that time, in the first two columns. I have omitted a few rela-
tively rare car groups.
The next two columns to the right identify the PFE car class of
each number group (nomenclature is explained in a footnote),
and the year(s) built or rebuilt.
Finally, the three columns at the right show how a model car
fleet might be proportioned if one chooses to have approxi-
mately one model for each 1000 prototype cars. The next col-
umn to the right shows the same idea, but for one model to
each 3000 PFE cars, to reduce the number of needed models. I
should emphasize that these particular proportions are arbi-
trary. One could readily choose different numbers.
My own choice is to shoot for the one per 1000 set of cars. The
far right column shows that I have not rigorously done that, but
broadly speaking, have gotten into that ballpark.
Note that at the bottom, under the total number of cars shown
in the second column, I have added another line with the ac-
tual total of the complete PFE car fleet in that ORER issue. It is
only about 2% larger, meaning that the car number groups I se-
lected for Table 2 do encompass 98% of the total PFE car fleet.
Next I turn to modeling some of these specific classes shown
in Table 2. But first, I want to give an overview of paint and
lettering schemes, since these will apply to all the models in
one way or another.
“PFE policy was to repaint wood-sheathed
cars every four to six years, and steel cars ev-
ery 10 to 12 years.”
Getting Real Column - 3
MRH-Oct 2013
