Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Railbox color and decals on flat sided boxcar?

1035 views
15 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    April 2019
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 780 posts
Posted by SPSOT fan on Thursday, May 23, 2019 12:07 PM

As self declared sheriff of the MRFPPD I have the power to declare all freelanced prototypes to be leagally permitted by the power I have (which is none unless you give me some!). That is provided your freelanced pike is plausible (Stratton and Gillette is in it’s own world). The Sheriff is a fan of protolance pikes! Just don’t put the incorrect detail on that loco! Big Smile The MRFPPD is more concerned with incorrect detail than freelancing. The Sheriff is less concerned with freelancers, run what ever you want as long as is has correct details!

Oh dear it looks like I‘m becoming a LION! Love how this forum is full of interesting and fun people!

Thanks for allowing me to hijack your thread IDRick!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Thursday, May 23, 2019 11:56 AM

I am turning myself in.Cowboy I should be charged with:

  • Calling myself a prototype modeler while having fantasy roadnames on my layout
  • Shifting eras almost every year
  • Having unprototypical industries on my layout(modeled after the current buildings)

PirateWhistlingWink

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 661 posts
Posted by IDRick on Thursday, May 23, 2019 11:23 AM

Lol, good one Issac!  Thumbs Up   Appreciate you!

Best,

Rick

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Thursday, May 23, 2019 11:19 AM

IDRick

Looking on-line, I can only find railbox cars with outside bracing.  I have some older cars that have flat sides and was thinking I would repaint/relabel for Railbox.  Is this a big foobah?  The rivet counters would catch it right away but would most other railroaders and observers?

 

As a certain MRVP contributor would say, "It's my railroad!". Personally, I would notice, but I don't think alot of others would. Do what ya like. I am modeling the late 1970's, but I have stuff from the 1950's and the 1990's, and a certain forum member isn't helping.WinkSmile, Wink & Grin

IMG_8881

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, May 23, 2019 11:10 AM

SPSOT fan
This is the Prototype Police, you’re under arrest for attempting to inaccurately paint a car!

.

If this was a crime, I would be doing life.

.

 

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, May 23, 2019 11:08 AM

SPSOT fan
I may have to make this prototype police thing my thing! I think I’ll add it to my signature!

Oh, and you have so many years of experience and wide exposure to a multitude of railroad equipment, and practices,  countless hours on a long list of prototype forums and groups, and such a respected leader among the prototypical society of railroad modelers, that it's only fitting you should rightfully declare yourself a Sheriff of the MRFPPD.

Laugh  Smile, Wink & Grin  Laugh  Good luck with all of that.  Smile, Wink & Grin

Mike.

 

  • Member since
    April 2019
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 780 posts
Posted by SPSOT fan on Thursday, May 23, 2019 10:18 AM

Understandable, just making some stuff you have different to better fit your era and locale. I totally get it. And of course it’s a good chance to practice since the cars really aren’t terribly valuable. I get it!

 

This is a message from the MR Forums Prototype Police Dept. We have made the decision to allow your violation of prototype adherence. However please be aware we do not take kindly to prototype violations. Such activities will result in punishment with the full extent of the law (that is no punishment, as we have no jurisdiction, but don’t tell anyone that!).Big Smile 

I may have to make this prototype police thing my thing! I think I’ll add it to my signature!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 661 posts
Posted by IDRick on Thursday, May 23, 2019 9:03 AM

:)  Oh no, it's the police!  LOL!

SPSOT, a very fair question, why would I do it?  First, I'm more "representational" than "realist".  A flat sided 50' boxcar painted in railbox colors and labeled with appropriate railbox decals would look like a railbox car to me.  Second, I have several flatsided 50' Athearn BB cars labeled for roads that would be very rare in my area of operation.  Repainting & relabeling to railbox makes them fit when running eastern RR (CR) or running western RR (BN).  Third, I am a novice when it comes to painting and decaling.  This project would give me an opportunity to develop potential skill in the area by using owned rolling stock and merely purchasing paint and decals.  I can paint these Athearns for the price of one highly detailed/prototypically correct car.  

Wish me luck!  If l like the results, it will open another avenue of enjoyment in the hobby.  If I don't, well I can buy RTR's... 

