No comments on MTL April releases?

[bbussey]

Not sure what MT is doing with their so-called REX 40' cars.  The series that they are using for the numbers is for 50' cars very similar to the 50' express car that they produce... why they chose to foobie these is a bit beyond me...

They don't have the express reefer in Z scale. Although they do have a 50' PS-1 that would have been a better fit than the 40' model.

[jmlaboda]

They don't have the express reefer in Z scale.  Although they do have a 50' PS-1 that would have been a better fit than the 40' model.

Missed the scale when I saw them.  But no, a PS1 wouldn't be close to anything that REX had either... nothing like a PS-anything on the roster.

[thomasjmdavis]

Here is the prototype for the MT Z scale car- REX 6435
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=267974

Apparently a 1930 vintage...

[bbussey]

Missed the scale when I saw them.  But no, a PS1 wouldn't be close to anything that REX had either... nothing like a PS-anything on the roster.

True, but if they were hellbent on releasing a model in the REA scheme, they have bodystyles that are less unprototypical.

[Missaberoad]

True, but if they were hellbent on releasing a model in the REA scheme, they have bodystyles that are less unprototypical.

Except as the photo in @thomasjmdavis 's post shows they chose the closest bodystyle they had.

That being said the prototype they chose is a museum piece that never ran in revenue service in that paint...

[nkalanaga]

I did one of the GN hoppers some time back, using MicroScale decals, so don't really need another one.

[jmlaboda]

Here is the prototype for the MT Z scale car- REX 6435
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=267974

The only problem is that the car is a fake.  Never has been REX.

[Mark5]

Anyone know what era these cars are for? http://www.micro-trains.com/nscale/nnewreleases/99300127

I believe these are cars modified to carry windmill blades.

Mark

[thomasjmdavis]

The only problem is that the car is a fake.  Never has been REX.

I am sure you are correct Jerry, I was just posting the results of a little googling.  Still, there IS a prototype for the car, even if the prototype is not really an REA car.

I wondered, since it seemed in the middle of a group of express refrigerator numbers.  However, given that some of the shots appeared old and rusty (http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=903245), and then there was one "restored" (http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3217745), I thought it might be something that REA added in the 1960s, as they did with the PRR horse cars.  However, if the dates on the pages really represent the dates the photos were taken, then the "restored" version is 10 years older than the rusty version.  Which would mean the clean paint job went on it 25 years after REA service ended, and it probably wasn't genuine Dupont Dulux paint, to have aged that much in another 10.

Now, WHY anyone would paint up an old boxcar into REA scheme is a good question. Film, maybe?

I recall that MT also did this with paired window coach "Santa Fe 2205"-  There were photos circulated of such a car, but best guess was that it was a museum paint job or something from a movie.  Definitely not a Santa Fe coach.

Tom D.

[jmlaboda]

Still, there IS a prototype for the car, even if the prototype is not really an REA car.

Good point!!!  But you have the dates backwards...

Ironically I was working on a new User's Guide page last night in hopes that I may yet get it finished and posted for REX and along the way I discovered several important details in regards to the 50' express reefer like the MT model.  Half of the modern express reefers had riveted sides like the MT car most of the newer cars (which fall in one of the series where the real REX car was) were all-welded side cars...

The prototype Foobie was a nice looking car... at least some folks will be able to have some fun with it but would it be in a passenger train or a freight???

[wcfn100]

Ironically I was working on a new User's Guide page last night in hopes that I may yet get it finished and posted for REX and along the way I discovered several important details in regards to the 50' express reefer like the MT model.  While there were a couple hundred cars that had riveted sides like the MT car most of the newer cars (which fall in one of the series where the real REX car was) were all-welded side cars... with roughly 5 times as many welded cars compared to riveted cars.

The book "Railway Express an Overview" list the welded cars in series 6100-6599 or 498 cars and the riveted cars in series 6900-7899 or 993 cars.  It also says the older cars were the welded ones being built in 1948, while the riveted ones were built in 1958.

 

Jason

[jmlaboda]

Had to go back and check my links... you are closer than I was to the totals but 7700 - 7899 were, indeed, welded cars.  Definitely need to try and get a hold of that book... would definitely be well worth buying!!!

[wcfn100]

Had to go back and check my links... you are closer than I was to the totals but 7700 - 7899 were, indeed, welded cars.

I don't know about that.  A couple of the cars you have linked in that number series look riveted.

This one is shows it especially in the letters.

http://canadasouthern.com/caso/non-nyc/images/rea-7851.jpg

And FYI, the SLC car has the wrong number 7845, it should be 7645.

Jason

[jmlaboda]

A couple of the cars you have linked in that number series look riveted.

This one is shows it especially in the letters.

http://canadasouthern.com/caso/non-nyc/images/rea-7851.jpg

No rivets on that one... enlarging it only shows weld lines...

And FYI, the SLC car has the wrong number 7845, it should be 7645.

Should be fixed now (you may need to Refresh)... it was a duplicate listing...

[wcfn100]

No rivets on that one... enlarging it only shows weld lines...

There's rivets, I have little doubt.  The easiest way to tell is the first 'R' where there's a second row.  But like the PRR box car thread, a better picture will show up eventually and we can address it then.


Jason