Freight Car and Caboose Models, Part Two:

Other (undecorated) HO Scale Kits/Models That

Correspond to a DT&I Prototype

August 1999
Underlined kit and decal numbers are out of production; kit numbers shown are for the
undecorated version except where marked with an * asterisk, meaning that the undec version is
not listed in the current Walthers catalog.

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Athearn

1) Wide Vision Caboose (#5360) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (windows, roof), this kit can be used to approximate the 140-145 series cabooses built by International Car Co. This particular kit is about two scale feet too short to be perfect, however. 2) 86' High-Cube Auto Parts Box (#1974) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (remove three side panels from each end (but not the endmost panels) to reduce overall length, reduce size of door opening to 16', fabricate new 8' doors), this kit will come close to matching the 25900-25935 series 60' auto parts cars. The only shortcomings will be the welded side panel joints on the model (which are riveted on the prototype), and that reducing the door width will create two small, extra side panels. Atlas 1) Extended Vision Caboose (#1900) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (windows), it will match the 140-145 series cabooses. 2) Evans 50' Double Plug Door Box (#1750) a) This kit is an approximate match to the 20050-20069 series insulated "Campbell Soup" cars, which were actually built by ACF. The model does not feature the slightly staggered door openings and 8'+6' door combinations of the prototype. Con-Cor 1) PS-2 3-Bay Covered Hopper (#9504*) a) This model of a 2983 cu ft car is a match to the 10600-10649 series hoppers. These cars were built in 1955, and stayed on the roster until being replaced by the Centerflows in 1974. b) WITH MODIFICATIONS (side height), it can be made into a model of the Mint Green 10100-10199 series, of which some were eventually repainted grey. 2) Greenville 60' Double Plug Door Auto Parts Box (#9600) a) This model is a match to the 25000-25049 series cars. b) WITH MODIFICATIONS (truck center spacing), this model will match the 25200-25314 series cars. c) WITH MODIFICATIONS (truck center spacing, side sill), this model will fairly closely match the 25100-25179 series cars, which were built by ACF. Details West 1) 50' Double Plug Door Box (#500) a) This kit will approximate the 20050-20069 series insulated box cars. The prototype cars had slightly staggered door openings and a 8' + 6' door combination; the kit has centered openings and 8' doors all around. 2) 50' FGE Insulated Single Plug Door Box (#700) a) This kit is a fairly close match to the 20173-20179 series insulated box cars. Eastern Car Works 1) Northeast Standard Caboose (#4000) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (windows), this model will match the 130-134 series cabooses, which were built by and bought from the Reading RR. Front Range Products 1) ACF 50' Sliding Door Box (#5000) a) This kit is a match to the 18100-18249 series box cars, which were painted light green. 2) ACF 40' Welded-Side Box (#4040) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (doors), this kit will be a match to car 41017, which was rebuilt by the DT&I in 1972, probably from a 14000-series car. Gloor Craft/Quality Craft Models 1) 100-Ton Covered Hopper (#352*) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (roof / trough hatch, outlet bays), thiscan be used for the 11100-11199 series hoppers. This craftsman kit features basswood and white metal parts. The parts might also serve as a template for fabricating the car in styrene. InterMountain Railway Company 1) Pullman-Standard 4750 PS-2CD Covered Hopper (#40399) a) This kit should be a match to the 10225-10274 series hoppers leased from Pullman-Standard during the 1970s. They were apparently only painted with P-S squared Gothic reporting marks and numbers. 