Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Modeling: August 2026

Normally my next freight car build comes from my unbuilt kits cabinet; however not Western Fruit Express Refrigerator (WPEX) 6657. The Sunshine Models kit #34.18, a resin war emergency refrigerator, was recently purchased at a friend’s estate sale due his passing and immediately went to the workbench for build. Why? The Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company (M&N) with a 1955 late spring period and having a Great Northern Interchange should have several of these refrigerator cars serving customers. Prior to this build the M&N had none so an immediate need for the first one.

The prototype Western Fruit Express car series 66550-66624 that included this refrigerator car was one of the three groups of war emergency cars, built in 1942 and 1944, by the Indiana Harbor Shops, Indiana. War emergency refrigerator cars were of wood and steel construction . Car features included 9/16 inch exterior grade plywood sides, 4/4 Dreadnaught ends, Murphy steel panel roof and wood running boards. Car sides were equipped with seven-rung ladders, side grab irons 3 feet 2 /14 inches long and Preco air circulation fans with round face plate. On the underbody a welded steel underframe of earlier design. All cars received cast side frame trucks and AB brakes.

A black and white photo of WFEX 66573 and a B end photo of FGEX 38476 can be viewed in Railway Prototype Cyclopedia RP CYC 12, (RP CYC Publishing Company, 2005). A photo from the Sunshine Models Prototype Data Sheet #34E of WFEX 66504 from the previous series WFEX 66500-66549 series with identical features is shown below.

WFEX 66504 Sunshine Models Prototype Data Sheet
Courtesy of Bill Welch
(Click on this or any image to enlarge)

Kit build of WFEX 66557 began as any resin box car flat kit with the “basic box.” First, the sides were checked to make sure they were the same length and they were. A side was glued using CA (super glue used for all joints or parts install unless another adhesive specified) to an end to make an “L”. The two “L”s were glued together to form the basic box (See "resin car body assembly" in sidebar for details). The roof was installed into the basic box to form the car body.

Car body assembled.

The fitting of the underbody into the car body followed. The kit provided underbody was fitted via sanding for the car body; however, not yet glued.

Underbody fitted into car body.

Before the underbody was installed and glued into the car body, a baffle cut from .040 sheet styrene was installed in the car body to prevent sides from bowing in the future. In my case when cutting the baffle, an allowance had to be made for the floor with weight attached.

Baffle installed.

On the underbody prior to weight install, coupler pockets and bolster center plates were drilled and tapped for 2-56 screws. Kit coupler boxes with Kadee #148 couplers inserted had coupler box covers installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 3/16” screws. Accurail trucks, #164, with InterMountain 33” metal wheels were installed with Fastenal 2-56 x 1/4” screws.

On the inside part of the underbody, a .040 inch thick sheet lead weight and an unknown commercial weight were installed with Permatex Clear Silicone Adhesive to obtain a car weight of 3.8 ounces. Once the adhesive was setup, the underbody was glued into the car body.

Weights being glued to underbody.

On the roof hatch covers and running board provided in the kit were installed next. Yarmouth Model Works end braces #220, not in kit, were used for running board end braces. And, resin cast poling pockets provided in the kit were installed on the ends on the side sills.

Running board and hatch covers installed.

Etched running board braces and
poling pockets installed.

Now the car body with underbody, longitudinal running board and hatches was ready for detail parts to be installed. This Sunshine Models kit was different from most others as many of the detail parts to be installed were etched parts rather cast resin. The kit instructions have a diagram showing names of all etched parts and install jigs. The install jigs, design directed by deceased friend Bill Welch, were among the best designed I have used.

Car ready for addition of detail parts.

Brass etched parts in kit.

First part install on the car body were the etched ladders on sides and ends. The etched ladders provided in the kit were bent with UMM-USA Bender (see "bender" in sidebar for details) and installed.

Etched ladders installed.

Once ladders were installed on ends with rungs in alignment with side ladders end work continued. On the B end parts were installed as follows:

Brake step, Plano Model Products #11322
Brake step brackets, Tichy Train Group ( Tichy) AB set #3013
Brake housing mount, parts box as not in kit (InterMountain)
Brake housing, kit
Retainer valve, kit
Retainer line, Tichy #1100, .008 diameter phosphor bronze wire (PBW)
Retainer line bracket, #1100, .008 diameter PBW
Bell Crank, Bowser/Cal-Scale, kit
Brake shaft, Tichy #1026, .0125 diameter PBW
Placard board, kit
Grab irons, bent, Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW
Grab iron brackets, etched brass, kit
Brake wheel, kit (installed after B end photo)

B end parts installed.

