Emergency Grain Cars

 Greetings All,

In April 2018 Model Railroader had an article on Emergency Grain Cars that used used old stock cars for transporting grain. In the April 2018 Cody's Workshop episode 26 Cody Grivno supplied some prototypical information and described his process for converting the cars.

The emergency grain cars were used in the early 1970s and perfect for the PC era. Here is a photo of BN ex NP 82814 seen at Fort Worth, Texas in December 1973. The cars may have been for online use only.

I had three colorful stock cars from Bachmann in my purgatory box for years and thought they might enjoy a second life. Here is newly painted AP 2794 ready for grain service.

Under the spotlight you can easily see the cardstock placed behind the slats. The project was pretty simple. The colorful cars were painted with rattle can gloss black. The custom made AP decals fit the cars perfectly. Putting the load limit etc data on the slats under the road numbers wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

AP 2735 has been weathered with Doc O'Brien's Weathering Powders to reflect the cars age and somewhat decrepit condition.

I just don't like the feel of the powders on my fingers so the 2735 and the two 2794s received a shot of Testor's Dullcote that toned down their weathering. All three cars received Intermountain metal wheels, and body mounted Kadee #5 couplers.

One AP 2794 and the 2735 will remain with the NYCTL for service between the Pier 16 Silos and Empire City Cargill. 

One AP 2794 has been forwarded to Sir Neal's Atlantic Pacific RR for use in the virtual ops. Look for it in this unit grain train out of Rock Ridge Yard in our upcoming P.C.C.M. 78.

When not in virtual ops usage my AP 2794 and AP 2735 will be run between the Empire City Cargill and Pier 16 Grain Silos as a two for one service which is what I believe the BN did with their cars.

I'm pleased with the project as it gives me two distinctive emergency grain cars that are prototypical for the period I mostly run on the layout. This project also gave the three cars a second life getting them out of the purgatory box.

Sir Neal has the option of ordering more emergency grain cars for his layout to service the large Rock Ridge Cargill Facility. The APRR however is set in the present and I believe Sir Neal has more covered hoppers than most 1:1 railroads😉. But the offer is there...

Thanks for reading!!

See ya soon!!