Need Decals for Micro-Trains 51' Reefers

[Kisatchie]

I have a couple of fantasy MTL 51' reefers that I want to strip and decal for a real railroad/private company. Does anyone know if Microscale makes appropriate decals for these reefers?


Hmm... beats me...

[bbussey]

Probably not.  The riveted reefer is a Fruit Growers Express prototype.  The ribbed reefer is supposed to be a Pacific Fruit Express prototype, but there are too many ribs on the sides. 

[Kisatchie]

Probably not.  The riveted reefer is a Fruit Growers Express prototype.  The ribbed reefer is supposed to be a Pacific Fruit Express prototype, but there are too many ribs on the sides.

Just on a lark, I decided to search the Microscale site for "refrigerator". Believe it or not, I found a Great Northern decal set that looks like it will work. It's set 60-269. Anyone care to chime in as to whether this set will work on the MTL smooth side 51' reefers?


Hmm... chime in? Is
this the Gong Show...?

[bbussey]

Sure, many schemes would work, as there were prototypes that were close to the FGE design.  But if you're looking for an exact prototype, the MTL model is an FGE-specific design and is only 100% correct for FGE.

[Kisatchie]

Thanks for the info about FGE cars! I went back to Microscale and found this set:

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MD&Product_Code=60-238&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

I thought it was just for (Atlas) FGE BOX CARS, but I read the description, and it said it was for reefers too. Any other comments?


Hmm... snooze...

[bbussey]

The prototype was built in 1956, so it definitely lasted into the 1970s at least.  It's conceivable it wore the non-railroad paint schemes that are represented on this Microscale sheet.  But you would have to seek out online photos of the prototype from the 1960s and 1970s to get verification.  FGEX 10200-10209.  Western Fruit Express did have these cars also, so your GN decals would be prototypical if they are WFEX reporting marks.  I don't know the appropriate number series of the WFEX cars, but they were renumbered into BN after the merger.

[Kisatchie]

The prototype was built in 1956, so it definitely lasted into the 1970s at least.  It's conceivable it wore the non-railroad paint schemes that are represented on this Microscale sheet.  But you would have to seek out online photos of the prototype from the 1960s and 1970s to get verification.  FGEX 10200-10209.  Western Fruit Express did have these cars also, so your GN decals would be prototypical if they are WFEX reporting marks.  I don't know the appropriate number series of the WFEX cars, but they were renumbered into BN after the merger.

Thank you for all your help. I feel so ignorant...


Hmm... because you are...?

[bbussey]

Don't feel that way.  No one here started out knowing what they know.  Glad to help.

[nkalanaga]

The most likely WFEX numbers I can find are 800-849 (1953) and 7950-8099 (1955), both built be FGE in Alexandria.  Pictures can be found in Thompson's "GN Equipment Color Pictorial Book 3" from Four Ways West, and probably online.  At least 8058, and probably many others, eventually received modern BSB-style lettering, so you can go either way.

Kadee did a multi-number run of the 800-849 series in the original paint MANY years ago, back before it became Micro-Trains.

Many of the "renumbered" BN cars didn't actually get new numbers.  All the BN did was change the initials from WFEX to BNFE if the car wasn't being repainted.  I have no idea how aggressive they were about this, so it may have been a weekend rush job or spread over a year or more.  Many of the patch jobs were just that - paint out the WFEX with some shade of yellow close to the original and add the BNFE, not always in the correct font.

[AlbertSpor]

The MTL reefer is good for the following reefer series,
FGEX  1000-1600
FGEX 10000-10099
WFEX  800-849
WFEX 7950-8099
BREX 117-149
BREX 5000-5069

MTL has in the past done some of these cars from each  company, namely the FGEX 10000 series, the WFEX 800 series, and the BREX 5000 series. Microscale also has decals to do the FGEX, BREX and later 1967 (large goat) schemes. The later goat scheme is on the GN sheet that you referenced. Microscale sheet 60-572 is the one that you would want for BREX.

Albert Spor

[Kisatchie]

The MTL reefer is good for the following reefer series,
FGEX  1000-1600
FGEX 10000-10099
WFEX  800-849
WFEX 7950-8099
BREX 117-149
BREX 5000-5069

MTL has in the past done some of these cars from each  company, namely the FGEX 10000 series, the WFEX 800 series, and the BREX 5000 series. Microscale also has decals to do the FGEX, BREX and later 1967 (large goat) schemes. The later goat scheme is on the GN sheet that you referenced. Microscale sheet 60-572 is the one that you would want for BREX.

Albert Spor

Thanks! That helps a lot.


Hmm... I wish Kiz would
leave the reefers as Snoboy
and Snomaid...