BREX 76252 Steel Refrigerator Upgrade

After having built two wood refrigerator cars I decided to build a steel one.  I chose Burlington Refrigerator Express BREX 76252 produced by Accurail for 5th Avenue Car Shops for the build. I began my search for data and photos to see how well it matched the prototype.   The best resource I found was Burlington Bulletin No. 12 published by the Burlington Route Historical Society.  I learned the Burlington Refrigerator Express (BREX)  went to an outside builder, Pacific Car & Foundry, in 1952 to have 100 cars built that were assigned to series 76250-76349.  These cars were the last ice-cooled refrigerator constructed for Burlington Refrigerator Express.  Builder’s photos of 76000 and 76250 appear on page 24 in Burlington Bulletin No. 12 (Burlington Route Historical Society, Second Quarter 1984).  I used these photos as a guide for my build and upgrade of this plastic kit, BREX 76252, purchased from 5th Avenue Car Shops  who had Accurail  produce the car using their 8300/8500 40 ft. series steel refrigerator.  The car came painted and lettered in the kit.

I began the assembly and upgrade of this car on the underbody by installing the brake components after drilling them with a #79 drill for piping  to be added later.  The kit provides plastic pins to attach the trucks and molded on pins on coupler pocket covers to attach them to coupler pockets.  I use neither.  I cut the molded on pins from the back of the coupler pocket covers and use the remaining spot to drill and tap a 2-56 hole for mounting with screws.  Next the truck bolster kingpins were drilled and tapped for 2-56 screws.  Kadee #148 “whisker” couplers were installed in the coupler pockets and Accurail #150, 2-56x3/16” screws were used to attach the covers.  The Accurail trucks after slight modification, including removing the brake shoes, were installed with Athearn #99002, 2-56x1/4” round head screws.  Next the kit provided car weight was attached with Permatex adhesive sealant clear RTV Silicone which weighted the car to 4 ounces.  With these tasks complete, I glued the underbody to the car body.

Underbody ready to install in car body
(Click or tap on photos to enlarge)

I began the car body upgrade with the roof knowing I was unable to verify it matched the prototype.   First the apex solid molded running board was removed and discarded after the mounting pins on the back were cut off.  The cut off pins were put back into the roof holes with them extending above the running board saddles and glue applied.  When glue was set a needle nose plier was used to squeeze the inserted pins to the same thickness as the existing saddles. After squeezing, the pins were again taller than the roof saddle height and had to be cut off to proper height.  The newly formed saddles were painted Vallejo Model Air, #71.062, aluminum which matched Accurail roof color.   Once the paint was dry, a Kadee Apex running board with latitudinal running  boards, mounting pins, and extension bracket mounting tabs cut off was installed.  The Kadee modified running board had been painted the Vallejo Model Air aluminum and let dry prior to install.

Finished running board saddles

Modified Kadee Apex running board installed



I now turned my attention to the car body details.  The first upgrade step was to carve off all the car molded on grab irons to be later replaced with wire ones.  I followed this step by carving off all ladder rungs leaving only the ladder side rails.  If you are interested in what tools  I use for removing the molded on grab irons please go to “labels” and click on “Grab irons” and find “Grab Irons - Tools For Removing Molded On.”

Molded on grab irons and ladder rungs removed

I continued the car body upgrade by drilling new holes using a #79 drill to receive grab irons and ladder rungs on the sides.  The molded on rung fasteners on the molded on ladder side rails were used as a guide to drill holes next to them for wire ladder rungs.  Next I bent straight grab irons  from Tichy Train Group (Tichy), #1101, .010” diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW)  ( see “labels” and click on “grab irons” and find “grab irons -bending grab irons”on this blog) and installed them.   After straight grab irons  install was complete, I bent the ladder rungs which are straight grab irons installed for rungs between the ladder side rails.   The molded on door handle was carved off and replaced with a wire one bent from Tichy, #1100, .010” PBW.    Finally, the molded on sill steps were cut off and A-Line, #29000 style A, metal sill steps were installed.   The middle sill steps are offset to the left of the plug door.  New straight grab irons, ladder rungs, door handle, fan, and sill steps were painted  with a mix of one part Vallejo Model Color, #70.98, Golden Yellow and two parts Polly Scale, F414191, CNW Yellow.

