Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Modeling

Sunday, October 4, 2026

North Western Refrigerator Line Refrigerator 15276

North Western Refrigerator Line (NWRL) Refrigerator NWX 15276 was purchased at Trainfest in Milwaukee, WI in 2009. It has been in the unbuilt kits cabinet since then as Accurail applied correct lettering to an accurate car body with boxcar red ends and roof; however, the car sides color was white rather than gray. Color photos of these refrigerator cars in the Refrigerator Car Color Guide (Morning sun Books Inc., 2005) show the color of the sides the early gray color prior to yellow and green beginning in 1953. Changing the color via repaint was the only option I thought until I got the idea of a color change from white to gray and not ruining the lettering might be done with Pan Pastels.

The prototype refrigerator car for this model was built in 1927 by American Car & Foundry (ACF) and numbered in NWX series 6701 - 7720. This car series was renumbered into the 15000 - 15999 series by 1937. These cars, forty foot in length, had both sides and ends sheathed in wood, vertical brake shaft and fish belly underframe. The cars were painted with gray sides, boxcar red ends, roof and kick plates. The side hardware, underframe sills, underframe and trucks were painted black. In addition to the color photos in the Refrigerator Car Color Guide, a black and white photo of NWX 15479 can be viewed in Steam Era Cars Reference Manual Volume Three Refrigerator Cars (Speedwitch Media, 2017).

NWX 15100, March 27, 1952, Proviso, Ill.
W. Fuka photo. Lloyd Keyser Collection
(click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)

Before I began assembly of the kit I tested my idea of using the Pan Pastels on the sides to change the white sides to a gray color. Pan Pastels Neutral Gray #820.5, was applied lightly with a square Pan Pastels sponge mounted on their handle to attempt to get the gray color. The color change could be made with Pan Pastels. Therefore, the build was done.

Refrigerator NWX 15276 was assembled quickly. The kit weight was installed with Permatex Clear Silicone Adhesive which brought the car weight to 4.2 ounces with couplers and trucks installed. Kadee # 148 coupler were inserted into the coupler boxes and coupler box covers were installed with kit screws as were the kit trucks with InterMountain 33 inch metal wheel sets installed. On the underbody the molded on brake cylinder mount was removed. The running board was thinned to .020 via milling using a #199 bit mounted in a Dremel tool and scraping of underside to get it smooth using a single edge razor blade.

Running board being milled.

Scraping of underside to get it smooth.

After the running board was scraped smooth, it was installed. Next all molded on grab irons and ladder rungs were carved off. To carve off molded on grab irons and ladder rungs, a Xacto No. 5 handle with Xacto No. 17 blade ground to shape and micro scalpels with micro blades, were used.

Tools for carving off molded on items.

Wire grab irons and ladder rungs were bent using Tichy Train Group #1101, .010 diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) and installed.

Wire grab irons and ladder rungs installed.

Now to get away from the grab iron install for a while, some B end work was done. On the B end parts were installed as follows:

Brake step, molded on reworked
Brake step brackets, Tichy Train Group ( Tichy) AB set #3013
Retainer valve, resin Sunshine Models
Retainer line, Tichy #1100, .008 diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW)
Retainer line brackets, #1100, .008 diameter PBW
Brake shaft, brass .015 wire
Brake wheel, kit

B end work started.

Rather than finish the B end parts install, the roof grab irons bent from Tichy #1101, .010 PBW were installed with Yarmouth Model Works etched eye bolts without shoulder for corner leg. And, on the sides, the installed grab irons and ladder rungs were brush painted Vallejo Model Color black. 70.950

Roof grab irons installed and side grab irons
and ladder rungs painted black.

Back to the B end to finish remaining work. The longitudinal running board end bracket, Yarmouth Model Works #220, was installed. Now install of the B end wire grab irons and ladder rungs, bent using Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW, was done.

Running board bracket, wire grab irons, and
ladder rungs installed.

Finally, on the B end the uncoupling levers were installed with brackets, eye blots bent from Tichy #1101, .010 PBW.

Uncoupling lever with eye bolt brackets installed.

One final upgrade to the car body was removal of molded on sill steps and replacing them with A-Line #29000, sill steps on the corners and bending the sill step under the door from Detail Associates brass flat bar stock #2524, .010 x .030.

