Graffiti Beer Cars

The other half of the order arrived today, and very much the opposite reaction. Two Vision Line Boxcars are very nice, the PRR and SP. Now I have 4 total freight cars with electro-couplers. This combined with uncoupling tracks make hands-off switching operations a lot easier.

Glad it worked out for you! When I first read the title, I though it said a "Giraffe" Beer car.  I love those bobbing giraffe cars, and was wondering how the beer part was worked in...   

So you bought a scale model expecting a toy and you’re mad it’s a scale model?

These cars are igloo coolers on wheels, there’s not much too them, just a couple ladders on the ends. The molded in doors allow for scale door frames, guides and rollers which enable it to be a scale model. If they opened then everything would be oversized.

JackO,

    If you don’t like them put them on the “For Sale or Trade” forum for $80-$85 each so they move fast. It’s one of those problems buying on line vs your local hobby store. At least you will get some of your money back so you can buy more trains.

JohnB

@Boilermaker1 posted:

So you bought a scale model expecting a toy and you’re mad it’s a scale model?

That's not at all what I said, or implied. I expected to get the same level of detail as my previously purchased scale boxcar from Lionel, that has an MSRP of $40 less. Instead, I got less detailed scale boxcars with graffiti. As I said in my original message, "...operate smoothly, and the couplers function well with the uncoupling track." and I am happy to have them on the roster.

@Former Member posted:

Glad it worked out for you! When I first read the title, I though it said a "Giraffe" Beer car.  I love those bobbing giraffe cars, and was wondering how the beer part was worked in...   

Giraffe's need beer, too!

I bought a non-grafitti Santa Fe beer car. I like- scale in size, doesn't look out of place with other 60' boxcars, crisp looking and legible lettering/graphics that contrast nicely with the red. The red itself is a lighter version than usual for ATS,F but I'm sure there were Santa Fe freight cars that had that shade. Only problem(and its a half full/half empty problem- I'll get there) I have is that it lacks heft/weight thus I don't feel comfortable putting it behind the loco(s) as the first car in the majority of my consists. Wouldn't dream of having it in the lead followed by a few MTH premier cars, an Atlas 60' boxcar or Evans 53' boxcar, let alone anything with a Diecast or aluminum body. Even compared to Lionel's 2015 single door 60' or 2008 DD Pullman 60', doesn't hold weight(pun intended). I described the half empty above, the half full is knowing I can have a consist of larger boxcars that won't tax the pulling power of my motive power. All that being said, I do really like it, am happy with the purchase, and would like to add one or two more.

@StevefromPA posted:

Only problem(and its a half full/half empty problem- I'll get there) I have is that it lacks heft/weight thus I don't feel comfortable putting it behind the loco(s) as the first car in the majority of my consists.

It's easy to bring it up to scale weight, that would be 20 oz for a 15" O-scale car.  You can simply add weight, for boxcars I just put the weight inside over the trucks evenly.

@gunrunnerjohn   , I totally forgot to mention in my post it'd be easy to add weight. That said, I've only ever added weight to one boxcar with an extra plate from a Weaver boxcar. What do you use to add weight and how do you secure it to the frame?

I add it inside the car on top of the frame.  I use common glue to stick my 45ACP lead bullets that didn't meet my accuracy standards for weight.  At 230gr apiece, they're perfect for adding weight to engines and rolling stock.  I also have about 50 pounds of them, and they're already paid for!

E6000 Adhesive is a good choice to stick your weights down.  You can get it at Amazon or Michaels: https://www.michaels.com/e6000...esive/M20004439.html

Woodland Scenics makes lead weights for their Pinewood Derby car kits.  

These weights can make probably be used in O-gauge passenger & freight cars, too.

@CBQ_Bill posted:

Woodland Scenics makes lead weights for their Pinewood Derby car kits.  

These weights can make probably be used in O-gauge passenger & freight cars, too.

It's almost certain you can come up with suitable weights for far less money!

@StevefromPA posted:

I bought a non-grafitti Santa Fe beer car. I like- scale in size, doesn't look out of place with other 60' boxcars, crisp looking and legible lettering/graphics that contrast nicely with the red. The red itself is a lighter version than usual for ATS,F but I'm sure there were Santa Fe freight cars that had that shade. Only problem(and its a half full/half empty problem- I'll get there) I have is that it lacks heft/weight thus I don't feel comfortable putting it behind the loco(s) as the first car in the majority of my consists. Wouldn't dream of having it in the lead followed by a few MTH premier cars, an Atlas 60' boxcar or Evans 53' boxcar, let alone anything with a Diecast or aluminum body. Even compared to Lionel's 2015 single door 60' or 2008 DD Pullman 60', doesn't hold weight(pun intended). I described the half empty above, the half full is knowing I can have a consist of larger boxcars that won't tax the pulling power of my motive power. All that being said, I do really like it, am happy with the purchase, and would like to add one or two more.

Definite miss on the Santa Fe red. And it really can’t be rationalized as weathering or fading. Santa Fe box cars tended to weather dark, not toward an orange or pink hue. The Santa Fe car is also a few feet short for a Bx 210 class car. On the other hand, these Lionel cars are about all that’s currently available for insulated box cars from this era, and I agree they are large enough to plausibly look at home with other cars in a scale consist:

The auto parts car on the right is a much more accurate color (plus some weathering). I’ve since weathered one of two of the “beer” cars. I’d like to see Lionel offer these again in the correct red. Other possibilities are the red and black scheme (like the auto parts car on the right) and the mineral red “Quality” scheme with simpler graphics from the late 80s and early 90s.

RM

@Rich Montague I still like the car- as stated above- but you're right. I actually noticed the shorter length tonight when I was moving some rolling stock on and off the layout. It's odd that I didn't notice how much of an "outlier" it was until after looking at some pictures of my other ATSF rolling stock. Here are some pics of shortly after I got it(hence why its in the lead but has a shorter consist)

Compared to Lionel 60' PS

Compared to Lionel Kodachrome GP35, 60' Pullman Standard, and in the background an Atlas O 40' hy-cube. The later two, which are roughly the same era, clearly match more. I don't have a problem comparing to the Kodachrome scheme as they're also from the same era and ATSF had a good deal of Kodachrome locos. That said...I still think it looks cool   even if it's more of a CB&Q

Hope I didn't get too far off topic on the thread! I'm looking at adding some more Conrail- specifically another 50' or 60' boxcar- so one of these could definitely be in play.