I try to keep some projects moving through the workbench, and these two rebuilding projects are among those completed recently.

The Scale-Craft reefer is a car that came to me mostly built up. It is a late version of their reefer and on these models often the sides are scribed very lightly (poorly!). This was a car that I think the original builder decided was not worth painting due to that issue. I opted to remove the hardware from the sides and complete the body, paint it, and then apply a set of vintage Champion sides. I will be doing more of these in coming years, it is a great “fix” for these late S-C cars. 

The other reefer is a combination of a Graceline body that came to me stripped to just wood and a frame, fresh late Graceline or Transportation Models sides/roof, and Famoco cast ends and hatches – riding on Schorr trucks. I puzzled a great deal how to letter it and opted for this 1960s scheme using HO decals. It will be run when I run models of that era, which has been an enjoyable change of pace.

Both are sharp cars. It is always exciting to see these models looking this pristine, just as they might have in the 40s when both of these models were originally on the workbench of a model railroader.