Soo Line Historical and Technical Society

Additional 2002 Limited-Run Models Announced

ACF 4650 cu. ft. Colormark covered hopper

Guy N. Kieckhefer prototype photo, Duluth, 9-21-91

In the period between 1972 and 1981, the Soo Line received a total of 1,084 ACF Centerflow 4650 and 4600 cu. ft. covered hoppers. These cars complete the production of models of all major series of Soo ACF grain hoppers. Others have been provided in previous runs by the SLHTS, Accurail (4600s) and Atlas (4650s). The original Atlas car, now out of production, represents the 1974-built wheat sheaf scheme with lettering provided by the SLHTS.

This year's car, manufactured and decorated exclusively for the SLHTS by Atlas, represents the 1973 Colormark version, the largest series (250) of ACF Centerflows purchased by the Soo Line. Cars are painted off-white with green, black and gold lettering. These cars feature thin metal roofwalks and highly accurate painting and lettering, including lettering on the slope sheets behind the end bracing! For more information and photos of all series of Soo Line grain hoppers, see the article by Guy Kieckhefer in the winter 1999 issue of the SOO.

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Additional 2002 Limited-Run Models Announced

Green Bay & Western 50-foot sliding door riveted-side boxcar

Ken Soros Collection, prototype photo - photographer unknown

The Green Bay and Western Preservation Group, an affiliate of the SLHTS, is producing its first limited-run car. The GBW modernized its boxcar fleet in the early 1970s with the acquisition of several hundred 50-foot boxcars that were rebuilt from 40-foot cars. These cars were painted yellow with black lettering and had the familiar red and white GREEN BAY ROUTE herald. They were primarily used for paper mill service and were a common sight in GBW trains throughout the 1970s and 1980s, as well as in Ann Arbor and C&O trains connecting via the Lake Michigan car ferries.

In later years some cars were numbered into the GBW 690-700 series and assigned to specific industries. They were still in service when the Wisconsin Central Ltd. purchased the GBW in 1993. Others were modified for wood chip service by having an opening cut in the top of one door. For details on modeling the wood chip cars, see Darin Umlauft's article in the inaugural edition of the Green Bay and Western Preservation Group newsletter. (Back issues are available for $5.00 from GB&WPG, c/o John Strenski, Director, 510 College Avenue, Watertown, WI 53094)

This custom-painted Accurail model represents the GBW 4100-4199 ACF 50-foot general-service boxcars that were added to the roster in 1974. The lettering on the car reflects the basic "as delivered" data. The cars have the correct 8-foot doors, 4-3-1 dreadnaught ends, and diagonal roof panels of the prototype. They are very representative of the entire fleet of GBW smooth-side boxcars from that era.

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