2501-2524 series of express boxcars could also be modeled with the 44025 series kit using all-steel doors. Some years prior to that Sunshine produced a model of the 45000 series tongue-in- groove boxcar that was rebuilt with ply- wood sides in 1954 and 1955. Unfortunately, with the passing in early 2013 of Martin Lofton, the owner of Sunshine Models, kits are no longer being produced. Remaining Sunshine kits are being sold from inventory. Jim Hayes is attempting to maintain a website listing the current inventory. See: www.sunshinekits.com for more information.


W.C. WHITTAKER


The 38783 (above) is one of the 100 10′-8″ inside-height automobile cars built by the rail- road in October 1947. The road name and monogram are smaller than what was used on the single-door cars and they were Scotchlight. On the original print it is clear that the side flanges of the ends were still green, as it contrasted with the black ends. The 38716 (below) was repainted mineral red, seemingly in November 1953. The 32000-32999 series (bottom) has a different history than the cars using plywood construction from the start during the 1940s. This series consists of 1937-1942 vintage double wood-sheath cars rebuilt with ply- wood sides in 1954 and 1955. The spotting features are the indented corners and the ho- risontal seam in the sheathing. The 32075-32574 series had two perpendicular seams.


A couple of years ago InterMountain produced a model based on the ply- wood-side boxcar. It is a good base for achieving a higher level of prototype adherence by doing some minor model- ing work.


Acknowledgement I would like to thank Stuart Holmquist, of the Great Northern Rail- way Historical Society archives, providing many of the photographs.


for


References Westley, John R., Great Northern


Railway Historical Society (GNRS) Reference Sheet No. 151, June 1989, express boxcars Westley, John R., GNRS Reference Sheet No. 171, December, 1990, GN plywood boxcars Westley, John R., Great Northern


Railway Historical Society Reference Sheet No. 201, March 1993, forty-foot automobile cars Wilder, Patrick C., Railway Proto- type Cyclopedia 19, “Emergency Com- posite Box Cars”


COURTESY OF BOB’S PHOTO: SAN DIEGO, CA; NOV. 21, 1954 COLLECTION OF GNRHS


1969-1970 and received numbers 4700- 4723. They were repainted in the Big Sky Blue paint scheme. The 44320 was rebuilt with single steel sheathing in 1963. It became a one-of-a- kind and was painted Glacier Green. A more extensive rebuilding program for 44025-44399 cars was the 4200-4399 series, and, for cars 44025- 44999, into the 4400-4699 series in 1967. But, there were still 221 cars in the 44025-44999 series in July of 1970 and six cars in the 4700-4723 series.


Modeling


Modeling the GN plywood-side cars in HO scale was made easier around 2008-2010 when Sunshine Models was offering 16 variations (counting letter- ing schemes) of resin kits for the 44025 series and 10000 series cars. The 10500 series could be modeled using the Supe- rior or improved Youngstown doors. The


RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN 69


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