Understanding you were making a point about compromises...which we all deal with. Our Passenger cars are based on specific prototypes, Union Pacific Models, ie Plan Numbers...window configurations, roofs etc. What we have to do with it afterwards in offering paint schemes is another story of course. ) I can't speak for the other's mentioned here, but there are so many specific changes to prototypes, you tend to have to go off road to provide other roads cars if you can't afford to do road specific tooling. UP for us seemed a logical starting point. Joe MTl
If it's the R40-24 then these were first constructed using plywood...lots of folks mistake the sides as metal...easy to do. When rebuilt they had the hardwood siding applied over both 30 and 40 ton underframes. Hopefully these have the huge I beam underframe, I figure there's a few older SP cars I can put those under ) Joe MTL
Around WWII PFE had so many modified and rebuilt reefers, I don't think they even had two the same out of several thousands. We don't have photos of each reefers, but have enough sample pictures. Based on those photos I could make (with minimal efforts) at least 300 nitpicker pleasing prototypical looking reefers from this generic model. By the way, from the rivet counter standpoint PennZee's reefer is just as generic as AZL's. But who cares when at the National Train Show you see two hard working Z-scale Challengers are pulling 100 + PFE reefers , just to piss off some nitpickers, while pleasing the true train fans. Lajos :0)
The last time I looked, we don't have that many reefers available in Zscale. I don't mean those stand-in plug door boxcars. It would be nice to see a string of ice reefers & another string of mechanical ones.
To Rob, Rob, and Hans... Very very nice car! I guess I have to say I totally agree with Lajos. You'd have to be splitting hairs to complain when you see a string of these being pulled around on a layout whether you're at a train show or playing with your trains at home. I say BRAVO to ALL of you manufacturers who take that bold step to make a new body style hoping to please everyone and knowing you won't. Please, don't let the naysayers stop you from dreaming up new items. Visionaries are the very reason we have Z scale to enjoy, or for some to complain about. Kudos to AZL for this reefer!!!! :thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up: Karin, the other Snyder
