CNJ Marked NJDX Insulated Boxcars

[atlpete]

The original 1400 series with fishbelly centers, neat cars used to haul Ballantine Beer - does anyone know what color the roofs and ends were on these? Unlike later more modern 14000 series which was all orange these have bxcr red ends and possibly roofs but again can't tell from my resources which are all either ground level mug shots or old walther's decal/lettering guide(notoriously unreliable, says ends are green?)
I'm doing a serious kitbash in 'O" for one of these and I can't stand the notion of finishing it with bogus colored ends/roof.
BTW Craig Bossler's excellent color guide indicates red ends but no roof info, furthermore I don't trust color film repro on some of the older photos (same book has a couple shots of Cornell Red LV cars looking like they're in SP scarlet, I have my doubts..)
TIA

[clamdigger]

AlPete;Outside of the photos in Craig Bossler' s CNJ/LV color guide,I've seen only one other photo of CNJ/NJDX 40' RBLs.You will find this photo at: www.rr-fallenflags.org/cnj/njdx1426ajg.jpg. However,I doubt if you can discern the color of the roof or ends.I have an unbuilt ,HO scale kit for CNJ/NJDX#1438 painted with black ends&roof.But, I think they should be oxide or boxcar red.Greenway Products,Ligonier,PA sells this type of CNJ/NJDX 40' RBL,but from their on-line catalog photos roof/ends colors are difficult to distinguish.I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.
VJH

[atlpete]

Thanks Clamdigger, your correct in that the "Fallen Flags"(neat site btw, spent a good hour there before returning back) photo doesn't give the roof color either, but at least now I know where to locate the ACI tag on the side.
Interestingly since posting query I discovered that this scheme has surfaced on a new run of Atlas O plug door boxes (essentially the old 70's era X-43 box extrusion with the doors replaced with a solid side) and their website shows the version with a yellow roof and oxide red ends. Not much correct about this albeit good looking model, but then the more I study the original 40 ft CNJ prototype the more I realize how unusual it is with the fish belly center girders, rounded-corners, riveted inner vertical posts etc. In the end I doubt my own version will be any better than Atlas's, though at least it'll have straight side sills.
Thanks again.
Pete

[umtrr-author]

Micro-Trains did NJDX 1476 in N Scale as part of their releases in June 2005, their catalog 021 00 520. They did the roof and ends in the same yellow as the sides. I have a review on my UMTRR site (URL below). Yes, it would be a "stand in."

I have the same reference material that's already been cited. But I also have a 3/4 view of NJDX 1425 in orange from Waverly Yard in 1975 in the softcover "Classic Freight Cars Volume 3." The ends are the same color as the body. I suspect the roof may be as well but I can't tell. The side sills are straight and the fishbelly is visible. The ACI label is placed just to the left of the second row of rivets left of the ladder, about a foot or two from the bottom of the sill. The bottom of the label is even with the bottom of the last row of the dimensional data, which is to the right of the label.

Hope that helps a little.

[caboose9]

atlpete wrote "The original 1400 series with fishbelly centers, used to haul Ballantine Beer - does anyone know what color the roofs and ends were on these? Unlike later more modern '14000' series which was all orange, these have boxcar red ends and possibly roofs but can't tell from my resources which are either ground level shots or old Walther's decal/lettering guide (notoriously unreliable, says ends are green?)."



Hi,

I have 3 Howard Ameling 5"X7" prints of NJDX boxcars:

1. #1401, b/w, 7/21/63, Baltimore, MD;

2. #41023, b/w, 5/5/68, Baltimore, MD; &

3. #41023, color, 8/16/70, Baltimore, MD (ends are not orange).

These are in fair photographs/prints in good condition.

I can mail them to you media rate for $5.00 or 1st Class for $6.00.

Cheers, Roger

[RDG 1519]

Until reading this thread I would have sworn the roofs match the ends, frieght car red. As I study the photos in Craig Bossler's book again and listen to the experience here I am no longer sure. From the photo's it looks like they could be the same yellow as the car sides.

I am building this car in HO from a Branchline BluePrint 50' Rbl, a Tichey fishbelly underframe, modified, etc. My slide of 1487 doesn't solve this mystery.

