New Bachmann 40' reefer: PFE R-40-21?

[Cajonpassfan]

I don't usually get too excited about new Bachmann cars, and for a good reason, but I stumbled on a photo of what appears to be a new release of a previously unavailable 40' ice refrigerator car type. It looks to me like a PFE R-40-21 wood reefer as modernized with new Dreadnaught steel ends and roof and a steel running board. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the first wood side, steel end and roof model available in N scale, and would be a great companion to Intermountain all steel PFE R-40-23. There were thousands of these cars roaming the country until the very end of the ice era, and if decently done, I can see buying a whole bunch of them. Except they are pricey, in recent Bachmann fashion ...

The photo (see below) looks pretty good, but before I get too excited, I'm not even sure it's an N Scale model. I'd like to see if anyone here has seen this model in person or has better pics? I couldn't find it on Bachmann's site until I looked under box cars....it's listed as a "refrigerated boxcar" 

Cautiously optimistic, Otto K.

[Cajonpassfan]

Well, dammit, my suspicion turned out to be well founded: I found the same photo illustrating Bachmann's HO version of the same model. So who knows what the N scale model looks like
Only thing we know they want $36msrp...
Otto, no longer optimistic

[sd45elect2000]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/290624724853?vectorid=229466&item=290624724853&rmvSB=true

Wood side , steel ends. I think I have all them/ I always look for different cars and these are nice enough cars at a good price.

Randy

[cjm413]

More info re: Bachmann car here:

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/bacholdreef.html

Con-Cor offered a similar car, but I can't really see exactly what it is on my phone:

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/cc40woodreefer.html

[Cajonpassfan]

More info re: Bachmann car here:

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/bacholdreef.html

Con-Cor offered a similar car, but I can't really see exactly what it is on my phone:

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/cc40woodreefer.html

Thanks for the links.
The Spookshow photo is the same HO car shown on Bachmann web page. Look at the wheels and couplers.
The Concor car is an oversized car with fantasy ends dating back to the early seventies; not something I'd put on the layout.
So my question is still out there: what does the N scale PFE car look like?

[Cajonpassfan]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/290624724853?vectorid=229466&item=290624724853&rmvSB=true

Wood side , steel ends. I think I have all them/ I always look for different cars and these are nice enough cars at a good price.

Randy

Randy, I think these old Precision Master kits are steel side cars, not wood. I have one I bought for $5.98. Still has the sticker.
Otto K.

Correction: PM made both steel side and wood side cars. Can't tell from Ebay pic which it is.

[sd45elect2000]

The PM steel cars have the single sliding plug door . The wood side cars have the swinging double plug doors.

Randy

[Cajonpassfan]

Right. I just can't tell from the photo.
Otto

[sd45elect2000]

single sliding plug door- steel car.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-scale-PRECISION-MASTERS-3-Reefer-cars-FRUIT-GROWERS-EXPRESS-FGE-mib-aftd-/381637659191?hash=item58db608a37:g:OP0AAOSwRjNXOR25

Randy

[cjm413]

Thanks for the links.
The Spookshow photo is the same HO car shown on Bachmann web page. Look at the wheels and couplers.
The Concor car is an oversized car with fantasy ends dating back to the early seventies; not something I'd put on the layout.
So my question is still out there: what does the N scale PFE car look like?

With a few exceptions, most of Bachmann's "new" freight cars are nothing more than recycled versions of their old freight cars with body-mounted (and oversized) couplers instead of truck-mounted Rapido couplers, new paint schemes, etc.

If all of the pictures of the "new" car that have turned up show the HO version, I suspect this would also be applicable to this car until and unless new photos show me something different....

I presume the Con-Cor model has the same R 3/4 ends that they also used on some of their boxcars?

[nickelplate759]

Precision Masters had both plug-door and swinging door (french doors?) steel reefers, as well as the wood-side steel end reefers.
Spookshow shows both types of steel reefers: http://www.spookshow.net/freight/rc40steelreefer.html
and the wood-side version: http://www.spookshow.net/freight/rc40woodreefer.html

George

[Kisatchie]

The Concor car is an oversized car with fantasy ends dating back to the early seventies; not something I'd put on the layout.

Poor Dee...


Hmm... I have dozens of
these cars on my layout...

[cjm413]

Poor Dee...


Hmm... I have dozens of
these cars on my layout...

Anyone measured the IH of one of these "oversized" Con-Cor reefers?

GN did had some double-sheathed boxcars that were basically 1937 AAR boxcars but for the wood sides:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/gn/gn49126rsa.jpg

Depending on the IH of the Con-Cor reefer, it may be possible to combine car sides from the Con-Cor reefer with the 6' sliding doors, 4/5 ends, and Murphy panel roof from an IMRC 1937 AAR kit to build these GN cars...

[nkalanaga]

If you're going to that much trouble, it would be almost as easy, and much cheaper, to make new sides from scribed styrene.  I did that for my one car, and it worked very nicely.

[sd45elect2000]

Precision Masters had both plug-door and swinging door (french doors?) steel reefers, as well as the wood-side steel end reefers.
Spookshow shows both types of steel reefers: http://www.spookshow.net/freight/rc40steelreefer.html
and the wood-side version: http://www.spookshow.net/freight/rc40woodreefer.html

George

I have a collection of the wood side cars and a few sliding plug door cars but I don't think I ever bought any steel sided swinging door cars from PM. I think about the time I was buying reefers intermountain was selling their kits and I thought those were nicer. I bought hundreds of the Intermountain kits.

Randy