2) 50' PS-1 Single-Door Box (#40999) a) This kit will match the noteworthy 18000-18099 series "Hydroframe-60" box cars, which were painted light green. b) This kit will also match the 16500-16699 series box cars. 3) 50' PS-1 Double-Door Box (#40698) a) This kit should be a match to the 15400-15499 series auto parts box cars. Life-Like Proto 2000 1) 52'6" Drop-End Mill Gondola (#20140*) a) This kit will match the 9000-9099 series Greenville gondolas. b) WITH MODIFICATIONS (end braces), this kit will also match the 2000-2094 series cars, that were rebuilt in 1968 from the 9000- series gondolas. c) WITH MODIFICATIONS (removal of three center panels to reduce overall length), this kit can be used as a close match to the 7000-7299 series gondolas, built by Greenville in 1941 and on the roster until early 1974. McKean 1) 50' Outside-Braced Box w/Dreadnaught Ends (#800) a) This model will, at best, approximate the 16900-16974 series Railbox-style cars. Model Die Casting 1) 50' FMC Single-Door Box (#1950) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (exterior posts, roof, ends), this kit should be a very close match to the 18800-18874 series cars, which were Berwick Forge and Fabricating’s Railbox-style cars built to "Plate C" dimensions. These cars were Box Car Red with orange doors, and many were equipped to haul auto castings. 2) "Old-Timer" Caboose (#3440) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (new sides, shortening of floor/frame/roof, cupola windows), this model will be a good match to the long-lived 60-99 series wood cabooses, which were built in 1925. A conversion article appears in the Fall 1988 issue of The Double A, newsletter of the Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association. Overland Models 1) Ann Arbor/DT&I/M&LS Streamlined Cupola Caboose(#1244) a) This model is a match to the 120-125 series cabooses that were "reassigned" to serve on the DT&I after it assumed control of the Ann Arbor Railroad in 1964. Some of the models were custom decorated in the correct DT&I scheme. 2) International Wide Vision Caboose (# unknown) a) This model (of which two production runs were made) is a match to the 140-145 series cabooses. Details may vary and may not be completely accurate for the DT&I version. Some of the models were custom decorated in the correct DT&I scheme. Precision Scale 1) "Cement Hopper" (# unknown) a) This model was a match to the 11800-11814 series covered hoppers built by Greenville in 1934. In later years, they served as diesel sand cars, some as ballast cars for the Ann Arbor RR car ferries, and at least one was retained as a scale test car. Varney 1) "Covered Twin Hopper" (# unknown) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (outlet bays), this model is a good approximation of the 11800-11814 series. Walthers 1) 50' Waffle-Side Box (#4700) a) WITH MODIFICATIONS (remove waffles, larger door), this model will match the 16900-16974 series Railbox-style box cars in all respects, as both are Pullman-Standard designs. b) WITH MODIFICATIONS (remove waffles, new doors, sides), this model can also be used to match the modern 17000-17074 series cars, which featured externally-braced double plug doors. The prototypes (another P-S design) were painted Sky Blue and carried processed food products. 2) Pullman-Standard PS-2CD 4427 Covered Hopper (#5700) a) This kit should be a match to the USLD 950-999 series hoppers, which were leased from the United States Railway Equipment Co. from the early ‘60s until late 1979. b) WITH MODIFICATIONS (removal of three center panels to reduce overall length, reshape ends, substitute floor / outlet bays from a donor kit, rework trough hatch), this model can be made to match the 11100-11199 series covered hoppers. These were the orange cars, of which some were later repainted grey. 3) FGE 50' Insulated Box (#4750) a) This kit will match the 20173-20179 series "Campbell Soup"cars,which were the only seven of a much-larger group to have centered (instead of staggered) doors. 4) Pullman-Standard 60' Sliding-Door Auto Parts Box (#3550) a) This model is a match to the 25500-25544 series auto parts cars, which were painted Spruce Green with yellow doors. Researched compiled by Brian T. McQuitty, with valuable contributions by Rob Adams, John Alaniva, Brian Everett, Arnt Gerritsen, Jim Hediger and David Mikulec. Prominent among the many references used is Freight Cars of the Ann Arbor Railroad, 1947-1985, by Craig Wilson, and the Walthers 1999 HO Model Railroad Reference Book.
 


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