All-Nation cars

Didn't that company go out of business years ago.

WOW! Don't look like they're lacking anything from here. Must be the builder.

Dennis LaGrua posted:

Didn't that company go out of business years ago.

I suspect there's still plenty of AN kits out there in O scaleland.

Rusty

Rusty Traque posted:

Dennis LaGrua posted:

Didn't that company go out of business years ago.

I suspect there's still plenty of AN kits out there in O scaleland.

Rusty

Probably more unbuilt A-N boxcar & reefer car kits exist than built ones are in closets, basements, garages, and attics , . Any existing shortage would be in actual model builders,

Changing a few details (new roof walk and Intermountain doors in this case), touching up the paint (after being scratched while being used for many decades), and adding a little weathering does wonders to the All Nation box cars.  Below is a All Nation car next to an expensive brass car (I forget who made it).  From a few feet away (or using a blurry picture like this one), the All Nation cars look pretty good.  

I have enough for now;

3 tank cars; 61 boxcars, 8 reefers and a NW-2 ( those are the un- built cars). I’m still looking for a watermelon car and a couple of flats.

I am with you on this- I would rather have an AN box or ice car than any other, including Athearn and Lobaugh.  Rugged, fairly accurate, beautiful lithography (or silk screen, or whatever) and inexpensive.  I already have too many, or I would be snapping the $15 ones up.

Brother_Love posted:

I’m still looking for a watermelon car ........

Easier to scratchbuild and that way you build whatever version of a ventilated car you want, and even better, you can use dry transfers from Clover House.

Should be easy for you!!!  Lots easier than a caboose.

bob2 posted:

I am with you on this- I would rather have an AN box or ice car than any other, including Athearn and Lobaugh.  Rugged, fairly accurate, beautiful lithography (or silk screen, or whatever) and inexpensive.  I already have too many, or I would be snapping the $15 ones up.

Some sellers on the Bay seem to think they are worth a lot more than $15;
Anyway, a friend of mine noted that as they age, they take on a patina that is like a first step in weathering.
Replace some parts (doors, ladders) and they match up well to anything brass. Now to find an easy way to hide the nail holes...

The first freight car kit I built was an All Nation about 25 years ago. In hindsight, I did a poor job, but it didn't turn out too bad and was well received running on the Tinplate Trackers modular layout. If I build another one, I think I can do a better job since I [more or less] know what I'm doing. Considering the era they were produced in, the graphics were very good on the car sides, plus the cores were well done, and the parts fit well.

I love these kits.  They hold their own on detail in spite of their age when running in a full train.

I’ve been looking for plans for a ventilated boxcar without success.

They’re definitely nice models. Mine are waiting on me to get hardware to put trucks on them

On the prices - sure, I see them for $89.95 and $32 shipping and handling.  But right next to those you will find perfectly good models with metal trucks for $15 and $11.95 shipping.  The (regulated) free market rules! 

My latest were a pair of EJ&E green boxes.  Bargain!

Brother_Love posted:

I’ve been looking for plans for a ventilated boxcar without success.

Kit plans:    HOSeeker.net > Literature > Northeastern webpage

Old Goat

rex desilets posted:

 Now to find an easy way to hide the nail holes...

nbw castings from Tichy

I'd think the old computer file of Model Railroader would have plans for a ventilated box. That and old RMC's and others. (Unfortunately, l mostly saved issues with cabooses, rail critters, and structures) l just flipped through a few of my stacks, and l vaguely recall seeing such plans, but hopeless to find fast 

MR:   2/72 CoG ventilated, drawing, (no prototype photo), HO build.  12/75 FEC ventilated, drawing, prototype photo from Car Builder's 'Cyclopedia, 1922, Tenth Edition.

The N&W Historical Society has drawings for a ventilated boxcar in their archives.  This includes general arrangements as well as many specific detail drawings.

The Southern Railway Historical Association may be a second resource.  Unfortunately, their collection isn't fully cataloged online like the NWHS, so you would need to send them an email to inquire about available content.

Jim

Thanks for the help with the plans. I hope to have the C of G drawn off to cut this afternoon.

thanks again 

I’ve added a few more refinements today to this boxcar. I soldered the brass strip on the left side of the door and added 1/32” square brass as bottom door guides. At the top of the AN side I added a .015” x .060” styrene strip to cover the exposed wood. The end grabs got NBW castings and a bit of styrene provided the door stop. The top door guide is a piece of 1/16” plastic “Z”. The door is Proto craft.

bob2 posted:

On the prices - sure, I see them for $89.95 and $32 shipping and handling.  But right next to those you will find perfectly good models with metal trucks for $15 and $11.95 shipping.  The (regulated) free market rules!

I just got an Athearn boxcar for 24.00 with the tax and shipping; the car was $11.00.

Malcolm - stunning work!  I have started adding the brads above the grabs.

