615254-617349 | 1963-65 7 |
– |
–
|
– | – | 5 615254 615470 615508 616551 617349 |
7 615470 616497 616508 616551 617074 617349 |
3
|
Leased ex-PRR G36Cs, built 5-7/59. Wood floor, extended sides and ends. |
615470 (red): Bossler, p.80. 617349 (red): CFC Vol.6, p.24. |
|
| Gondolas, 65 ft | ||||||||||||
| Gondola, 67′-9", drop ends, stl flr (GB) | 34000-34049 | 1934 50 |
50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 1 34047 |
0 | 0 | Ex-PRR G26s, built 1931. | HO: Eastern Car Works 3010 | |
| Gondola, 67′-7", drop ends, stl flr (GB) | 34050-34199 | 1941 150 |
150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 2 | 34153 (red): Bossler, p. 77 | ||
| Gondola, 65 ft, drop ends, stl flr (GB) | 34200-34299 | 1947 100 |
– | – | 100 | 99 | 99 | 98 | 56 | Built by Bethlehem. | HO: Eastern Car Works 3010 is a reasonable stand-in, but has 18 panels, prototype has 16. Wayne Sittner’s kitbash from 2 Athearn 52 ft gons has 16 panels, but different spacing (RMC 2/81). Use Champ HG-103 decals. | 34202 & 34223 (black): Bossler, p. 77 |
| Gondola, 65 ft, fixed ends, stl flr (GB) | 34300-34499 | 1955 200 |
– | – | – | 199 | 199 | 198 | 190 | Built by Bethlehem. | HO: Eastern Car Works 3010 is a reasonable stand-in, but has 18 panels, prototype has 16. Wayne Sittner’s kitbash from 2 Athearn 52 ft gons has 16 panels, but different spacing (RMC 2/81). Use Herald King G-850 decals. | 34454 (red): RMC 2/81 p.93 |
| Gondola, 65 ft, fixed ends, stl flr (GB) | 34500-34599 | 1956 100 |
– | – | – | 100 | 100 | 100 | 98 | Built by Bethlehem. | HO: Eastern Car Works 3010 is a reasonable stand-in, but has 18 panels, prototype has 16. Wayne Sittner’s kitbash from 2 Athearn 52 ft gons has 16 panels, but different spacing (RMC 2/81). Use Herald King G-850 decals. | 34579 & 34595 (red): Bossler, p. 78 |
| Gondola, 65 ft, fixed ends, stl flr (GB) | 34600-34659 | 1970 60 |
– | – | – | – | – | – | 58 | Leased from USRE. Rebuilt from 34050-34199 series. | ||
| Gondola, 65 ft, drop ends, stl flr (GB) | 34660-34679 | 1970 20 |
– | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | Leased from USRE. Rebuilt from 34200-34299 series. | HO: Eastern Car Works 3010 is a reasonable stand-in, but has 18 panels, prototype has 16. Wayne Sittner’s kitbash from 2 Athearn 52 ft gons has 16 panels, but different spacing (RMC 2/81). Use Herald King G-850 decals. | 34662 (green): Bossler, p. 78; 34679 (green): CFC Vol.6, p.23. |
Sources:
The Official Railway Equipment Register, April 1964, October 1969 and October 1974 (Ed Schaller collection); April 1946 (Chuck Davis collection); July 1942, January 1953 and July 1960 (Larry Grubb collection).
CNJ/LV Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, by Craig T. Bossler, Morning Sun Books, 1994.
Lehigh Valley Freight and Passenger Equipment Rosters, by Eric A. Neubauer, Society of Freight Car Historians, 1996.
Classic Freight Cars – The Series, by John Henderson & Henry Maywald, H&M Productions, 1990s.
Model Railroading, Railmodel Journal and Railroad Model Craftsman as noted in the References column.
LV Fantasy Models – If you can’t find the car you are looking for on the prototype pages, it may be that there was no LV prototype! It may be listed on this page!