Side details completed

View of side details from above

Next I upgraded  the “B” end details.  As on the sides the molded grab irons and ladder rungs were carved off and replaced with Tichy, #1101, .010 diameter PBW one’s.  The solid molded apex kit brake step was scrapped.  A new brake step cut from one of the removed Kadee latitudinal running boards was installed with support brackets from Tichy set #3013.  A Sunshine Models cast retainer valve from the parts box was installed followed by a retainer line and brackets made with Tichy #1100, .008” diameter PBW.    Brake gear was retained with the exception of the  brake rod.  I cut a new brake rod from Tichy, #1102, .015” diameter PBW and installed it where the removed plastic one located between the retained chain and brake rod step had been.  The final detail added was the uncoupling levers that have an unusual half-round handle ( for bending details see “labels” and click on  “ uncoupling levers”).  All new added details were painted Vallejo Model Color, 70.859, Black Red, an excellent match for the Accurail used color.

New details added except uncoupling levers

With car body details added, I worked on the underbody details.  I was not able to find data for the prototype underbody so I upgraded the kit underbody.  I decided to use the molded brake levers and brake rod connecting them, brake levers hangers, and the nice universal slack adjuster all molded as one part called “brake gear” in the kit.  The other molded parts connected to the used parts were cut off using a nipper.  Piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy, #1101, .010” diameter PBW and  pipe from back of brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy, #1106, .0125” diameter PBW wire were installed. Next a train line using 26 gauge, .018” diameter, floral wire was installed.  The train line holes were drilled in bolsters and cross ties with a 4” drill made from .032” diameter piano wire.  A dirt collector cast from resin in my M&N Shops using a Tichy dirt collector from set #3013 for a master was now installed connecting its molded on pipe to the train line with a connecting tee made from MEK Goop.  Brake rodding, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW, was connected to brake levers.  Chain between brake cylinder and rod is A-Line #29219, 40 links per inch.  Underbody added details were painted Vallejo Model Color #70.862, Black Grey.

Molded underbody parts combined with new added details

Note M&N Shops resin cast dirt collector

Steel refrigerator, BREX 76252 , in my opinion, is a very good stand-in for the prototype and is now in service serving customers of the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

BREX 76252 spotted at McGregor Coop Creamery

BREX 76252 spotted at McGregor Coop Creamery

BREX 76252 spotted at McGregor Coop Creamery



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 share the blog link with other model railroaders.

Lester Breuer

M&STL leased URTX 4685 Wood Refrigerator

Union Refrigerator Transit Lines wood refrigerator car, URTX 4685, assigned to series 4675-4699, was leased to The Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway.  A photo of URTX 4697 in the 1937 paint scheme appears on page 106 and a photo of UTRX 4975 with the 1930’s paint scheme as on URTX 4685 is on page 107 in Refrigerator Color Guide by Green Green (Morning Sun Books Inc., 2005).  I used these photos as a guide for my build and upgrade of this plastic kit purchased from 5th Avenue Car Shops  who had Accurail  produce the car using their 4800 series wood refrigerator.  The car was painted and lettered except for car numbers which have to be applied by the modeler  using decals provided in the kit.

I began the assembly and upgrade of this car on the underbody by installing the brake components after drilling them with a #79 drill for piping  to be added later.  The kit provides plastic pins to attach the trucks and molded on pins on coupler pocket covers to attach them to coupler pockets.  I use neither.  I cut the molded on pins from the back of the coupler pocket covers and use the remaining spot to drill and tap a 2-56 hole for mounting with screws.  Next the truck bolster kingpins were drilled and tapped for 2-56 screws.  Kadee #148 “whisker” couplers were installed in the coupler pockets and Accurail #150, 2-56x3/16” screws were used to attach the covers.  The Accurail trucks after slight modification, including removing the brake shoes, were installed with Athearn #99002, 2-56x1/4” round head screws.  Next the kit provided car weight was attached with Permatex adhesive sealant clear RTV Silicone which weighted the car to 4 ounces.  With these tasks complete, I glued the underbody to the car body.

