Rod Gayford wrote:
The one striking feature of these cars is the change from Budd styleThe ribbing (which Hubert mentioned earlier) is in deed different. When I first saw them, I thought Goninan made them. It is the same style used in the suburban cars. (series 4 S sets, K sets and choppers.) Looking back even the prototype "Tangara" had the same finish.
stainless steel fluting to the style used by Pullman Standard.
Strangely, Commonwealth Engineering had the Budd licence whilst Gonigens
had the Pullman Standard licence but was not used until the contract for
the Sydney suburban cars with the flat fronts was won by them. You can
see the quite different style of stainless steel fluting used. I
understand the roller Commonwealth Engineering used was inherited from
Budd USA and was the machine that rolled the fluting for the original
Pioneer Zephyrs used on the Burlington RR. Perhaps the rolling machine
had worn out and Commonwealth Engineering had to source its stainless
steel sections from else where. I realise this is a rather arcane
subject but does anyone know actually why Commonwealth Engineering
changed the style of stainless sections on the last V sets. The sections
also appear very similar to the those used on the XPT passenger coaches.Cheers
Rod Gayford
rgds