Sill steps installed.

With sill steps installed, the B end installed detail parts on ends were brush painted with a Vallejo Model Color mix of Burnt Red 70.814, 50 % and Mahogany Brown 70.846, 50%.

Detail parts installed on B end painted.

Once paint was dry the upgrade of the underbody was done. On the underbody the install of detail parts was done as follows:

Brake cylinder lever, made from Evergreen #8108, 1 x 8 strip styrene
Floating lever, made from Evergreen #8106, 1 x 6 strip styrene
Piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy #1101 .010” PBW
Piping from brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW
Brake rods, Tichy #1106 .0125” PBW
Brake rod clevises, MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK)
Chain, Tichy #8334, black 40 links per inch
Train line, Tichy #1103, .020 diameter PBW
Dirt collector, scrap plastic rod, reworked

Underbody detail parts installed.

To finish the underbody, the underbody and all added detail parts were brush painted Vallejo Model Color Black 70.950.

Underbody painted.

NWX 15276 was ready for the paint. For the first time, in addition to the Pan Pastels already applied, the new method of “painting with Pan Pastels” would be used on the car sides of NWX 15276. First a quick history of this “painting with Pan Pastels” method. Upon attending the 2026 National Narrow Gauge Convention held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the vendor room I stopped at a vendor with a display of various Pan Pastels colors. In addition, there were painted items to be viewed. While looking I was asked if I used Pan Pastels. I said, “Yes.” And, then the question, “Do you paint with them.” My answer, “No; however, interested in learning.” I was told all the items I was viewing were painted with Pan Pastels by Randy Allio who was giving a clinic “Painting with Pan Pastels” at the time. To turn Pan Pastels into paint is a simple process. Scrape a small amount of Pan Pastels color into a small container and add just enough 91% isopropyl alcohol (91% only) to allow mixing with the powder to make a paint. More 91% alcohol could be added to turn the paint into a wash.

Northwestern Western Refrigerator Line 15276 sides would used for testing “painting with Pan Pastels” method. Since I had already applied Pan Pastels Neutral Grey 820.5, on the car sides, a paint brush was dipped into 91% alcohol and used to go over the sides of NWX 15276 before the paint was applied. Next, a tiny amount of Pan Pastels Neutral Grey 820.5, was scraped into a water bottle cap, 91% isopropyl alcohol was added with the a paint brush and mixed with it to create a paint. The same small brush was used to apply paint to sides of car body. If too dark, a cotton swab (sometimes dipped in distilled water) was immediately used to go over the area to lighten the paint. Perfection maybe not; however, I was happy with the results. NWX 15762 had gray sides via painting with Pan Pastels method without ruining the original lettering. And, not only were the sides gray, the sides were also weathered due to way brushing on of painting with Pan Pastels was done.

Left side painted gray.

Right side painted gray.

Northwestern Western Refrigerator Line 15276 was ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, The Lakeland Route, “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.” A car card was made for NWX 15276, the final step to put the a car in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Railroad. Photos of the NWX 15276 on the railroad show sides lighter gray than my eyes see due to lighting I believe.

NWX 15276 on Team Track in Randolph, Minn.

I want to say, “Thank You” to Lloyd Keyser for providing prototype photo of Northwestern Western Refrigerator Line 15100 and for permission to use in this blog post. Another, "Thank You" to Jeff Palmer for his assistance with photos.

Thank You for taking time to read my blog. You can share a comment in the section below if you choose to do so. Please sign your comment with your name if you choose to leave one. All comments are reviewed and approved before they appear. Please share the blog link with other model railroaders.

Lester Breuer

Plymouth, MN

Monday, September 7, 2026

Western Pacific SS Box Car 26057

Not all freight car builds for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company come out of the unbuilt kits cabinet. The build of Western Pacific 26057 was one of these builds. My friend, George Toman was building several of Lines West Products Western Pacific (WP) single-sheathed box car 3D Printed kits. When we spoke after he had finished his builds he asked if I had built a 3D Printed freight car kit. My answer was, “No.” He said he had an extra body and a underbody with K brakes. If I wanted to give a 3D Printed freight car a try he would send the body and underframe my way. I said, “Yes.” Upon arrival the body and underbody with mounting parts immediately went to my work desk for build. The underbody mounting parts are brass threaded parts threaded for 2-56 screws that are pressed into molded pockets under coupler pockets to accept long 2-56 screws to install underbody via screws passing through coupler pockets. Trucks also use this mounting method.

