Any information about the Real Ill. River Packet Co. would be appreciated, as well as the lifespan of the boxcar in revenue service, or who manufactured this HEAVY metal model?
Did you do a Google search on the railroad name? Might be worth a try.
Don’t know any thing bout the packet company, but I think that’s an Athern kit for back in the late 50’s. It looks like a couple I’ve got from back then
inch
I dunno about the Illinois River Packet Co. I would suggest a 1900 or 1910 Official Guide or Equipment Register. Or the Clover House dry transfer catalog.
What I catch is the wood panels on the side of the car. They look somewhat like the panels on Santa Fe class BX-3 and BX-6 boxcars, except that the Santa Fe cars had 5 panels on each side of the door on each side, where this model has 4 panels…
I detect the sheen of a decal in the middle and bottom photographs, which indicates to me that this may be a custom decorated boxcar for someone’s home layout, and not a real railroad.
Your statement that it is heavy metal means that it is possibly a very early Model Die Casting kit. I have a couple of very old MDC kits that were assembled in the 1960’s that were white metal.
A Google search turns up links to the Illinois River and to various Packet Companies, but no Illinois River Packet Company as being a railroad’s name.
Charles,
Just because Paul McCartney has lived to fulfill his song, “When I’m Sixty-four,” doesn’t mean that something made in the sixties is, “very old.”
Ray
Ok, I already did extensive searching on the internet prior to my post, I ALWAYS DO. I’m 100% Sure that this IRPX car existed at the very least from 1923-1932, as the Listing on an equipment register. That particular company actually exists, and I found a few obscure links to that long-gone Co.
Mostly, what I’m trying to find is a photo of the real car.
As for the Model side of it, it looks too Archaic to be an Athearn or MDC kit. If it were either, judging by the underbody casting, it could be an MDC kit, but let’s not leave it there, let’s find out what it REALLY is! [:)] I can quickly supply you guys with more photos if necessary.
I tried ask.com and came up with a couple links.
http://www.steamfreightcars.com/modeling/models/boxauto/modelsboxautomain.html
http://www.railcar.com.au/clover_house1.htm
You might email them.
rich
Here’s a little history on the Illinois River Packet Company.
http://www.museum.state.il.us/RiverWeb/harvesting/transportation/boats/timeline.html
Check hoseeker.net In the MDC 1953 catalogue you will see the car #B701 painted & lettered AT&SF.
Jim
The ooooold modeler says it is indeed an MDC/Roundhouse car. I’ve got one I built out of the box. Mine’s factory lettered Santa Fe. I believe the car came with sides only painted and lettered–you had to do matching paint for the rest. MDC sold paint, so it wasn’t all that bad to do the match.
Ed