iawesternI have added some more pics.
So we are looking at, I think, what is called an "improved Dreadnaught" end (no small darts between corrugations but smaller corrugations between the large ones, and a squared top rib. This is not a PS1 boxcar in other words.
And yes that is a lumber door, very common on Milwaukee Road boxcars both wood and metal. It wasn't for loading or unloading the entire car's load of lumber, but for adding more pieces when it was no longer possible or practical to load through the regular doors.
I remain stumped as to the original manufacturer of this car but I'd think there are a number of eligible underframes that could be made to fit.
Dave Nelson
maxman Probably a door for loading long lengths of lumber.
Probably a door for loading long lengths of lumber.
Hello everyone, thx for the help so far. I have added some more pics. There is a funky hatch/door access on one end of the car, that I don't believe I have seen before. Was this a grain car? I thought they loaded grain cars from either of the side doors. It's still a mystery, who manufactured this shell?
Thx again,
Mark
With the looks of the ladder and the grab irons, I'd say that is a McKean kit. Can you post a picture looking down into the body?
It's not a big deal to scratchbuild a suitable floor for that car, but it would have to fit with the bottom side flush with the bottom of the car's ends, and if you wanted a centre-sill, it would need to have it's top-face flush with the bottom of the car's ends, so that you could add Kadee draught-gear boxes.
Wayne
iawestern Ultimately want to find the proper bottom for this shell.
Without seeing the ends it is a little challenging to ID the prototype if any and hence ID the model manufacturer. By ends I mean are they Dreadnaught (with the little darts between corrugations), Improved Dreadnaught (with very thin little corrucations replacing the darts), Dreadnaught so called "Dartnaught", or Pullman Standard PS1 with its own look to the corrugations.
The model appears to have been re-detailed beyond the original shell. The stirrup (sill) steps have all been replaced by after market metal parts perhaps A Line, and the wires protruding from the inside suggest someone shaved off cast on grab irons and replaced them with after market parts or with fine wire.
It is a little hard to tell, but the interior of the shell in the upper right suggests ladder is separately applied detail. The ladder that can be seen in lower left -- I cannot decide if an original cast on ladder was shaved off and replaced with after-market or if the car came with separately applied. .
Another potential identifier -- roof holes for the running board -- is not visible in the photo.
Note by the way that for the stirrup step in the upper left they were able to drill the mounting holes entirely within the bottom edge, and that is not always easy to accomplish, but for the upper right they didn't do so well and one leg of the stirrup step sticks up inside the car.
That means that even if you find the right make of underframe, it can't be a drop in fit. You have some filing to do in that corner and perhaps other corners so that it can snap into place. Otherwise that corner will stick out from the frame a bit.
The indentation on the body for the floor to "set" into looks bit like Accurail to me. But Accurail does not use the same underframe for all their cars. If an Accurail floor fits I'd be tempted to suggest it be used even if that results in a "mongrel" car.
Possibly a Mckeen kit ?
( I may not be spelling that right)
It definitely had fit issues with the floor/underframe as evidenced by the wire running the full length in the recess the floor fits into.
Mckeen kits always seemed to have fit issues.
Could also be a Roundhouse/Model Die Casting kit. The ejector marks on the doors are a familiar tell-tale sign.
Unless someone replaced the original doors.
( darn " kit-bashers" ...)
Rust...... It's a good thing !
I don't think it's an Athearn but it may be a C&BT as they and Intermountain are the only ones other than resin kits that make a 12 panel side car. Athearn and others are 10 panel and that car is not an Intermountain.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Might be an athearn bluebox. Though to tell. You could find a frame them modify it to fit or get a few brands of frames then see if they fit.
-bmtrainmaster
Hello. I am trying to identify what brand of HO scale boxcar shell that I have in the pic below. It is not Athearn or Tyco. It is scale 40 feet long. Pay no attention to the paint scheme, the car has been decaled. Ultimately want to find the proper bottom for this shell.
Thx!