Eagle Merchandise Service box car – best model ?

[mopac]

I’d need a little help.

Ed Chapman had posted a photo of an Eagle Merchandise Service box car of 1977 in the facebook “MOPAC Fans Worldwide” group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MissouriPacific1982/permalink/1156572141027143/

Now I want to model such a car. What will be the best model for it ?

Are there some more cars who survived in this paint so long ?

[peggyrothschild]

Joerg
The car on Facebook survived being repainted until it’s scrapping. I saw it around Kingsville, Texas in the late 1970’s in a group of MoW cars and shot photos of it too.

As to models the only accurate HO kits that were done were by Martin Lofton under his company ‘Sunshine Models’. He did a couple of different versions of the 40′ and 36′ Eagle Merchandise cars in resin. The model numbered in the 120000 series is the 36′ car and the 46000 series is the 40′ car. If you aren’t concerning about accuracy and just want a car on the layout until you find a Sunshine kit Athearn did this car for many years in the EMS paint scheme.

You might try posting a want ad and see if any of the model hoarders (I’m in this group) on this list might let go of one or try an ebay search. Martin passed away a couple of years ago and no one has taken over his business.

Here’s a scan of a sales brochure from 1957 on this service.
http://mopac.org/prototype-information/freight-operations/44-eagle-merchandise-service-brochure-1957

[mopac]

Charlie,

thanks for answer. The chance to get one of these Sunshine model is low.

Is there a detailed drawing of this car, that can be used for a kit batched model ?

They offer a lot of car end parts so there should be a good chance to model it correctly.

[peggyrothschild]

I’m not aware of any GA drawings. The cars were rebuilt from single-sheathed boxcars built in the early 1930’s so they are shorter than the 40′ steel boxcars normally modeled. The other challenge you’ll have is finding decals for the EMS cars.

Frank Hodina of Resin Car Works is to reissue the 36′ EMS boxcar sometime in the future so you might watch his web site for a product announcement.

Try the want ads on this forum to you just might get lucky and one will turn up.

[mopac]

Charlie,

the decals are no problem. I have more then 10 sets for EMS box cars.

More than I probably need 😆

Can you perhaps take some photos of your 40′ EMS box car of all sides.

So I could use these photos to measure.

[peggyrothschild]

I have a friend who’d cast up some ends and sides for a 40′ EMS car would you like me to contact him for you and see if you can purchase a set or two?

[mopac]

That would be great if I can get one set.

Thanks.

[bargetanika]

How about a parts list including these ends and sides? So we can make our own kit.

And decals right now cannot be had it appears, but some of these cars got painted boxcar red with the regular Route of the Eagles, right?

[peggyrothschild]

I just emailed the gentleman that did the masters for the EMS boxcar. He doesn’t do the castings but is contacting that individual to see about getting the parts made. I also asked about the roof and underframe as I remember the sides and ends but not the rest of the model.

Pat, you are correct besides these cars being painted in the EMS blue/gray colors I think most of them ended up in Mopac freight car brown with the Route of the Eagles logo. Mask Island makes a nice 40′ boxcar set with the Route of the Eagles ad.

As soon as I get the details on the parts and ordering I’ll post it here.

[peggyrothschild]

Here’s the gentleman’s email who made the masters for the ends and sides for the 40′ EMS boxcar. Clark Propst email is
cepropst (at) q (dot) com

To build the Mopac boxcar he says you need an Accurail underframe and an Intermountain diagonal panel roof that you have to narrow.

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