Moloco HO 50′ NP Brainerd Built Center Double Door Box Car Burlington Northern “1972 Repaint”

Description

Railroad Short Name: BN

In 1956 a new design (the subject of our model) emerged with a spec. change to Youngstown sides added to the design. With their distinctive diagonal panels on either side of the door opening meant a design change to the frame and associated side sill with a pronounced dip in the sill. These changes stiffened up the overall car and particularly the door opening. Brainerd manufactured 1350 cars of this design from 1956 to 1959 quite a feat considering that equated to about two cars a day. Perhaps the reason to purchase Youngstown sides instead to keep up with production levels. Being of Plate B clearance standard translated to unlimited service to all rail lines in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The following 1960-61 years another design change evolved with welded sides and Superior double-sliders, but basically the same distinctive centering of the doors remained. (500 cars)

Since the Green NP cars are repaints at different locations or times the lettering varies a lot. Surprisingly the large NP and Monad logos do not vary, but everything else varies wildly. We capture every sku variation based on prototype photos. Even when the cars we painted at the same shops in the same month, the lettering still moved around.

During the BN era the rebuilding of these workhorses came to St. Cloud ex-GN shops in Minnesota, the shop symbol for St. Cloud was TP. This series of rebuilds were from a 1972 car building programme, which refurbished interiors and updated brake systems to Auto Slack Adjustor systems. All cars have been photographically identified and verified.

Handbrake and wheels

• BN 245028, 245077, 245133, Miner D3290XL, Miner wheel
• BN 245080, 245183, 245248, Equipco 3750, Equipco wheel

Truck types

• Ride-Control (black) – BN 245028, 245077, 245080
• Barber (black) – BN 245133, 245183, 245248

Features:

• Differing lettering placements for individual car numbers for repainted cars
• Accurately applied roofwalks or not with cut down ladders to match era specific schemes
• Car number specific handbrakes, Ajax, Ellcon-National, Equipco, Klasing or Universal
• Fixed frame design with manual brake wear controls
• Brainerd designed etched roofwalk specifically designed
• Wire parts for ALL brake rods, air pipes, and stirrups in specific NP styles
• Durable rubber air hoses and metal corner stirrups
• 50t trucks with metal wheels and axles
• Highly detailed welded Stanray R3-4 ends uniquely used by the Brainerd Shops
• Distinctive 8 run long style ladders on sides and ends
• Researched accurate lettering, from the smallest stencils to the nuisances of the Monads so distinctive of the day
• Kadee ”Scale” Whisker couplers