Originally, I picked up this car to get the die-cast trucks but decided to give a try to fixing it up. It was someone's attempt at a Reading stock car. I've added a truss rod and glued some wood back on to date, does anyone know who made these kits?
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Could have been home made with the crude door guides, roof ribs and catwalk and such. It's neat enough I would keep it as is and run it, but then I am more a 3 rail prewar kind of guy....I'd likely put Lionel trucks on that and put the scale trucks on something that was more scale like. Either way is fine by my standards though.
I like the car. I'd either keep it as-is for a shelf piece, or put Lionel trucks on it to run.
Looks like a scratch built car to me. I'd clean it up best I could and put it on display.
Rusty
Question about those trucks and coupler. What are those? The coupler is so small. Is that something used in 2 rail? I have a set of those that came off a kitbashed Lionel 1717. They are very heavy. Are they worth anything? Do you want them?
George
That car is an interesting conversation piece.Perhaps clean it up and replace the couplers if you wish to run it .Keep the couplers as you can restore it to as found condition .
George S posted:Question about those trucks and coupler. What are those? The coupler is so small. Is that something used in 2 rail? I have a set of those that came off a kitbashed Lionel 1717. They are very heavy. Are they worth anything? Do you want them?
George
They are what was current 2 rail scale for 80+ years ago. Only guys that like "old" scale stuff will likey even pay attention to them
It's still great to see some of the early kitbashed cars. The possibly athearn metal trucks are set up for two rail as well as the couplers. If the metal side frames are not crystallized you may be able swap in large flange wheel sets. As for the couplers, if you are running Lionel style couplers and with less than 48" diameter track, switch to lionel trucks and couplers. Or use it in a diorama like a stock pen, chicken coop, jail or scrapyard. If you send me a picture of the underside I can give you more information.
I'd leave it "as is".....looks to have hand lettering....likely a scratch built car.....an antique showpiece....in my opinion....
Tom S,
I agree 100%, looks real cool to me also.
PCRR/Dave
I haven't seen a ton of kits, but the flat roof makes it seem more likely to be scratch; the kits usually add a roof slope.
Check for an isolated wheel set, this might have been on anything from T-rail to Outside 3rd rail as well.
The lettering doesn't look hand painted to me. The serif work, vertical alignment, corners, and line variances in curves is too tight. It would done larger, be photographed, shrunk in developing, and then screen printed or litho printed, on the wood, to a decal or dry transfer etc..Most hobby shops had the truss equipment and couplers (Scale City sells similar couplers from old tooling ???) Trucks didn't always come with the kits either. "No tellin".
A "crude" build? 
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How about "whimsical"? 
Cars like these are what I always loved about old school 2rail layouts. The fact it was "scale" had little influence on my attraction; it's that hand groomed flair of detailing; I see folk art. 
Why is everybody trying to advise the OP on how to make it Lionel compatible? He posted it in the 2-rail section.
I collect older O Scale and have a nice collection of prewar aluminum cast stock cars. This one would not fit in my collection at all.
Why is everybody trying to advise the OP on how to make it Lionel compatible? He posted it in the 2-rail section.
I'd guess that many, if not most people use the "Recent Posts" column to see what is going on. Unfortunately, the Recent Posts column has no indication of which sub-forum the posts are from.
Time to keep this thread from death? We call the locomotives "doorstops", but have no real descriptive title for the cars - indeed some of the cars are doorstop-like. The cattle cars were typically cast aluminum and wood, with bronze and steel trucks. I would sooner part with my brass cattle cars than with these. Herewith the Lobaugh variety:
bob2 posted:Time to keep this thread from death? We call the locomotives "doorstops", but have no real descriptive title for the cars - indeed some of the cars are doorstop-like. The cattle cars were typically cast aluminum and wood, with bronze and steel trucks. I would sooner part with my brass cattle cars than with these. Herewith the Lobaugh variety:
Is the side frame on the left side of the picture upside down?
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