Gibraltar RR

[ocalicreek]

Hello All!

Anybody out there have the NMRA Living Legends #3 Gibraltar RR car? Can you tell me what type it is? One page on the NMRA site is down and the other shows a box car.

Reason I ask is this...I just found a Gibraltar 2-bay hopper at a swap meet yesterday. It looks like a basic Athearn car with details added (coupler lift bars and 'rings' near each truck on the sides, and bracing added between the weight and the coupler box, er, draft gear). The lettering is all decal work and the emblem looks painted on. It is extremely well weathered. The final clue is a small '45' written underneath in silver paint on one of the weights. Number is 1353 on the car, with all the dimensional data seemingly screened on, like an Athearn car.

Is this one of Milt's, or an NMRA car, or what?

Galen

 

[ocalicreek]

Oh, and I've already done a google search plus model train magazine index search on Milt Moore and Gibraltar. His layout is on the 2007 NMRA convention tour, but I doubt I'll get to the convention this year. I'll try to get a picture posted sometime today.

Galen

 

[ocalicreek]

pics

Here are two shots...one showing the underside with number and detailing (plus weathering) and the other a broadside shot.

View attachment 33087
View attachment 33086

I realize folks are busy with more interesting threads, but I'm REALLY curious about this and have to believe that somebody on here knows something, anything about this railroad and possibly this car. I've emailed the NMRA but no reply from them yet. Heck, I may just look up Milt Moore in the yellow pages and give him a call...

Galen

 

[ocalicreek]

I received an email reply from a helpful research associate at the NMRA/Kalmbach Memorial Library who can connect me with Milt Moore...hopefully I'll have more information next time I post here!

Galen

 

[ocalicreek]

YES! Mystery solved! I have heard from Milt and this is indeed one of his cars. I'm honored to have found such a neat piece of rolling stock with a fascinating history. Without going into all the details, it's lived most of its life in Washington and after its previous owner passed away was probably purchased in an estate sale. That's where I join the story, having just purchased it at a train show in Ranier, OR, just across the river from Longview/Kelso, where I live.

So now it will soldier on making occasional appearances in Appalachia on the Ocali Creek Ry, delivering coal to the dock at Murdock's Landing for trans-shipment down the river.

Galen

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Nice find Galen. It is neat to find something like that and then find the history to it, before you put it to work on your railroad.