Micro-Trains Southern Bulk Commodity Boxcars

[Bob Bufkin]

Are these new?  Don't think I've seen them before.  How accurate and use dates would be appreciated.

[jmlaboda]

Any links to a good photo of the car???  Everything I am finding is very, very small so I can't actually see the roof detail.

I know that I saw them in use through to the later-70s but after that Southern purged most of their 40 footers.

[ljudice]

In the Morning Sun guide to SOU freight equipment there are two photos of 40' cars:

26957 looks like a good match - in the same paint scheme.

32446 has a very deep sill and is less of a match.

photos were in 77 and 81 and the cars were in service.

They also had 50' cars including outside post cars like this.  I believe the commodity was Kaolin clay.  I am almost sure I used to see the 50' SOU cars heading to New England over the CR Lehigh Line in the 1990's.

- Lou

[jmlaboda]

I should have been more specific... I was speaking of the model, so that it could be compared to shots of the cars in the Color Guide.

[GaryHinshaw]

Are we talking about these?

http://www.nscaleenthusiast.com/ZNSC_SR/NSE_NS_Roanoke%20_Southern_Weathered.asp

[ljudice]

Yes...

They look great, but bear the numbers of the cars that don't match the body.  If they were 50 footers I'd buy even with the wrong numbers.  BTW the 50 foot cars carried roofwalks to allow access to the hatches increasing their "unusualness".

[jmlaboda]

They look great, but bear the numbers of the cars that don't match the body.

All of the cars had an 8' door but matching the side sill depends on the car.  SOU 26961 is one that matches the body reasonably well, though the door is too narrow...

http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3278771

Most appear to have altered side sills, like this Central of Georgia car (some renumbered to SOU 32415 ~ 32499)...

http://rr-fallenflags.org/sout/cg6280ajs.jpg

AS for what the cars hauled in addition to Kaolin some of these cars were reportedly used to hauled agricultural lime.

Were there other lines who had cars like this???

[Bob Bufkin]

Thanks for the replies so far.  Had to go back and check my Southern Color Guide.  Just didn't remember seeing these cars.  I like them because they are unique and had roof walks when cars were doing away with them.  Might have to get at least one even though not 100% correct.

[LIRR]

$35 each?!  Absurd.

[ljudice]

$35 each?!  Absurd.

The question is - the value of your time to duplicate it...   I have so many unfinished projects that I would almost bite at these if they did the 50' car.

[Dave Schneider]

Were there other lines who had cars like this???

The Milwaukee Road had some rib side boxcars equipped with hatches in spent grain service for Miller Brewing.  They had a red door and an outline of the Miller logo on the door.  The NSE produced a custom run of these with FVM cars. Either SAL or SCL had hatch boxcars for kaolin service.

Best wishes, Dave

[ljudice]

Weren't there also top loading "hide" cars on BN?

I think there was an NSE run of these too.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

What is the the model, a production kit bash? Did they really just glue ACF hatches on the roof and call it a day?

[Nato]

          The N Scale Enthusiast's formally Collectors are offering Fox Valley Milwaukee Road Rib side car with roof hatches. Nate Goodman (Nato).

[cv_acr]

Were there other lines who had cars like this???

ACL/SCL had roof hatch cars as well, that I think were for phosphates?

CP and CN had some as well, but photos of the CP ones are rare. These are interesting as some of them had hatches in the centreline of the car under the roof walk.