I have built these boxcars in the past.(packed in boxes) .but was just now surprised to find I only have two unbuilt All-Nation FREIGHT car kits, an A&P reefer, and a drop center flatcar.  Now...A-N RPO passenger car kits, and Walther's, and a spectrum of defunct other brands of RPO kits.....got lots.   No  shortage of Bob Peare caboose kits, either.  What l wish was published is a list of roadnames of once produced A-N, Walther's, and l think other brands these boxcars were produced under.  I suspect there were some interesting and uncommon roads. Sure miss those Weaver #711's and arch bars to slap under them.

I bought a couple All-Nation cars recently at the Chicago Show (boy, were we lucky to sneak that in). I am working on a CB&Q reefer. What I did not realize was that the stirrups steps were actually attached under the piece that covers the car side. 

Dick

Probably unneeded at this point, but here is a 1/48 scale Central of Georgia ventilated box car plan. Non commercial publication is allowed, though I believe Mainline Modeler is no more. There is a short article in the April 2006 issue along with a few pictures of ventilated box cars from different roads.

I finished 3 more AN card and have them ready to paint. The one with the brass door will be a IC 28xxx series car, the one with the IM superior door will be GM&O 21xxx series and the double door will be a IC 137xxx series car. All are riding on brand new AN trucks which makes me a little sad as I have less than 20 pair left. These have been fun to build.

CBQer posted:

I bought a couple All-Nation cars recently at the Chicago Show (boy, were we lucky to sneak that in). I am working on a CB&Q reefer. What I did not realize was that the stirrups steps were actually attached under the piece that covers the car side. 

Dick

Yes, you have to notch out slots for the stirrups steps. 

Thanks for the C of G drawing!

I’ve finished 3 AN cats and they get weathered next ( after the rain moves out). The flat car is a Red Caboose kit.

Looks great!  Your railroad looks good too!

Isn't it nice to relax and work on your own stuff?

Nice job putting together the old tin side kits ! !  Love ti see these old kits upgraded.  I seem to recall the owner of AN encouraging people to put extra detail on his kits , but imagine being one of those , and waiting to see WHO is going to assemble you ! Yikes ! 

I used to do some repair work for Jack Speer, and he would send me models that were not ready (or never would be) for sale.  One memorable box was a group of An cars that not only were well worn , but had suffered terribly from savage assembly -Looking at them closely , there were four that had nothing, no part that was worth salvaging. so I did what any right thinking man would do under those circumstances..I lined them up in the driveway and ran over them with my car.   Now, Jack had a well developed sense of humor, so as a challenge, I put together one car from the flattened four...using the most skilless and worst construction methods , but with full detail...extension cord airline, plumbing pipe reservoir, pneumatic stapler grabs all out of place four different broken and very badly epoxied truck side frames, with all kinds of wheels that of course were bent..  it was not just bad, it was an outrageous insult , a catastrophe of epic proportion.

Then I mailed it back to Jack with a little base I made and a label declaring  "Jack's quality model company" --always the sport , he actually would put it out on his display table .   He left the hobby abruptly...too bad ..I miss that guy .   Jef Davies

Yeah, Jack was a good guy!  Hopefully still is.

Jay

All Nation's box car kits, the same from when General Models produced them, have aluminum sides that are 9 31/32" long - about 40' scale.  However a prototype "forty foot" boxcar is actually 40' 6" long inside and about 42' long overall. The All Nation catalog I have from the early 1950's shows that their steel box car kits, whether single or double door of the 3600 series, were all in the 40' category. There are 35 single door box car kits, and 8 double door kits listed, with some gaps in their numbers indicating some kits were no longer made after selling out.

Athearn car kits are built like the GM /  AN kits, but their car sides are made of tin-plated steel and are 10 1/8" long, which is a scale 40' 6". Not an easy difference to see without a ruler, but a small magnet can help identify who made which box car kits. 

Athearn produced 50' steel double-door box car kits, beginning in 1947 or so. Later, 50' single door car kits were added that came from Locomotive Workshop and Old Pullman, when they handled the Athearn kit line. 

Lest any of you think I'm bashing All Nation's kits, far from it!  I have several Iv'e built too.

S Islander  

I am finishing an All Nation CB&Q Refeer and ended up short 2 of the chrome door hinges. Does anyone have a couple extra? cbqer@aol.com.

Dick

My latest AN re-do.

CBQer posted:

I am finishing an All Nation CB&Q Refeer and ended up short 2 of the chrome door hinges. Does anyone have a couple extra? cbqer@aol.com.

Dick

these?

I love the AN cars for slightly different reasons, 1. they track really well in a long train, 2. they SOUND better than a plastic or brass car.  Just seems that the wood really absorbs the sound or something, anyhow I like em'.    Russ

Brother_Love posted:

CBQer posted:

I am finishing an All Nation CB&Q Refeer and ended up short 2 of the chrome door hinges. Does anyone have a couple extra? cbqer@aol.com.

Dick

 

these?

Exactly. Email is cbqer@aol.com. let me know what you need for these.

Thank you, kind sir.       Dick

ChiloquinRuss posted:

I love the AN cars for slightly different reasons, 1. they track really well in a long train, 2. they SOUND better than a plastic or brass car.  Just seems that the wood really absorbs the sound or something, anyhow I like em'.    Russ

Russ,

Yes, they do track very well!

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