After inspection of the car body and underframe I was impressed with the fine details. The fine details as longitudinal running board brackets and door stops are very delicate requiring careful handling of car body during build. I decided to build the car as a Western Pacific box car as designed and lettered. I did not have the herald in the decal set or doors for the car body that are provided in the purchased kit. Therefore, I sent an email to Lines West Products to fine out if I could purchase the WP decal set for the car. A fast response provided information that decals were available and since in my email I had stated I had only car body and underbody, the doors for the car body could be obtained. Of course, a purchase was made.

Knowing decals and doors were on the way, I began the build by reading and digesting information provided in the excellent kit instructions also shared by George. The kit instructions have an excellent prototype history of the Western Pacific (WP) single-sheathed box car. The kit instructions tell us the cars were built by “The Pullman Car Company, Ill as Lot #5267. The wood sided cars were built with steel underframe, steel superstructure and six vertical posts per side, three on each side of the side door with Howe truss type diagonal posts. The cars were “40 feet” with a single metal reinforced 6 foot wide 2 1/2 inch vertical T&G (tongue and groove, author add) wood sheathed side door.” Other features included a sheet metal roof covered with black car cement, wood running boards, KC brakes and arch bar trucks. As delivered, the cars were assigned into the 15001-16000 series; however, during their life some of these cars were converted for other uses.

One conversion occurred in 1937 with 100 of the box cars converted into plaster/gypsum service. These cars were renumbered into the 26001-26100 series. When converted the cars received new paint, lettering, AB brakes, Andrews trucks and some cars hatches and collapsible interior bulkheads. Upon checking a 1953 Original Railway Equipment Register (ORER) the notes for this car series stated car number 26057 in the series was one of the cars that did not receive hatches. Therefore, I chose this number for my build and service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

WP Box Car 26072 My Collection
(Click or tap to enlarge this or any image)

My model build began with the underbody fitted and installed into the car body. Once installed, the fine detailed K brake was removed ( in kit an AB or K brake available) with a micro blade scalpel.

K Brake 3D printed on car removed.

Micro scalpels on right.

During the removal of the K brake I learned that one had to be very careful working around 3D Printed parts as easily broken. I broke a tiny portion of a crossbearer and several crossties I repaired or replaced with matching size strip styrene. Once repaired, Kadee #148 couplers were inserted in the coupler pockets and Accurail #166 Andrews trucks with InterMountain 33 inch metal wheel sets were installed with provided long 2-56 screws.

Broken crossbearer and crossties repaired.

With underbody installed, repaired underbody parts were brush painted with Vallejo Model Color mix of Dark Sea Gray 70.91 and Black 70.950 to match color of 3D printed underbody. Once the paint was dry, thee car ready for install of detail parts.

Underbody installed. Car ready for detail parts.

Back to the underbody to install Tichy Train Group (Tichy) brake components in AB set #3013. If a kit was purchased with 3D Printed AB underbody this step would not be necessary.

3D Printed AB underbody in kit

However, I started with a 3D Printed K bake underbody. Mounting brackets for brake cylinder and AB valve as the brake components came from Tichy AB set #3013. Mounting brackets for the air reservoir were plastic sill steps cut from some car. Brake levers were cut from Evergreen strip styrene and cut to shape. The brake cylinder lever from Evergreen strip styrene #8108, 1 x 8 and floating lever from Evergreen strip styrene #8106, 1 x 6. The plate for attaching the floating lever at the center sill was already 3D Printed. And, brake levers hangers were bent from Tichy #1106, .0125 diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) and installed.

AB brake components installed.

After brake lever hanger install all installed parts as previous repaired parts were brush painted with Vallejo Model Color mix of Dark Sea Gray 70.91 and Black 70.950 to match color of 3D Printed underbody.

Brake components painted.

