NH 'McGinnis' Freight Car Decals?

[skm]

Could one of our NH modelers help me out?

Since I sold off all my MTL 'McGinnis' Scheme 40' boxcars, I've been kinda perplexed by both the lack of suitable replacements, and by the lack of available NH decals to use in lieu of.
I think the IMC 1937 AAR boxcar is the right one for the several series of 40' boxcars cars built between 1941-44, (rectangular panel roof, 4/5 dreadnaught ends, 10ft IH).
Can someone help out with this? Not my home road, but doing my best with representating New England railroads in 1956.

I believe I've done due diligence and searched all the resources I can think of and, apart from the BLW issue of IMC boxcars that is long gone, I'm coming up empty 

[CoalPorter]

I though McGinnis was the Boston and Maine? Did he do New Haven too.?
I think I have seen photos of PS-1s  for BM?
A company called CONCORD CAR SHOPS made excellent quality decals for the BM,
but I don't know if they are still in business. The decals were very nice silk screened
which is much better than ALPS printed, imo.

[peteski]

I though McGinnis was the Boston and Maine? Did he do New Haven too.?
I think I have seen photos of PS-1s  for BM?
A company called CONCORD CAR SHOPS made excellent quality decals for the BM,
but I don't know if they are still in business. The decals were very nice silk screened
which is much better than ALPS printed, imo.

Yes, both railroads were at some point in time adorned with the colorful McGinnis paint schemes.  B&M used blue/black/white while NH used orange/black/white.  I don't think there many boxcars with that type of decoration.

Of course silkscreen-printed decals will be superior to ones printed by Alps printer.
But in this case, where large portions of the sides are painted with 3 different colors I think it is best to mask and airbrush instead of decaling.  The heralds and lettering can then be done using decals.

[OldEastRR]

WHICH "McGinnis"? The NH varied that scheme a lot, and had "one-offs" of various versions. On top of that several model companies produced "what if" versions of the cars which were planned or designed but never made on the real railroad.
Assuming  you are going to paint the orange/black/white sides and/or quarters of the cars yourself, you can look at the cab diesel decals (60-937) and cabooses and maintenance (60-1199). And check out the HO versions of the NH passenger cars (or even locos) for small versions of the logo that would work for N boxcars if need be. All of them are on the MicroScale site.

[bbussey]

I though McGinnis was the Boston and Maine? Did he do New Haven too.?

He was president of NH and chased out before becoming president of B&M.

Could one of our NH modelers help me out?

Since I sold off all my MTL 'McGinnis' Scheme 40' boxcars, I've been kinda perplexed by both the lack of suitable replacements, and by the lack of available NH decals to use in lieu of.
I think the IMC 1937 AAR boxcar is the right one for the several series of 40' boxcars cars built between 1941-44, (rectangular panel roof, 4/5 dreadnaught ends, 10ft IH).
Can someone help out with this? Not my home road, but doing my best with representating New England railroads in 1956.

For models accurate to New Haven prototypes in 1956:
 
IMRC released the 1937 AAR boxcar in NH script herald in twelve numbers.  Half of those are 100% accurate to the prototype.  The other half require minor detail changes (steel roofwalk, different brakewheel type) to be 100%.

Many if not most of the 1937s were sold and rebuilt / leased back to NH in 1955.  These cars were repainted in the New Image (McGinnis) schemes.  But you would have to install steel roofwalks at minimum.  BLW and Neal's N Gauge both commissioned limited runs of the IMRC model in New Image.  BLW might still have the black cars with the oversized herald in stock.  The other two versions (black with standard block herald and red-orange with black/white herald) turn up on eBay from time to time.

Athearn's 50' double-door boxcar in red-orange is correct and just squeaks into your timeframe with an 11/56 build date.  The MTL 50' Hydro-Frame 60 plug door boxcar (with an incorrect door in relation to the prototype) is from the Alpert era in the 1960s and not appropriate for 1956.

ESM's five XIH boxcars in the State of Maine scheme are appropriate for 1956.  The four XIH cars in the New Image "Alpert" scheme are from the 1960s, after McGinnis left the organization and the deco scheme was simplified in order to reduce costs.  Technically, a large portion of the NH fleet remained deco'd in the script herald schemes well beyond 1956.  The soon-to-appear Atlas PS1 in two NH numbers is correct from the 1940s into Penn Central, as the PS1s were not repainted into New Image (so you were wise to unload your MTL cars).

MTL's ribbed twin hopper has been painted in a number of NH schemes, both as stock items and limited run items.  No hoppers received the New Image deco, so all would be appropriate for 1956.  The MTL panel-side hopper painted for the lone New Haven prototype also fits.

