It looks like February is shaping up to be a Freight Car Month here at the Lippert Shops. First out was this nifty Milwaukee horizontal-rib boxcar. A refugee from the 1940's... she was treated to a rebuild in 1970... and lasted until the end of 40-foot boxcars. No "exact" prototype photo used... more of a "typical" car. Updated with ACI label, COTS, and U1 wheel dot... she's legal in my 1980-ish era.

Model is by Rib Side Cars (www.ribsidecars.com). I built it without the roofwalk, and with lowered ladders on the A-end. I also replaced the cast-on grabs with wire, and added bent-wire cut levers. The car comes with Accurail trucks, which have been fitted with Reboxx 33-1-1.015 wheels.

In all, a nice two-hour car. It will be a nice "oddball" in the fleet, and should draw attention. I hope!

Completed (sans weathering) 2/7/07