lettering set for B-50-24 Overnight Scheme - 1956 silver scheme

The rst boxcars to arrive on the SP at the end of govenment materials controls at war’s end, were 500 Class B-50-24, 50-ton boxcars from

an order from Mt. Vernon Car Company between July and September, 1946. The rst 450 were painted black for Overnight LCL service and

the remaining 50 painted in dark green passenger color to operate as head-end baggage-express cars in passenger service. Original Series

numbers were 97620-98069*, and for the passenger service, Series 5700-5749.*
 

The most noticable features were a new improved 3 over 4 dreadnaught end, and thinner side sheeting requiring an alternate center rivet

design, although not evenly spaced like the UP and SSW, and improved light-weight Youngstown 6‘ doors.
 

* In 1956, 300 of the black cars were repainted silver and renumbered into Series 163049-163348. The remaining cars were also painted silver

but renumbered into their reserved General Service numbers within Series 121834-122311, and 133000-133018 respectivly. For example,

original black #97897, was renumbered into 163250, but when withdrawn from Overnight Service, renumbered to 122213.
 

For a complete understanding of these cars and their history, consult Tony Thompson’s excellent series on SP Freight Cars, Vol 4, pages

281-297, by Signature Press.

 

Paint & Lettering: Car sides and roof painted all silver; ends and underframe coated with black car cement. Lettering black stencil paste with

white stencil paste lettering on ends. Medallion Daylight Red with black lettering, and slogan Daylight red and black. In 1957, the word

“OVERNIGHTS” was dropped from the slogan.

 

Decal sheet designed and created at Protocraft Decals