![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/americanootoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TYCO-Popsicle.jpg?resize=640%2C455&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrom that roster are seen here a Popsicle car and a Campbell\u2019s soup car. These were converted to OO operation by Bill Johann. He dated the cars as to his work; the Campbell\u2019s car was converted in 1989 and the Popsicle car in 1986 with tweaks in \u201887 and \u201891. They are based on a TYCO HO model introduced in 1973-74, their 62′ double-plug door Express Reefer. This was available decorated for a variety of models (more here)<\/a>. Most if not all were not prototypical schemes, but still they are attractive if fanciful cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Johann did was cut the sides off the bodies and build from styrene a new roof and ends, using a widened version of the original frame as well. On the Popsicle car he matched the side color really closely and on the Campbell\u2019s car it is a contrasting color. He also added some lettering to both cars, on the doors and ends. The Campbell\u2019s car is lettered for the Union Valley and the Popsicle car lettered for the Pacific Inland Route, with new reporting marks and car numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The car is a little short visually (in height) but scales out at about 54 feet long in OO and it has plenty of \u201cheft\u201d to pass as OO scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trucks are worth a special mention, they are his custom roller bearing trucks. One of the cars had what I take to be an early version of this conversion which did not track well; those were replaced with a later version salvaged from a broken tank car conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/americanootoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/TYCO-Campbells.jpg?resize=640%2C386&ssl=1\")
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