Underbody ready to glue into car body
(Click or tap on photos to enlarge)

I now turned my attention to the car body details.  The first upgrade step was to carve off all the car molded on grab irons to be later replaced with wire ones.  I followed this step by carving off all ladder rungs leaving only the ladder side rails.  If you are interested in what tools  I use for removing the molded on grab irons please go to “labels” and click on “Grab Irons - Tools For Removing Molded On.”

Grab irons and ladder rungs removed

After the grab irons and ladder rungs were carved off, the areas were brush painted using Vallejo Model Color Light Orange #70.911 for the sides and Mahogany Brown #70.486 for ends and roof.  Both colors are an excellent match for the original paint used by Accurail.

While the car was set aside for the paint to dry, the running board was milled thinner, from .040” to .025”, using a Dennis Storzek technique described in his article, “5 boxcar improvements”, in April 1982, Railroad Model Craftsman, on page 84.  Once milling was done the milled area was scraped with a single edge razor blade to get it smooth.  You could sand it rather than using the scraping method to get it smooth.   With the back ready for install was complete I touched up the edges with the Vallejo Mahogany Brown.  Of course, there are others options for a scale running board such as scratch-building one from scale lumber or purchasing a laser cut  one.



Dremel tool with for milling running board in jig

After paint was dry, the milled running board was installed.  New running board extension support brackets were made from Evergreen #8102, 1x2” strip styrene.  I drilled new holes using a #79 drill to receive corner grab irons. The roof corner  grab irons were bent ( see bending grab irons under labels on this blog) from Tichy Train Group (Tichy), #1101, .010” diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW) and installed with Yarmouth Model Works, 356, etched eyebolts for corner legs.  New wire grab irons  were painted with Vallejo Mahogany Brown.

Running board and roof grab irons painted Vallejo Mahogany Brown

I continued the car body upgrade by drilling new holes using a #79 drill to receive grab irons on sides and ends and ladder rungs.  The molded on rung fasteners on the molded on ladder side rails were used as a guide to drill holes next to them for wire ladder rungs.  Ladder side rails were shortened to better match prototype photo.  Next I bent straight grab irons  from Tichy, #1101, .010” diameter PBW ( see bending grab irons under labels on this blog) and installed them.   After install of straight grab irons was complete, I bent the ladder rungs which are straight grab irons installed for rungs between the ladder side rails.  New straight grab irons were painted Vallejo Model Color Light Orange on sides and Mahogany Brown on ends.  To complete the car body sides upgrade, the molded on sill steps were cut off and A-Line #29000, sill (stirrup) steps were installed and painted Vallejo Mahogany Brown.

Installed grab irons and ladder rungs ready for paint

The “B” end upgrade was next.  I began by cutting off the molded on bulge, the mounting portion of the brake step, on the bottom of the brake step off.  After cutting off the mounting bulge the brake step came off the car and had to be reinstalled.  The brake step support brackets, Tichy brackets from set #3013, were installed.  A Sunshine Models resin retainer valve from the parts box was installed followed  by installing a retainer line and bracket made with Tichy #1100, .008” diameter PBW.   Next I cut  the molded on brake shaft step off.  To create a new brake shaft step I installed a A-Line #29000, sill ( stirrup) step.   A number #80 drill was used to drill a hole in the lower portion of the brake shaft step prior for the brake shaft to go through.  A brake shaft, Tichy #1102, .015” diameter PBW, substituted for the .020” diameter kit provided brake shaft, was installed.  The brake shaft  had a Tichy brake wheel, set #3013, mounted on it replacing the thicker kit provided one.  A brake shaft bracket was made with scrap wire and installed.  Uncoupling levers bent from Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW were installed with eyebolts I bent from  .010” diameter brass wire ( for bending ucoupling levers see "labels" and click on "ucoupling levers").  Again all new parts installed were painted with Vallejo Mahogany Brown.

