The Pennsylvania Railroad was a giant in every sense of the word. A huge transportation system, the "Pennsy" created their own standards that made them unique: belpaire fireboxes on their locomotives, high headlights, the porthole windowed N5C caboose (called cabin cars on the Pennsy) and the famous PRR keystone helped to set it apart from the competition.
In 1991 Lionel sold a scale brass N8 cabin car to go along with their monster scale sized steam turbine, but for a premium price of $265. When MTH catalogued an N8 in their premier line, I couldn't pass it up. It appeared to have all the detail of that brass N8, but for around $45.
First Impressions
When it finally arrived I wasn't disappointed: it's a beauty. The paint and lettering is well applied. Detailing is extensive with trainphone equipment on the roof, separately applied handrails, and underbody detailing. The rear marker lights are illuminated by two red LEDs: a nice touch. The car has full interior detailing with a crewman sitting up in the cupola. The interior is lit by two bulbs.
The wiring for the marker lights comes off the other side of the car.
I do have one question: what's he got in that mug?
Details, details
Since this is a Premier item, I felt compelled to locate some prototype specs for the N-8. Could I be turning into a hi-railer? Anyway, my personal library of Pennsy books is lacking, so I turned to the library and the web. Don Woods Book I Remember Pennsy has a photo of an N8, and overall the MTH model captures the unique look of an N8 very well. At Robs Pennsy Homepage you'll find a huge selection of diagrams. There are some very minor differences between the diagrams floorplan and the models interior, but externally the model measures out very well compared to the diagram: except for the trucks, it's scale. One note here, the prototype N5C was a small car, a scale sized version like Lionels classic Pennsy cabin car doesn't look out of place next to most O gauge equipment. The N8 is different, it's a larger car that almost overpowers a 6464 sized boxcar. A larger car like the K-Line depressed center transformer flat would make a good "buffer" between the N8 and the rest of your O gauge Pennsy train.
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The scale N8 and a Lionel "under scale" O gauge boxcar.
Operation
The car has no problems running through the modern Lionel O gauge switches, and the couplers stay closed. What else can you ask for?
Close-up showing the trainphone details.
Opposite side of the car. Under the number it says BUCKEYE DIVISION.
According to the cabin car database at Keystone Crossings, N8 number 478069 worked out of Terra Haute Indiana.*
The Bottom Line
Overall I an very pleased with the N8. Now I need a Pennsy locomotive with trainphone equipment! If you're a Pennsy fan get down to your MTH dealer and pick up one of these gems.
Hummm, that Missouri Pacific geep would look good in Brunswick green....
* Updated 23 Jan 00. Originally I couldn't find the prototype 478069 at Keystone Crossings, guess my database searching skills need work! Thanks to Bob Batizek for locating the information, and to Keystone Crossings website for making the databases available.
