I should have also mentioned that the 5^th Avenue Car Shops does custom printed cars, and they’re not part of the Accurail line.

Schuyler

I don't know what your car looks like, but Accurail shows two National Packing cars on its website.   First there is this: http://www.accurail.com/accurail/ART/8500/8527.jpg with the large white herald.   The roof and ends are brown or box car red.   Then there is this:  http://www.accurail.com/accurail/ART/8500/8507.jpg, which, as you can see, has a silver roof.   Both these kits have metal roof walks.   The silver roof is silver paint on the model--not galvanized.

I have both of these cars and built them with only a few modifications:  uncoupling  levers, a revised center drop step to more closely match the prototype, and an improved roof walk on the silver roofed model.   They go together easily and look good on the rails.

Steve Kay

I don't know what your car looks like, but Accurail shows two National Packing cars on its website.   First there is this: http://www.accurail.com/accurail/ART/8500/8527.jpg with the large white herald.   The roof and ends are brown or box car red.   Then there is this:  http://www.accurail.com/accurail/ART/8500/8507.jpg, which, as you can see, has a silver roof.   Both these kits have metal roof walks.   The silver roof is silver paint on the model--not galvanized.

I have both of these cars and built them with only a few modifications:  uncoupling  levers, a revised center drop step to more closely match the prototype, and an improved roof walk on the silver roofed model.   They go together easily and look good on the rails.

Steve Kay

I don't know what your car looks like, but Accurail shows two National Packing cars on its website.   First there is this: http://www.accurail.com/accurail/ART/8500/8527.jpg with the large white herald.   The roof and ends are brown or box car red.   Then there is this:  http://www.accurail.com/accurail/ART/8500/8507.jpg, which, as you can see, has a silver roof.   Both these kits have metal roof walks.   The silver roof is silver paint on the model--not galvanized.

I have both of these cars and built them with only a few modifications:  uncoupling  levers, a revised center drop step to more closely match the prototype, and an improved roof walk on the silver roofed model.   They go together easily and look good on the rails.

Steve Kay

Schuyler,

On Sep 3, 2020, at 11:22 AM, Schuyler Larrabee via groups.io <schuyler.larrabee@...> wrote:

All,

 

Several years ago I bought, at Cocoa Beach, a 5^th Avenue Car Shops, Accurail kit for a National Car Company reefer.  Now that it’s properly aged I thought I’d get to it and assemble it, adding appropriate details as I can.  But the first instruction is to paint the roof “silver.”

 

And that is my question.  What is meant by the term “silver?”   Silver as in the prototype was actually painted with silver paint?  Or is this a “galvanized roof color silver?”  The sides are lettered as “REBUILT PLT 1-52” which is also the last reweigh date, so this is a “new” car for my modeling purposes.

 

I have a mix I use for galvanized roofs which is part silver, part gray, and looks very good.  But I also have silver paint, and could use that.  In any event, it will get a dusting of loco exhaust (both, either, steam or diesel) and perhaps some light weathering, dust along the bottom edge mostly, along the sides and ends.

 

Oh, and while we’re at it, the supplied roof walk is wood, painted brown to match the ends (and underframe).  In ’52, would these cars have a metal roof walk?  Of what style?  And one more variable, should the roof walk be painted silver, too?  And is that a “depends on whether it’s wood or metal” question?

 

And what may be a minor point: Where was “PLT” ?

 

Thanks for the assistance I know this list can provide.

 

Schuyler