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Modeling “signature” freight cars
A place to build realistic models
T
he topic I address in this column is the selection of
model freight cars which are from “foreign” railroads,
that is, owned by railroads other than the home road
you model. How should they be chosen? You can of course
choose whatever you want. But can the choices be made in
a prototypical and still interesting (and fun) way? I think the
answer is yes. My approach is based on choosing those foreign
cars as “signature” freight cars.
What is a “signature” freight car? The term is sometimes used
for unique cars of a particular railroad, such as the famous
Milwaukee Road rib-side boxcars, but to me the meaning is
broader than that. I use the term “signature” to mean a freight
car which is
characteristic
of its owning railroad, meaning that
it is reasonably distinctive, and is a car of which the owner’s
roster contained a relatively large number. Unique cars can
certainly qualify, but, to extend the Milwaukee example, so
Getting Real column
by Tony Thompson
Examples of choosing models that are both
significant and interesting ...
Getting Real Column - 1
