From 1949 through 1957 the Soo Line’s Fond du Lac Shops produced about 2,300 six-foot single sliding-door 40′ boxcars for the Soo Line and its leased subsidiary Wisconsin Central. Although the car design remained virtually unchanged, and important change took place in their appearance because of their lettering schemes. From 1949 into 1951 the traditional Soo Line “$-Sign” herald was used. Beginning later in 1951, a billboard lettering scheme with four-foot block letters was introduced. A refined form was used from 1953 to 1957. These FDL boxcars became the signature Soo Line freight cars from the 1950s through the later 1960s.
The 2017 SLHTs car models replicate the original 1949 “$-Sign” scheme and the 1956, and most common, version of the billboard scheme. These cars are a lighter oxide red color with white printing, including all end lettering.
Accurail again produced these models for us with lettering masters developed and provided by the SLHTS.
