I just came across a 3-rail reefer car my wife bought at a train meet about five years ago. There is no manufacturer information on the car, even on the inside. I was wondering who made it and when. Since I don’t have photo capability, I’m hoping you will patiently wade through the description.
Plain white box with NABISCO RED stamped on one end. Two handwritten price tags indicate 4536 FRH and NAB-RED.
Gray plastic body painted red. Four molded-in ice hatches, one in each roof corner. Catwalk (10-7/16" long) molded as part of the body. Separate black plastic brakewheel on one end. Molded-in ladders on right of sides, left on ends. Non-opening reefer doors. 10-1/16" long on sides, 2-3/8" wide. Sheet metal frame with a bright metal Phillips screw securing the body at each corner.
Decoration includes replicas of “Barnum’s Animals Crackers” boxes, with a 4-animal panel on either side of the doors. There’s a triangular Nabisco logo on the upper left of each side. The doors are marked “85th Anniversary” in yellow.
The trucks have fast angle wheels and needle bearing axles in Delrin plastic truck sides. The truck sides model plain bearings rather than roller bearings. Couplers are Delrin and are opened with a chromed-metal thumbtack or a side lever.
Phew! I know it’s not Lionel. Any ideas?