ACL 87254

ACL 87254ACL 87254: This car started life as an RTR Intermountain ACL covered hopper. The factory lettering is modified from the as-delivered scheme with "ATLANTIC COAST LINE" in larger letters over the capacity data and a reweigh of WX-7-57/ Since the layout date is October, 1954, the car needed to be put back to the original lettering. Jerry Glow (when he was still in business) supplied the smaller "ATLANTIC COAST LINE" decals and a "NEW 6-53" decal. The lettering to be removed was kept wet with Solvaset for several minutes and then scrubbed off with a Pink Pearl eraser with no harm to the underlying paint. The prototype trucks appear to be an ASF A-3 roller bearing variant which used to be more common in the model world, but are no longer made. The best option was to find an old MDC PS-2 covered hopper and use those trucks. After some chalk mark decals and a little weathering the car was ready to be put in service hauling phosphate to the Smith-Douglass fertilizer plant in Streator.