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D&M 1937 AAR Boxcar – IMWX Upgrade #1

Bob Chapman
 

When I lived in Central Michigan, the Detroit & Mackinac was our neighborhood railroad, a short line serving the northeast coast of Michigan from Bay City to Mackinaw City, where it connected with a steam-powered car ferry crossing the Straits of Mackinac. In 1947, D&M bought 200 1937 AAR-design boxcars in the #2800-2999 series. With most postwar boxcars at 10’6” interior height, D&M’s 1947 purchase of the obsolescent 10’0” IH cars was curious.

Recent completion of six C&BT kits from the deep stash unearthed a pair of circa-1990 undec IMWX “W-corner” 1937 AAR kits -- one a perfect match for the D&M prototype.

The separate details provided with the kit were much better executed than those of the C&BT kits, and fewer replacement parts were needed – namely Barber S-2 trucks, and Kadee grabs and Universal brakewheel. I used the kit’s wooden running board, although Yarmouth's US Gypsum type would have been more correct.

I opted for D&M’s circa-1950 lettering scheme, not available as a decal set. The roadname and reporting marks are 8” letters from a Microscale alphabet, with dimensional data from K4’s D&M set. Weathering represents the tired paint and lettering befitting a short line boxcar.

While not a lot of modeling here, I thought the lettering scheme might be of interest -- to my knowledge not offered on a commercial model.

Regards,
Bob Chapman


 

O Fenton Wells
 

Wowzer Bob, hand lettering, that's quite a feat.  Looks great.Very nicely done
Fenton

On Thu, Jul 9, 2020 at 7:35 PM Robert Chapman <chapbob4014@...> wrote:
When I lived in Central Michigan, the Detroit & Mackinac was our neighborhood railroad, a short line serving the northeast coast of Michigan from Bay City to Mackinaw City, where it connected with a steam-powered car ferry crossing the Straits of Mackinac. In 1947, D&M bought 200 1937 AAR-design boxcars in the #2800-2999 series. With most postwar boxcars at 10’6” interior height, D&M’s 1947 purchase of the obsolescent 10’0” IH cars was curious.

Recent completion of six C&BT kits from the deep stash unearthed a pair of circa-1990 undec IMWX “W-corner” 1937 AAR kits -- one a perfect match for the D&M prototype.

The separate details provided with the kit were much better executed than those of the C&BT kits, and fewer replacement parts were needed – namely Barber S-2 trucks, and Kadee grabs and Universal brakewheel. I used the kit’s wooden running board, although Yarmouth's US Gypsum type would have been more correct.

I opted for D&M’s circa-1950 lettering scheme, not available as a decal set. The roadname and reporting marks are 8” letters from a Microscale alphabet, with dimensional data from K4’s D&M set. Weathering represents the tired paint and lettering befitting a short line boxcar.

While not a lot of modeling here, I thought the lettering scheme might be of interest -- to my knowledge not offered on a commercial model.

Regards,
Bob Chapman


 



--
Fenton Wells
250 Frye Rd
Pinehurst NC 28374
910-420-8106
srrfan1401@...
Brian Carlson
 

Bob since the D&M cars were postwar did they have the older  5/4 end or postwar IDE? 

Brian J. Carlson 

On Jul 9, 2020, at 7:35 PM, Robert Chapman <chapbob4014@...> wrote:


When I lived in Central Michigan, the Detroit & Mackinac was our neighborhood railroad, a short line serving the northeast coast of Michigan from Bay City to Mackinaw City, where it connected with a steam-powered car ferry crossing the Straits of Mackinac. In 1947, D&M bought 200 1937 AAR-design boxcars in the #2800-2999 series. With most postwar boxcars at 10’6” interior height, D&M’s 1947 purchase of the obsolescent 10’0” IH cars was curious.

Recent completion of six C&BT kits from the deep stash unearthed a pair of circa-1990 undec IMWX “W-corner” 1937 AAR kits -- one a perfect match for the D&M prototype.

The separate details provided with the kit were much better executed than those of the C&BT kits, and fewer replacement parts were needed – namely Barber S-2 trucks, and Kadee grabs and Universal brakewheel. I used the kit’s wooden running board, although Yarmouth's US Gypsum type would have been more correct.

I opted for D&M’s circa-1950 lettering scheme, not available as a decal set. The roadname and reporting marks are 8” letters from a Microscale alphabet, with dimensional data from K4’s D&M set. Weathering represents the tired paint and lettering befitting a short line boxcar.

While not a lot of modeling here, I thought the lettering scheme might be of interest -- to my knowledge not offered on a commercial model.

Regards,
Bob Chapman


 
<D&M Ptd RH.JPG>
Claus Schlund \(HGM\)
 


Hi Bob,
 
Very nicely done. I especially like the simulated wood grain on the tack boards.
 
Claus Schlund
 

----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, July 09, 2020 7:34 PM
Subject: [RealSTMFC] D&M 1937 AAR Boxcar – IMWX Upgrade #1

When I lived in Central Michigan, the Detroit & Mackinac was our neighborhood railroad, a short line serving the northeast coast of Michigan from Bay City to Mackinaw City, where it connected with a steam-powered car ferry crossing the Straits of Mackinac. In 1947, D&M bought 200 1937 AAR-design boxcars in the #2800-2999 series. With most postwar boxcars at 10’6” interior height, D&M’s 1947 purchase of the obsolescent 10’0” IH cars was curious.

Recent completion of six C&BT kits from the deep stash unearthed a pair of circa-1990 undec IMWX “W-corner” 1937 AAR kits -- one a perfect match for the D&M prototype.

The separate details provided with the kit were much better executed than those of the C&BT kits, and fewer replacement parts were needed – namely Barber S-2 trucks, and Kadee grabs and Universal brakewheel. I used the kit’s wooden running board, although Yarmouth's US Gypsum type would have been more correct.

I opted for D&M’s circa-1950 lettering scheme, not available as a decal set. The roadname and reporting marks are 8” letters from a Microscale alphabet, with dimensional data from K4’s D&M set. Weathering represents the tired paint and lettering befitting a short line boxcar.

While not a lot of modeling here, I thought the lettering scheme might be of interest -- to my knowledge not offered on a commercial model.

Regards,
Bob Chapman



James Brewer
 

Bob,

Another great build!  I believe Ted Culotta did offer decals for this group of cars as a "special" set sometime in the past.

Keep building!

Jim Brewer
Bob Chapman
 

Brian Carlson asks: Bob since the D&M cars were postwar did they have the older 5/4 end or postwar IDE?
Brian -- Per Ed Hawkins' spreadsheet, D&M's 1947 cars had the same older 4-5 dreadnaught ends as the originals from the late 30s. Confirmed by a prototype photo of #2911. 


Fenton Wells writes: Wowzer Bob, hand lettering, that's quite a feat.
Fenton -- only during a pandemic....


Jim Brewer writes: I believe Ted Culotta did offer decals for this group of cars as a "special" set sometime in the past.
Jim -- Yeah, I saw Ted's listing when I was decal shopping, but out of stock (and probably no hurry to restock). Story of my life....


Chris Schlund writes: I especially like the simulated wood grain on the tack boards.
Chris -- Grey Prismacolor pencil scratchings.

Thanks to all for the encouraging comments,
Bob Chapman

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