This box car illustrates lettering on a Pennsylvania Railroad Merchandise Service 40' Box Car. 40' Box Cars are by far the best piece of railroad equipment to practice lettering, as you do not have as much time invested in all of the engine room doors/underframe of a locomotive and can focus on logos/words that tend t...o be more prominent. Also, 40' box cars from the 50's and 60's tend to have far greater slogans/emblems to letter.
Begin by measuring down from the top of the car to a point where you the lettering belongs on the prototypical car. Make a point at the front of the lettering and at the end, on the top of the words and the bottom. Measuring in all four places causes your lettering to be straight, which, on the finished car keeps the lettering level with the roof and floor. This is perhaps one of the biggest secrets to drawing, as lettering drawn at sloping angles stands out quite a bit. Also, Lettering that dips above and below the lines you have drawn sticks out just as much. When you write your words, such as "Merchandise Service" try and look at them over and over. Look at all three "e's" in the lettering and see if they all look similar. This makes the lettering appear as if it were done by the railroad paint shop vs. by hand!
Also, look for letters again and again that dip up and down above and below the line and do your best to smooth them out.
Mainly, practice, practice, practice and don't get discouraged.
Andy
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