I recently bought an old blue wooden box car or reefer with arch bar trucks,which had a company's products on it,and put it in the "Old Time"collection,to run with my Spectrum old steamers.I do not know the brand of it.
It reads Lake Wobegon Mills -P M B X 1603582794,with logo Powdermilk Biscuits "Has your family tried them,heavens they"re tasty".
I took it to my train club yesterday,and ran it with a mixed freight consist ,and one of my mates spotted it and told me the story of "Lake Wobegon". He has listened to the radio show for years,where this name came from.He thought this car was part of a model railroad production run ?
I looked up Google,and got the whole story about the author,but would now like to know more about the actual model box car/reefer's provenance ?. Can the Forum assist here ?.
Sunshine-
Apparently you know all about the Garrison Keilor/Minnesota Public radio origins of
your Powdermilk Biscuits freight car. I think that's pretty much the whole story -- a
promotional piece which could be purchased as a gag gift.
-- D
Sunshine Express,
Any way you could post a photo? I'd love to see it!
Bill in FtL
"...If your family's tried 'em, you know you've satisfied 'em.
There a real hot item, Powder Milk!"
Don't know anything about the car, but would sure like to have one.
Lake Wobegon: where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and the children are above average.
Regards,
Jonathan
Thanks for the replies.I will now try to post my first photo.
Photo failed.I need instructions.How do I get them on my computer, I am 82 and trying to stay in the loop ?.
More forensic examination has shown the following ;
1.Roof and ribs are brass.Ribs separate.
2.Frame is metal
3.Floor is wood
4.Grab irons & steps wire (like Roundhouse kit)
5.Wheels are metal with plastic axles
6.Body & ends feels like wood,not plastic.(not proven0
Any fine paint removing can easily fixed,only flat black used.
Sunshine-
Could this be an old Silver Streak or Ambroid box car to which
someone added paste on Lake Wobegon sides? I would suspect
Central Valley, too, except that the trucks are obviously not CVs
due to the plastic axles.
-- D
H, Doneldon, Thanks for your input.My friend who started all this with his knowledge of the Radio Show,said he thought a Club may have made this car up as a "gimmick"in the same manner as the Show ?. There was no box for it, and he suggests that I write a brief history for it,and keep it.That is for the present ?.
As for the wheels,I may have changed these over from all plastic,as I do with models from sales,to update them,roll better etc.,but at 82,one forgets such things sometimes. Regards Sunshine Express
Sunshine-
CV trucks are all rass so even all plastic wheel sets militate against a CV kit.
-- D