Once B end work was done, work of side detail parts was done as follows:

Long grab irons, Tichy #1101, .010 diameter PBW
Long iron brackets, etched brass, kit
Door hinges, etched brass, kit
Preco fans, etched brass, kit
Preco fans control box, etched brass, kit
Sill steps, kit, square corners made by heating and Xuron pliers

Etched parts installed on right side.

Etched parts installed on left side.

Now the roof hatches hatch rests, etched brass parts provided in the kit were bent to form an angle with UMM-USA Bender and installed. Install of roof grab irons bent from Tichy #1101. 010 diameter PBW with Yarmouth Model Works without shoulder for corners legs followed.

Etched hatch rests installed.

With the roof work done, the car body work was finished except for uncoupling levers and forgotten ice hatch levers. Onto the underbody work. Underbody details were installed as follows:

Brake cylinder, air reservoir, and brake levers, kit, Bowser/Cal-Scale
Control/AB valve, resin cast Sunshine Models
Brake cylinder mount, Sunshine Models cut to fit
Air reservoir mount, cut of plastic sill steps
Brake lever pin plate, parts box (model car part)
Brake lever hangers, brass wire grab irons in kit
Train line, Tichy #1103 .020 diameter PBW
Pipping 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 diameter PBW
Brake rod clevises, MEK Goop (plastic melted in MEK)
Dirt collector, kit
Chain, Tichy, #8334, black 40 links per inch

Underbody parts installed.

After the car was moved to the paint shop, the underbody was airbrushed with Vallejo Model Air NATO Black 71.251.

Underbody airbrushed black.

Prior to moving the car to the paint shop the ice hatch levers provided in the kit were installed. And, uncoupling levers bent from Tichy #1106, .0125 diameter PBW were installed with eye bolt brackets provided in kit.

In the paint shop the car body was airbrushed with Vallejo Surface Primer 73.601. When dry the sides were airbrushed Vallejo/MicroMark Model Air Reefer Yellow #29028X2. After paint was dry and the sides had tape applied, the ends and roof were airbrushed Vallejo Model Color Saddle Brown 70.940 for the consortium Standard Brown. The kick-board area under the under the doors was brush painted Vallejo Model Color Saddle Brown 70.940. Car body side sills, sill steps, ladders, door hardware, long grab irons and other hardware were brush painted Vallejo Model Air NATO Black 71.251. Once all paint was air dry, the car body was airbrushed with Vallejo Gloss Varnish 70.510 to provide a gloss decal base.

Car painted.

Decals provided in the kit were applied using photo of FGEX 66504 as a guide for location. Decals in the kit were brushed with MicroScale Decal Film prior to application as the first applied decal broke in unusable pieces. After coated decals were dry, the 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.

After setting overnight to air dry, car body was airbrushed with Vallejo Gloss Varnish, 70.510, to better hide edges of decals and protect decals during handling.

WFEX 66557 airbrushed with Gloss Varnish.

Again after air drying, the car body was airbrushed with Model Master Acryl Flat Clear, #4636, to protect decals and provide a flat finish for weathering when applied.

WFEX 66557 with flat finish applied.

One more step before putting WFEX 66557 in service was to weather the car with Pan Pastels. Pan Pastels Paynes Grey Extra Dark 840.1 and Neutral Grey 820.5 were both applied with a makeup brush on the roof and lightly over car body. The Neutral Grey was applied first followed by the Paynes Grey Extra Dark. After application, the two colors were blended on car body with cotton swab.

WFEX 66557 weathered.

Western Fruit Express 66557 was ready for service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company, The Lakeland Route, “Serving today, Shaping tomorrow.” A car card was made for WFEX 66557, the final step to put the a car in service on the Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Railroad.

WFEX 66557 car card with shipment card
to create waybill.

WFEX 66557 on GN Interchange,
Minneapolis, Minnesota

If my friend Bill Welch was still with us today, I would definitely say, “Thank You” for the masters he made and another “Thank You” for etched part design and the precision jigs he designed to make this Sunshine Models 19th Anniversary kit possible.

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Lester Breuer

Minneapolis & Northland Railroad Company Modeling

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Western Fruit Express Refrigerator 66557