Union Refrigerator Transit Lines 50293 leased to Soo Line

With the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company needing another refrigerator car to serve customers, I added a refrigerator car to the fleet.  In the to build cabinet no resin reefer kits, only two Branchline Trains and several Accurail kits available.  Of the two Branchline Trains kits I picked Union Refrigerator Transit Lines (URTX) 50293, kit #1224, purchased at the Carr’s Hobby (now out business) shop in 2003.  I purchased the car because it had the Soo Line  herald showing the UTLX refrigerator car was leased to the Soo Line.

The prototype 40-foot, 2 inch refrigerator built in 1924 by American Car & Foundry had wood side and ends.  The URTX 50293 was assigned to series 40950 to 50699 with Association Of American Railroads Class designating letters “RS”.  The cars were painted yellow orange with red ends and roof.  A black and white photo from Bob’s Photo of car URTX 50057 showing this 1940 lettering paint scheme can be found in Soo Line Freight and Equipment and Cabooses by Kenneth J. Soroos (Soo Line Historical and Technical Society, 2014).

Bob's Photo, Ken Sooros Collection.
(click or tap on this or any image to enlarge)

The build of 50293  was the same as for 95503.  If you are interested in the build of this car please go to the build of Union Refrigerator Transit Lines 95503 on my blog.  The painting of the UTLX 50293 was almost the same as 95503 and easier than 95503 as no herald to correct.  The underbody and trucks were painted Vallejo Model Color Black Grey 70.862.  The ends and roof added parts I painted Vallejo Model Color Burnt Red 70.814.  On the sides I used a mix of 1/3 Model Color Light Orange 70.911 and 2/3 Model Color Flat Yellow 70.957.  After paint was dry the car body was sprayed with Vallejo Matt Varnish 70.520 , to protect cars during handling and to provide a weathering base. 

URTX 50293 painted and ready for service.

URTX 50293 painted.

URTX 50293 painted underbody.

Once the clear coat was dry the car was weathered with Pan Pastels and Artmatic eye shadow makeup.  Pan Pastels used to weather URTX 50293 were as follows: Payne’s Grey Extra Dark 840.1  on roof, underbody and very lightly on car body, Red Oxide Extra Dark 380.1, on ends and over lettering on ends to tone it down and Burnt Sienna Shade 740.3  on couplers and trucks.  Artmatic eye shadow makeup was also used lightly on the side and ends.  Weathering applied with makeup brushes, sponge applicators, micro brushes and Q-tips for blending and final finishing.

URTX 50293 weathered.

URTX weathered.

After weathering with Pan Pastels and a car card made, URTX 50293 was ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, the Lakeland Route,  “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.”

UTLX 50293 and UTLX 95503 sitting on Dawkins Siding.

UTLX 50293 delivered to Little Chicago
Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Team Track.

A  “Thank You” to Ken Sooros for photo to help with build of this car and for permission to use in this blog post.

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Lester Breuer