My model is made from 1/20 scale Tamiya plastic. It’s a very old product, and the assembly instructions instructed me to mix the paint with enamel paint. After struggling to paint it with a brush, I was disappointed to find that a pre-mixed spray can was available. The color is called “Camel Yellow,” and I used it to touch up an Athearn caboose.
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Orange Blossom Hobbies, Miami FL
Mantua Metal Products, 50’ plug-door boxcar
Page 14 of the Oct. 1951 issue of MR magazine
The store opened in 1947 and closed in 2001. The owner, Robert Lewis Quick, also ran an import/export company called “Pan American International” and passed away in 2015. (Wikimapia.org)
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Hobby King, Long Beach CA
Train-Miniature Products, 40’ ARA boxcar
Page 12 of the July 1976 issue of RMC magazine
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Webster’s Hobby Shop 1978, Phoenix AZ
MDC/Roundhouse Thrall high-side coal gondola
The store’s advertisements in MR magazine were confirmed from the January 1949 issue to the July 1982 issue.
Page 144 of the May 1982 issue of MR magazinestrong text
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Tom’s Trains Shop 1990, Fresno CA
Athearn 40’ slide-door steel boxcar
The shop was founded by Tom Worstell in 1960 and taken over by his youngest son, Charles, but closed in 2013 following his death (Trainorders.com). The building depicted in the model is the shop when it first opened, but it was destroyed by fire in 1998.
The second photo shows the shop after it reopened, and the person sitting is said to be Charles. Both are from Flickr.
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Al’s Hobby Shop 1997, Elmhurst IL
Athearn 40’ steel boxcar
The shop operated in the Chicago metropolitan area for 67 years before closing in 2014 (Trainorders.com). It boasted itself as one of the top five largest in the United States and advertised in RMC magazine. The box image is from an auction site. The interior and exterior views of the store are from Google Maps.
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Mini City 1974, La Mesa CA
Train-Miniature Products 40’ wood reefer
Nine years after this model was released in 1974, the following advertisement was placed on page 53 of the October 1983 issue of MR magazine by a store called “Play Co.” It said, “Some of these have been kept for future sale, and we are now offering them to you today, 10 years later.”
Unheard of!
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NMRA National Convention 1974, San Diego
Train-Miniature Products, 40’ wood reefer
I replaced the trucks with Accurail Andrews.
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NMRA National Convention 1995, Atlanta GA
Third Rail Graphics/Athearn 50’ Steel Single Door Boxcar
The box image was taken from an online auction.
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I haven’t read through this whole thread, so if you’ve already answered this, forgive me.
I’m amazed at the number and variety of cars you’ve show here. Are these all yours, or do you find the photos online? (Or a combination of both?)
I’ve posted this before, but I’ll repeat it – I had no idea there were this many examples of cars like this!
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Thanks for your comment, York1.
All of the models I posted are from my own collection. I particularly want ones decorated for local hobby shops, but obtaining them across the Pacific is difficult. The following is from a Japanese model shop.
Modellbahn Hobby 1986, Takarazuka, Hyogo, Japan
Lima Models, Itary #30355 S02 4-wheel wagon
I replaced the Lima 4-wheel floor with an Accurail 8-wheel floor.
Back cover page of the Nov. 1986 of Rail Magazine (the shop has since moved to Ashiya City. official website)
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NMRA National Convention 1987, Eugene OR
MDC/Roundhouse 30’ side door caboose
I repaired it from junk and painted the roofs red.
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This is a wonderful model that shows the planner’s knowledge and taste. The single-color paint and single-plate printing must have minimized costs. He probably envisioned the buyer painting the roof silver and attaching consolidated stencils.
Page 5 of the Nov. 1987 issue of MR magazine
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NMRA National Convention 1981, San Mateo CA
MDC/Roundhouse 3600 series 50’ express reefer
Atlas/Roco 40’ plug-door boxcar (O-scale, obtained at the O Scale West convensyion in Santa Clara CA in Feb. 2008.)
Page 19 of the May 1981 issue of MR magazine
Front page of the Oct. 1981 issue of Train magazine (Japan)
My friend’s press pass
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I thought you would like that, a friend of mine was thinking about me when he saw that that car and asked me if I wanted the car in question and I had to say yes, it might be out of my era, but I will still use it (along with one of my Gulf and Ship Island cars I got from Home Shops LLC)
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