While letting underbody paint dry thoroughly, the grab irons and sill steps were bent and installed on the car body sides. The 3D Printed car body had dimples for all grab iron hole location, so very easy to drill. To drill out the holes, I chose a #80 drill mounted in a Dremel tool allowing the task to be done quickly. Drop type grab irons were bent from Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW and installed for the ladder. Straight grab irons were bent as well and installed on the left end of the side. Roof grab irons were bent and installed using Yarmouth Model Works etched eye bolts without shoulder for corner legs. Sill steps were bent from ordinary stapler staples as suggested in the instructions. The bending of sill steps from staples, used years ago, had not been used for a long time; however, still a very good method.

Grab iron ladders, grab irons and sill steps installed.

Onto the B end to install drop type grab irons as on the sides. Drop grab irons (see sidebar for bending) were bent from Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW for grab iron ladders. In addition, the sill step grab irons and right side grab irons bent with Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW were installed. A brake shaft brake step was bent from Detail Associate # 2524, 10 x 30 flat brass bar strip and installed. A fascia vertical bracket, unknown manufacturer, from my parts drawer was installed. Finally, the brake shaft, Tichy #1102, .015 PBW with a Tichy brake wheel from AB #3013, brake set was installed. No need to install retainer valve or line as already very well 3D Printed on the B end.

End grab iron ladder and other detail parts installed.

A cap on the brake shaft above brake wheel was added with MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK).

MEK Goop and fine wire applicators.

Back to the underbody to install a dirt collector, piping and brake rods.

Piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy #1101 .010” PBW
Piping from brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW
Brake rods, Tichy #1106 .0125” PBW
Brake rod clevises, MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK)
Chain, Precision Scale #48553, 34 links per inch
Dirt collector, Tichy AB set #3013

Underbody detail parts added.

Once underbody detail part install was finished, all installed detail parts were brush painted with Vallejo Model Color mix of Dark Sea Gray 70.91 and Black 70.950 to match color of 3D Printed color.

Details parts added painted.

Now the install of uncoupling levers was done. Uncoupling levers were bent from Tichy #1106, .0125 diameter PBW and installed with eye bolts bent from Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW for brackets. After uncoupling levers were installed the car was moved to the paint shop. The car body was taped to protect it from over spray. And, underbody and roof, to represent black car cement, were airbrushed Vallejo Model Air NATO Black 71.251.

Uncoupling lever installed.

Roof airbrushed NATO Black.

Underbody airbrushed NATO Black.

Once was dry, the doors which had arrived in the mail were now installed. And, the car body was airbrushed Vallejo Model Color Saddle Brown 70.940.

Car body airbrushed Saddle Brown.

Once the paint was air dried, the car body was airbrushed with Vallejo Gloss Medium 70.470 for a gloss base for decal application. When the gloss coat was dry, decals were applied. Decals used were the decals Lines West Products provides in the kit or purchased on the Lines West Products website.

Decals were soaked off in distilled water and applied to the car body where MicroScale Micro Set had been applied with a brush. After the decal was applied in the Micro Set and positioned the edges had MicroScale Micro Sol applied. Any excess solution was sucked away with the torn edge of a paper towel. Again when dry, car body sprayed with Vallejo Gloss Varnish 70.510 to better hide edges of decals and protect decals during handling. Again when dry, the car body was sprayed with Model Master Acryl, #4636, flat to protect decals and provide a flat finish for weathering when applied.

Decals applied.

Weathering done before putting WP 26057 in service was to weather the car with Pan Pastels and color pencils. Pan Pastels Neutral Grey 820.5 was applied with a makeup brush very lightly over car body. Prismacolor Premier Black PC935 pencil on upper car body and AK Weathering Pencil Dust/Rainmarks AK 10026 on car body sill were used over the applied Neutral grey using the above prototype photo.

Car weathered.

Decals applied.

Western Pacific single-sheathed box car 26057 was ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, The Lakeland Route, “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.” A car card was made for WP 26057 to put it in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Railroad. Yes, WP 26057 escaped from captive service to ship bulk gypsum from mine in Nevada to wallboard plants in California (from kit instructions) to make it to Minnesota to run on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

WP 26057 spotted at Sawhorse Millwork
in Tunnel City, Minnesota.

Backdrop side of Sawhorse Millwork.

I want to say, “Thank You George Toman” for letting me experience the build of my first 3D Printed freight car. A “Thank You” to Todd Jones of Lines West Products producing this fine 3D Printed freight car and to obtain car doors.

Lester Breuer

Plymouth, MN