"B" end work is finished

With car body details added, I added  the underbody details.  Piping from air reservoir to control valve, Tichy #1101, .010” diameter PBW and  pipe from back of brake cylinder to control valve, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW wire were installed. Next a train line using 26 gauge, .018” diameter, floral wire was installed.  The train line holes were drilled in bolsters and cross ties with a 4” drill made from .032” diameter piano wire.  A dirt collector, Tichy Set #3013, was now installed connecting its molded on pipe to the train line with a connecting tee made from MEK Goop.  Brake levers made from Evergreen #8108, 1x8” and #8106, 1x6” strip styrene were installed. Brake rodding, Tichy #1106, .0125” diameter PBW, was connected to brake levers by making small right angle bends at the end of each rod inserted into #80 drilled holes in the brake levers.  Where the wire entered a hole in a brake lever, it was covered with MEK Goop to simulate a clevis connection.   Chain between brake cylinder and rod is A-Line #29219, 40 links per inch.  Underbody added details were painted Vallejo Model Color #70.862, Black Grey.

The final details added were the ice bunker drains.  The drains,  bent from .040” diameter 24 gauge floral wire, were installed and painted Mahogany Brown.

Upgrade was now complete except for decals.  Time to add numbers to car sides and  reporting marks and numbers to ends with decals in kit.  First,  Model Master 4638, Clear Gloss Acryl  was applied to area were decals were to be applied.  Once  dry, decals were applied using Microscale MicroSol.  Decals were allowed to dry overnight before I sprayed the entire car body with Model Master 4636 Flat Clear Acryl rather than just coating the applied decal areas.

Wood refrigerator URTX 4685 was weathered with Pan Pastels and is now in service serving customers of the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company.

Waiting to be moved to ice platform

Waiting for icing

Weathered with Pan Pastels

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 share the blog link with other model railroaders.

Lester Breuer

Grab Irons - Tools For Removing Molded On

When adding a freight car with molded on grab irons (also called handholds) to my freight car roster, I upgrade the car by removing the molded on grab irons and replacing them with wire ones.  The first step for this upgrade  is to carve off all the car molded on grab irons.  I carve off the molded on grab irons with a Xacto number five (5) handle with a number seventeen (17)  Xacto blade ground to the shape  I like for carving off molded on details.  I grind a number 17 blade to the shape I want using a Dremel grinding stone mounted  in a Dremel tool.  Once grab irons are removed, I normally also carve off all molded on ladder rungs leaving only the ladder side rails.

If you do not want to grind a blade, you could use a Xacto number 17 blade with only the corners rounded to prevent gouging in the surrounding area during carving; however, I believe a much better solution is to buy the micro knife handle #81067 and surgical blades #61, #81084 and #62, #81085 sold by MicroMark.  I use these micro handles and blades to do final cleanup of carved off areas after using the Xacto blade.

Knives used for carving off grab irons
(Tap or click on photos to enlarge)

Xacto No. 17 blade ground same profile as micro surgical blade

No matter which knife or blade type you choose, you should keep the blade  sharp to remove the molded on grab irons or ladder rungs easily.  After several projects or before, the knife blade of choice will dull.  Of course, you can get rid of the old blade and replace it with a new one.  If you have ground a blade like I have, you may as I choose to sharpen it rather than grind a new one.  To sharpen a blade,  I use a fish hook sharpening stone and a piece of leather.  On the stone, only a few strokes are needed to sharpen a dull blade.   Next I strop  it on the leather piece to obtain a finer edge.

Fish hook sharpening stone and leather for strorp

With the tools describe here, some time and patience, you will have molded on grab irons and ladder rungs removed from a freight car ready for paint touch up followed by drilling required holes for the install of wire grab irons and ladder rungs.

Grab irons and ladder rungs carved off

Wire grab irons installed

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 share the blog link with other model railroaders.

Lester Breuer