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • 8,892 posts
Posted by riogrande5761 on Thursday, May 23, 2019 5:40 AM

Graham Line
when you say you'd really like to look at their models.

Of course if you do your research you can find a lot of models which are very good matches to real freight cars right out of the box.  Help yourself - look any time!

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

  • Member since
    April 2019
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 780 posts
Posted by SPSOT fan on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 10:51 PM

Ick!

This is the Prototype Police, you’re under arrest for attempting to inaccurately paint a car!

Big Smile

Just kiding, I am a rivet counter and I couldn’t care less what you do on your railroad, I just will never put such an inaccuracy on my own layout. In all honestly, I can’t understand why you would do that when you can easily get accurate cars, but whatever, it is your railroad!

Regards, Isaac

I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!

  • Member since
    February 2007
  • 472 posts
Posted by Graham Line on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 5:20 PM

Most of the "rivet counters" I know do not really care what you do with your own personal trains.  If you want advice on making a prototypically accurate model, most will help if they can.  It is not a "them vs. us" situation.

You will run into loudmouths who take a hard line, but most disappear when you say you'd really like to look at their models.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: Canada
  • 1,820 posts
Posted by cv_acr on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 1:35 PM

IDRick

Looking on-line, I can only find railbox cars with outside bracing.  I have some older cars that have flat sides and was thinking I would repaint/relabel for Railbox.  Is this a big foobah?  The rivet counters would catch it right away but would most other railroaders and observers?

You can paint what you want, but no, they did not exist. RailBox started up in the 1970s and only had modern outside-braced steel boxcars.

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • 8,892 posts
Posted by riogrande5761 on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 1:05 PM

IDRick

Looking on-line, I can only find railbox cars with outside bracing.  I have some older cars that have flat sides and was thinking I would repaint/relabel for Railbox.  Is this a big foobah?  The rivet counters would catch it right away but would most other railroaders and observers?

It depends on who you ask. 

But if you don't care, then you don't even need to ask eh?  Just sayin ...

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 661 posts
Posted by IDRick on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 12:48 PM

Thanks Johnboy!  I'd love to see a video of that train!  I'm not a rivet counter so I'm good with it!  Rail Box cars were very prevalent in the early 90's...  Plus I alternate between operations with Conrail power and Burlington Northern power.  Rail Box fit either RR's operations. 

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: Saskatchewan
  • 2,201 posts
Posted by last mountain & eastern hogger on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 12:34 PM

Whistling

Morning Rick,

My suggestion is, if you are a "Rivet Counter" it does matter, if you are not it doesn't unless you are enering a contest.

It is your railroad who knows what they did in that time and place, that is up to you.

I have some cars lettered and painted for my home road that would be fairly unlikely that they would have access to, but they look good to me and that makes me happy.

The extreme of this always has to have a good story behind it. For example on the LM&E I have stretched to the point that sometimes I run my G4 pulling a selection of streamline cars of other Rooads that are favorites of mine but, I can't afford to have full trains in each of them. So, I chose the cars I wanted from each of those liveries that different from one another, Baggage from CZ. (i do have the full train of this) RPO from the DZ, coaches from NP., Diner from IC (city of new Orleans).  Full dome from the Empire Builder GN. and the Sky Dome observation from the Milwaukee Rd. When I run this it is a Heritage Train for well paying Tourists and picture taking for the watchers.  Thus far I have heard no complaints.  Sometimes I also sneek in a sleeper of the NP.  Your railroad is supposed to be fun, this makes me smile and the odd time I even chuckle. The Rivet Counters would be sick.

HAVE FUN.   Smile, Wink & Grin

Johnboy out......................for now

from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North.. 

We have met the enemy,  and he is us............ (Pogo)

  • Member since
    July 2018
  • 661 posts
Railbox color and decals on flat sided boxcar?
Posted by IDRick on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 12:09 PM

Looking on-line, I can only find railbox cars with outside bracing.  I have some older cars that have flat sides and was thinking I would repaint/relabel for Railbox.  Is this a big foobah?  The rivet counters would catch it right away but would most other railroaders and observers?

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!