|
|
This was a one of a kind Reefer at a beer distributor that sat
just adjacent to the Wildwood NJ Oak Avenue Station for many years. It was
stationary cold storage and never moved while “in service”. It was more of an
advertising billboard for the beer distributor. There are no known photos of
the dock side of the car so I don’t know how or if it was painted to match
the billboard side. In an end photo I saw the ladder was painted black on the
dock side of the car -possibly indicating both sides were painted the same.
We don’t know if beer was ever delivered by the “carload” to Sellright via
the PRSL, or if it was delivered by truck. When the car arrived or how it was
acquired by Sellright is also unknown. Still it was an interesting car that I remembered seeing myself
growing up while visiting Wildwood. I thought it would be great to have it as
a part of my “Wildwood Obsession”. Since it was a real billboard car it was
very unusual because they generally did not last until the 1970s making it
“correct” and not bogus. Given it was a car that NEVER moved, the number of photos I was able to assemble by eBay
purchases and from fellow members of the PRSL Historical Society http://www.prslhs.com is pretty amazing. |
|
There is ONE plastic RTR reefer in S Scale that was suitable so I
was lucky it worked out so well as a reasonable stand in for the real car.
There are a few minor modifications that needed to be made to the
S Helper Service car to better give the appearance of the Sellright Reefer. I
added some plastic strips and changed the stirrup steps to brass castings I
made. This car is also special because I have prototype S Helper Service USRA
draft gear that never got made for production. It is 1 of a very few existing
cars so equipped.
The
decals were made for me by John
Frantz and Jerry
Glow
Prototype
Photos
This is perhaps the most important photo of all taken on 8-8-73
in Tuckahoe because it indentified that the car was really FGEX 33489 and about
when it left Wildwood. We are very lucky to have this photo. What happened to
the car after it left Wildwood is unknown.
5-20-15
Update
This slide was listed on eBay. Of course I had to win it. Now the
mystery is solved. The dock side of the car is blank. None of the modelers that
decaled on both sides are modifying their cars.
.
Under
Construction
Painting the black on white proved to be very difficult. It was a
battle of colors and a constant touch up job.
Completed 4-26-13
The last details I made and added were a tack board and another
board that blocked off the car’s original reporting marks. The car is decaled
and detailed the same on both sides. It is not clear coated for now as I did
not want the colors to shift even a little.
I
think it is just a stunning car.
Added
7-21-13
This car was quite involved to make so only having 1 car would
not due. If I actually get to make the Wildwood Station scene the white car
will likely be parked there to never run. So I thought about a slightly “imagineered” car with reporting marks that will run in
regular service. I got a stock S Helper Service car that was factory painted
reefer orange but was not lettered. I think this paint scheme just POPS! This
is the actual car number of the real Sellright reefer. I decaled another car
with a different number for a friend so there are 3 cars total in existence.
Added
12-4-18
Another Sellright reefer photo appeared on eBay so I bought it
instantly. The date is unknown but I am guessing early 1970s because of the
faded paint. Note the car number is exposed as well.
Back
to
Updated 12-4-18
All
photos and content © Lanes Trains 2005-2019