Bowser X33
In 1932 the PRR designed boxcars that would be specifically used for the automobile industry. To maximize capacity they used a new unique roof design, where it curved at the edge, termed a “round roof” or “wagontop”. The X32 and X33 classes were both 50 '6" cars with staggered doors. The X33 differed from the X32 in that it also had end doors. Both X32 and X33 cars were built in 1933. Then, in 1936 after some design improvements, the X32a and X33a classes were constructed. The X33 class was specifically designed for carrying finished automobiles.
Although considered large capacity when first built in 1933, line side clearance improvements made the cars obsolete, so in 1959 the PRR stripped the superstructure of 1,000 X32 and X33 subclasses cars to build their X51 class of boxcars. By April of 1968, the PRR only had less than a dozen X32/X33 cars in revenue service. (Source: www.mountvernonshops.com)
Overview of Sub-Classes
| X33 | X33A | |
| Builder | ||
| First Built | 1933 | 1936 |
| Quantity Built | ||
| HO Scale Models |
Bowser Railworks (brass) |
|
| Roof | Round | Round |
| Doors | ||
| Notes |
Cars on the PRR roster (as listed in the Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER)):
| Class | Car | Number | AAR Class | PRR Oct 44 | PRR Oct 48 | PRR Apr 52 | PRR Oct 53 | PRR Oct 58 | PRR Oct 63 | PRR Apr 68 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X33 | 60172 | 60221 | XA XM XMP | 49 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 28 | - |
| X33a | 59500 | 59799 | XA XM XMP XP | 298 | 298 | 296 | 296 | 294 | 158 | 1 |
| Roster data compiled by Rich Orr; courtesy of prr.railfan.net. | ||||||||||
