#01    1981

Rd. No. 58053

No examples of the famous GM&O 50’ green boxcar had been produced by any HO scale model company, so the Society decided to kick off its modeling line by rectifying this oversight with mixed results. The car was well received, but the lettering was wrong in every regard except for the spelling, and the Athearn model is incorrect for any known 50’ boxcar on any U.S. railroad. The scheme also started the quaint practice of including “When empty return to GM&OHS, Springfield, Il.” for the return route instructions. Despite its shortcomings, car #1 got the special edition car program off to a good start.

#02 1982

Rd. No. 81039

An Athearn model was used to represent the ACF centerflow hoppers the GM&O acquired in 1966. Once again, improper artwork was applied to an incorrect model, (the prototype had three hatches; the model four, and the weld line across the body is incorrect).  Again, the return route instructions were to the GM&OHS. 

#03    1983

Rd. Nos. 23987 24612 23108 24263

Here, the Society decided to do its only car from a predecessor road. In so doing, a few facts about using the Athearn 40’ car were overlooked. The model is a circa 1945 prototype (five years past the M&O’s demise), single door, and all steel (the M&O didn’t roster any 40’ steel, single door boxcars), with lettering that was unlike anything ever seen on the Mobile & Ohio. However, this car sold so well that a second run with new road numbers was produced.

#04   1984

NRC Rd.Nos. 19968 19914

MDT Rd.Nos. 12552 12567

Two versions of car #4 were produced.  Contrary to the photos, the cars are identical in color.

Athearn 40’ ice reefers were used to depict the MDT/NRC cars used by the GM&O from the late 1940’s to the 1972 merger. The kit was actually a very faithful replica of the prototype. Unfortunately, a mishap in the initial printing process necessitated a total repainting of the cars which were not first stripped. This caused obliteration of fine detail on the models.

#05   1985

Rd. Nos. 60070 60715 60849 60370

1985’s offering was a breakthrough for the Society due to the nearly perfect set of graphics used on a nearly perfect model. The Athearn ribbed-side hopper featured the “billboard” lettering scheme, with four road numbers offered. Its only detraction was the continued practice of placing “GM&OHS” at the end of the return route instructions on the model.

#06  1987

Rd. Nos. 56199 56286 56345 56700

As in the previous year, a very good model representation of a GM&O car was chosen, but with not quite the same ultimate success.  Robins Rail 50’ PS1 boxcars were used, and were a bit difficult to build, but resulted in a very true model. The graphics were passable, but the arched “Gulf, Mobile & Ohio” was a bit flattened, and the character fonts were incorrect.