NC&StL Watermelon Car.

Here we have an interesting model that I found fun to build even though it is a bit out of my era - the late 1950's.  The basis for this model was another badly damaged model in a box of other models I got at a Lionel Train Show years ago.  My brother is a big L&N/NC&STL fan and I went to him to get any details about this car.  I found out the NC&STL had some of these ventilated boxcars.  These cars were common in the South and are often referred to as "Watermelon Cars".   After restoring some of the damage done to the doors and ends, I began installing the brake system and the air lines along with the air hoses and cut levers.  I was able to complete the decals using a mix of Champion and Microscale decals.  The couplers are Monarch die-cast operating couplers.  I deliberately left the watermelons out of the car, since they were used to haul tobacco also.  Hope you enjoy looking at the car as much as I did building it.  Bill