I was on the Accurail site this evening - checking the updates on the 1700-series boxcar releases - when I noticed that they plan on releasing the MILW 40’ ribbed boxcars in four different versions:
http://www.accurail.com/accurail/3900.htm
Course, these won’t be as nicely detailed as the ones released by Exactrail a few years back. However, they’ll be less than 1/2 the price and should be a good stand-in for this unique boxcar.
Tom
Tom,
I like my ribsides. Looks a lot like the Fox Valley Models ribside, but I’m not a rib-counter so not saying that it is. Maybe Accurail acquired this model from FVM? Good to keep it alive, if so. Doubt the Accurail would invest in making essentially the same model, so there must be more to this story.
These are the old Rib Side Productions kit. Accurail picked up the tooling. The cars are good, but the roof walk needs to be replaced (unless they improved it) and the grab irons are cast on.
The kit they are releasing is the original car with the long ribs.
Jim
The newer Accurail offerings - e.g. the 41’ gondola and 36’ boxcars - still come with molded on grab irons but separately applied stirrups that snap into the underside of the body. Hopefully these ribbed boxcars will come with the same.
Tom
Tom,
Accurail will be doing a special run for Trainfest 2018. I will pick up all 3 numbers and update the group…
Jim
Great, Jim. I’ll look forward to hearing how they are.
I have three of the Exactrail MILW ribbed boxcars and one Intermountain. I really like the looks of them.
Tom
I bought one of the Rib Side Cars when they were first released, mainly because they fit (just) into my late '30s-era layout. I added A-Line sill steps, bracket-style grabs from Tichy, and homemade corner grabs for the roofwalk. I also modified the brake gear somewhat, and added the brake rigging…
…but I probably should have toned-down the “NEW” weight data and the revised car number. Built in October, 1939, I could probably get away with adding just a bit more weathering.
Since that photo was taken, I’ve added view blocks behind the springs, as the real ones weren’t so see-through. I’m sure that Accurail’s lettering will be more opaque.
My latest from Accurail is ten of these, yet to be weathered…
Wayne
Nice work Wayne!
Jim
Agreed, Wayne. I just love those 6- & 8-panel boxcars. [Y]
Tom
I only have one rib side boxcar, so I went all out and built the Sunshine Models kit.
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Of course, it is not lettered for the MILWAUKEE ROAD…
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-Kevin
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I have built a number of the old Ribbed Side kits, some had cast on grabs and others did not, not sure what Accurail is going to do regarding the grabs on all the cars, of course it is easy to carve off the grab and replace it with Kadee or Wire Grabs, from the looks of the kit the ladders will be separatly applied parts.
The Western Pacific acquired a few of the Ribbed Side cars from the Milwaukee Road to use in the Amana Appliance Pool, they outfitted the cars with 10’ YSD Doors and the Spartan Easy Loader System.
I also did some of the Milwaukee Road Cars one in the Original Paint Scheme and one in the mid 50’s Repaint.
There were a number of phases of this car, with long ribs, short ribs, lumber doors etc. determining what phase of car it was.
Rick Jesionowski
There is usually a crowd at the Accurail booth at Trainfest early on Saturday mornings because each year they create a special run of cars just for Trainfest – either a special paint scheme, or different numbers for an existing paint scheme.
Jim Bernier: Once word of this Milw. Rd. rib side car gets out, you might want to bring your sharpest elbows to Trainfest this year! Especially since for an extra fare modelers can be admitted one hour early Saturday and get first dibs on stuff.
By the way the railroad being honored this year is the Great Northern (the CNW, Milwaukee, and Soo Line have all had their years already). Manufacturers are urged to bring out Great Northern stuff, layouts are urged to run GN trains, and there will be a large historic display. If the GN display is as good as the CNW, Milwaukee and Soo Line ones were, it will be worth the trip to Milwaukee for fans of the Goat.
Dave Nelson
There was a lengthy discussion about these back in early October on the Atlas Rescue Forum.
I might grab one to throw into the mix as MILW box cars were seen on the D&RGW back in the late 1970’s.
As has been the usual since time in memorium, flash some cash and get ahead in the queue. [:-^]
Jim and Tom, thanks for your kind remarks.
Tom, that EG&E boxcar is actually one of Accurail’s recently released 36’ Dominion/Fowler cars. I removed the cast-on doors from four of them, and added replacement Youngstown or CRECO doors, in addition to some freestanding wire grabirons. Lettering is all custom decals from Rail Graphics.
Wayne
Is there still an ad in MR for a small company that just sells Milwaukee rib sided cars? I bought a few cars from him a number of years back. They’ve basic box cars, but they have an assortment of door configurations. Best of all, they come with number decals and a sheet explaining which number sets go with which model. It was a reasonable way to build up my Milwaukee box car fleet.
Those were the cars that the molds for were sold to Accurail.
Rick Jesionowski
Accurail indeed had the rib side cars at this year’s Trainfest and there was an eager crowd at their booth at 8 am (early-bird ticket holders and various vendors and volunteers [like, ahem, me] who also wanted them). I got the version with the Milwaukee Rd herald not the two “route of …” versions. I have not yet opened the box to closely inspect the kit. I think I paid $19.
It will be a cataloged item for Accurail but the car numbers available at Trainfest won’t be otherwise offered. But as the guy from Accurail told me, that is what decals are for …
Hope you got yours Jim.
Dave Nelson