Atlas' five 34' cement covered hoppers are correctly painted in the script herald scheme, which they wore well into the Conrail era, although the last two releases are from the 1950s and the first three are from the 1960s.

The MTL 50' covered gondola (aside from being too short) is from the Alpert era and too new for you.  Various 40' gondola models deco'd for New Image have been offered as limited-run, but none of them are correct to the prototype (too few ribs).

The MTL 50' fishbelly flatcar is correct for the 1950s and beyond, although the car must be lowered.  The delayed IMRC 53' AAR flatcars in standard and bulkhead style are coming in NH deco, and are correct.  The six RC 40' flatcars are correct for the 1930s to the end.

All of the Atlas NE6 cabooses are appropriate except for the all red-orange with white block herald from the Alpert era in the 1960s.

Microscale does offer various N scale sets that feature the New Image heralds.

[kpcmcpkva]

Just for the record, the original Norfolk and Southern Railway, (Norfolk, Raliegh, Charrlotte,) was also a road headed by McGinnis before he reached the NH.  The feds were after him for questionable dealings there even before he got to New Haven. 

[skm]

Just for the record, the original Norfolk and Southern Railway, (Norfolk, Raliegh, Charrlotte,) was also a road headed by McGinnis before he reached the NH.  The feds were after him for questionable dealings there even before he got to New Haven. 

Wow! he really got around, didn't he!

Thanks to everyone that replied. As suggested, I've ordered some microscale decals to see about piecing together some suitable sets. I also contacted Highball Graphics as they have sets in HO that are just the right thing if the scale is changed.

Thanks Bryan for all that info!
I'm going to purchase some undec IMC cars and paint them myself. Is there a commercial paint (or mix) that is acceptable for the red-orange?
I have a stock of plano 40' roofwalks that will do nicely for these. I'll check the pics I have to see what the brakewheel needs to be.

I have 2 of the Athearn PS1 50 footers you suggest (sold my MTL one), and naturally, I have six ESM SoM cars, 2 of which are lettered for the NH. I have both numbers of the, soon to be arriving,  Atlas PS1s in script herald on preorder. I haven't moved beyond boxcars yet, but I'm sure it will happen 

[bbussey]

Thanks Bryan for all that info!
I'm going to purchase some undec IMC cars and paint them myself. Is there a commercial paint (or mix) that is acceptable for the red-orange?
I have a stock of plano 40' roofwalks that will do nicely for these. I'll check the pics I have to see what the brakewheel needs to be.

I have 2 of the Athearn PS1 50 footers you suggest (sold my MTL one), and naturally, I have six ESM SoM cars, 2 of which are lettered for the NH. I have both numbers of the, soon to be arriving,  Atlas PS1s in script herald on preorder. I haven't moved beyond boxcars yet, but I'm sure it will happen 

Tru-Color Paint (http://www.trucolorpaint.com) is the former Accu-Paint line and has the most extensive and accurate roster of New Haven colors.  #40 NH Red-Orange is what you want.

I heard Microscale has released, or is about to release, a New Haven freight set.

[skm]

I heard Microscale has released, or is about to release, a New Haven freight set.

I'm sure that will happen AFTER I put together some sets!

Thank you for the paint information. I feel I'm ready to do this.

[OldEastRR]

The MTL runner packs this month are of McGinnis NH boxcars, but only PS-1s. The poster said he was looking for 1937 AAR types. Another thing, all NH PS-1s were delivered with 7' Superior doors, not the 6' Youngstown doors MTL has put on every single issue (including this month's) of its NH boxcars. This is annoying because MTL makes 7' Superior doors which are designed to fit their 40' cars, so I don't understand why they consistently get this wrong. 
I'm looking forward to the new-edition Atlas PS-1s, where the NH cars will come with the correct door.

[wcfn100]

Another thing, all NH PS-1s were delivered with 7' Superior doors, not the 6' Youngstown doors MTL has put on every single issue (including this month's) of its NH boxcars. This is annoying because MTL makes 7' Superior doors which are designed to fit their 40' cars, so I don't understand why they consistently get this wrong.

The number series in the mutli-pack aren't PS-1s. 


Jason

[skm]

The number series in the mutli-pack aren't PS-1s.  Jason

Yes, MTL gets the number series correct for cars that wore the McGinnis scheme, but the cars used are all shades of foobie!

[bbussey]

And no PS-1 boxcars were repainted in the New Image schemes.  Script herald scheme only.

[OldEastRR]

The New Haven -- most misunderstood railroad in N scale!
Also, the upcoming New Haven decal set may only be pre-McGinnis markings.