One more that I have. 

I'm looking for better pictures of NRC express refrigerators in 100-599 series. There were 427 cars in service in 1953. I have several poor or distant shots of the cars, but would like to see some of the details better along the side sill and on the ends.

I think there was a set of plans in one of the old Model Railroader Cyclopedia, maybe the 1940 edition.

Any help would be appreciated.

The BLM and Walthers express reefers appear similar, except for having ladders instead of grab irons.

Aaron Gjermundson

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Milwaukee In 1910

I stumbled across this link:

https://liblamp.uwm.edu/sanborn-pdf/Milwaukee1910Volume1.pdf

There are 198 pages IN COLOR with some pages showing railroad lines, facilities and customers. I'm told these maps are generally accurate but may not be accurate as to specific details.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Black was the standard body color for open top cars until the standard was changed to Southern freight car brown in 1959/60. Black cars would have all be stenciled with Roman style lettering until that was changed slightly later, but still about 1960.

The new Tangent hopper correctly shows Roman lettering on a red car as was done until the color change caught up with the lettering. For a bit of trivia, the first ”Big John” covered hoppers were stenciled with Roman lettering. Most of the cars sat in storage while the 100-ton rate case was going through the courts. When Southern won the (SCOTUS) case and the cars were placed in service, their serif style lettering was changed to the new block style.

Ike

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

ERDX reefer (attached)

Later on there were at least two groups of insulated box cars.

--
*Tim O'Connor*
*Sterling, Massachusetts*

Here is my underframe as requested. This is from the Sunshine instructions.

Bill Welch

Does anyone have any SP&S double sheathed boxcar photos? Preferably from after 1940? I am doing a Westerfield kit build.

Herewith the Enterprise Products advertising page from the Newton K Gregg reprints of the 1943 Car Builders Cyclopedia showing what I presume is your car.
I can tell you with some certainty it is black because the half tone images of other cars known to be red are gray to the eye.
Much later in the 1960's Southern adopted new paint schemes with oxide reds - I am not expert in which cars were repainted -- if interested you could contact the Southern Railway Historical Association here: www.srha.net/
Hope this helps.
C Rooney

Hi all,
I'm in need of a few Tichy decals sets.
I hesitate becaus in the near past the printing was very thick and would hide fine details like rivets.
Just wonder if the production changed and they are useable now, since my last order ended in the waste bin.
Your advice is welcome.
thanks.
Fred Jansz

I needed some square stock for the FGEX Reefer Mini-Kit and had lost my gifted square stock I received from Bill Welch. So i decided to try and make my own from some brass rod.
I began by taping some Green Frog Making Tape sticky side up on a flat plate and placing some .030 brass rod on it. I filed one side flat removing around .007 . Next I rotated the rod 180 degrees and placed the rod with the flat side don on the tape and files about another .007 from the second side. I next rotated the rod 90 degrees and placed some stryene strips next to the filed flat sides and filed the 3rd side flat. Rotate one last time and file the 4th side.
I ended up with some .015 square brass stock. Next time I will try not to loose the stock Bill gave me
See attached pdf from my clinic on how I did this if you want to give it a try.

Gene's suggestion of a draw plate is a good one as well


George Toman

Bill that is a very nice looking build. This will be a great help with my Mini-Kit
Love the attention to detail
Question! Do you have a photo of the underframe? Model or prototype or both
Thanks
George Toman

Consider purchasing a “draw plate” from a jewelry supply. You can make your own square stock. 

Gene Deimling

Brad:

All:
Thanks for the information.
Mike

There is quite a bit of info in Hinman’s book on MDT.