My two cents for what it's worth.

Chris

[GOLDEN-ARM]

atlpete wrote "The original 1400 series with fishbelly centers, used to haul Ballantine Beer - does anyone know what color the roofs and ends were on these? Unlike later more modern '14000' series which was all orange, these have boxcar red ends and possibly roofs but can't tell from my resources which are either ground level shots or old Walther's decal/lettering guide (notoriously unreliable, says ends are green?)."



Hi,

I have 3 Howard Ameling 5"X7" prints of NJDX boxcars:

1. #1401, b/w, 7/21/63, Baltimore, MD;

2. #41023, b/w, 5/5/68, Baltimore, MD; &

3. #41023, color, 8/16/70, Baltimore, MD (ends are not orange).

These are in fair photographs/prints in good condition.

I can mail them to you media rate for $5.00 or 1st Class for $6.00.

Cheers, Roger

I might offer this, caboose. You ask lot's of questions, wanting info on hacks, and equipment. Folks offer their advice, email pix, etc. Maybe the nice thing to do, would be to just share the picture, here, with the people who share so much, with you. Just a thought...........

[atlpete]

I apologize for not thanking caboose for the offer, but I got enough info on the web to determine the following (I completed the car about a week after I last posted)

The earliest class(1400 series) of the cars indeed had red ends at least through one rebuilding, though some were showing up with yellow ends by the early '70's, the roofs were definitely yellow by then, so that's the route I went. The later classes (41000) were indeed all yellow, conventional out-side ribbed 50 footers.

Of interest is how the North American herald changed shape, background color, size and application on the various classes over the years.

Sometimes I think I could drop doing my other favorites and just model CNJ. If I ever get that digital camera that I ordered, I'll post my model. Thanks to all who posted, I hate going to all that trouble for an inaccurate scheme.

[RDG-LNE]

I am building this car in HO from a Branchline BluePrint 50' Rbl, a Tichey fishbelly underframe, modified, etc. My slide of 1487 doesn't solve this mystery.

Chris

Chris,
Two questions:

1. What Branchline kit are you using for this, the 1700 or 1800 hundred series? I realize the kit needs to be shortened to 40' from 50'.

2. Decals? Who makes them?

I'd like a few of these for my railroad if it's not that big of an ordeal.

Thanks,
Drew

[RDG 1519]

I used the 40 foot boxcar with 8 foot doors. The new doors are Accurail with a few parts added. The skirt has been modified as well to be straight. The decals are Herald King and show up from time to time on Ebay. There is one hobby shop in Penna that has them. I will let you know as soon as I return.
I am out of town until Monday the 5 Oct. I will send a picture of this car. I think it turned out well.
I made three in the 200 series. I have another I will do in the 100 series.

[RDG 1519]

Sorry,
I just saw that your question is on NJDX CNJ not RDG MRBX
.
You would use a branchline fifty foot RBl with the belt rail half way up the side. I have decal lettering set that match the font. The Herald will need to be printed or a large black one might be found in a covered hopper set. I have not built this one yet but am amassing the pieces. The North American logo is also a problem.
I will let you know on the lettering set when I return.
Thanks, Chris

[RDG-LNE]

I wonder if a C-D-S O scale CNJ covered hopper set might yield the correct logo size. I have one of the HO scale CNJ/CRP sets and it includes two or three Lady Liberty heralds. Maybe a Champ or Microscale tank or refrigerator set would include the correct North America logo.

I considered the Accurail car for this project, but most of my fleet is of the finer detailed cars like Branchline, Intermountain, Proto 2000 and Red Caboose, thus I'd prefer the free standing grabs and ladders without having to shave them all off a shell and replace them. The splicing of the sides and roof would be no problem and the fishbelly can be had from Tichy or Accurail. I figure one or two would be fine for me since I model the Pennsylvania Division and these cars would be just traveling through.

Some years ago (1992?), I made a few MRBX cars. I used the Con-Cor 40' plug door PS-1 boxcar as the Accurail car was not available at the time. I also used the Herald King decals (which are available again at http://www.heraldking.com ) and I filed the sides to make them straight. I plan to add a few more once I get my project plate cleaned up a bit.

Drew