lettering for GN’s 1944 Plywood cars repainted for Lading Loader scheme

Of the 1,000 plywood cars built in 1944 in GN’s St. Cloud shops, 24 were assigned to passenger express service and equipped with steam and signal lines.

At the time they were painted in the Omaha orange side scheme with GN’s Pullman Green lettering (See Protocraft Decal set GN-3d) for this scheme. In 1955,

the cars were tted with all-steel Youngstown doors and repainted into the new “Loader” scheme with Empire Builder lettering, as depicted here. The plywood

cars were not equiped with the Evan’s Damage Free (DF) loaders and hence the “Lading Loader” markings did not apply. Series 2504-2524 (44000-44024)

 

This decal set is primarily designed to accomodate Protocraft’s model of the GN’s 1944 plywood cars used in express service that received the “Loader” paint

and lettering scheme in 1955. However by 1958 and into the 1960’s this paint scheme was used on many series of the all-steel 12-panel boxcars, and this set

also includes lettering for the Series 39395-39399.

 

The rst series of all-steel 12-panel boxcars were built in 1948 as Series 2525-2549 (part of an order for 1,000 cars) to be used in LCL express service and

painted in the “Loader” paint scheme. A later series 39395-39399, built in 1951 for example, were equiped with Evan’s loaders and carried the “Lading Loader”

badge. Note: There were many series of cars during this period that were repainted and renumbered into and out of the “Loader” scheme, and a more comprehensive study is necessary to fully understand the sequence of these applications - for example, in 1953, car 2538 was seen painted all Pullman green with

Glidden #33 yellow lettering and a 72” herald.

 

Paint & Lettering: In 1955 the 1944 plywood cars were repainted into the new “LOADER” scheme, with the top half Omaha Orange, and the lower half, roof, ends

and ladders GN’s Pullman Green - an almost aquamarine gray color. Underframe and trucks coated with black car cement.

Note: An accurate model of the 1944 plywood car is Protocraft PC-3505 and 3506

 

Decal set designed and created at Protocraft Decals