BREWERIANA: Lionel #6-9856 Old Milwaukee Billboard Reefer (1975)

Here's a billboard reefer from Lionel's MPC era. During the 1960s Lionel was in one of it's dire straits periods (one of many) and at risk of going out of business. In 1970 General Mills bought the inventory, the right to use the Lionel name, and the manufacturing rights. They continued manufacturing them until 1986 at which time the brand was sold to Richard Kughn, a real estate developer and train buff who reorganized the brand under the Lionel Trains moniker. Short-sighted, hidebound pedants denigrate the MPC era as 'cheap' but fail to recognize that without it Lionel would have ceased to exist by the very early 1970s. Those of us who are more appreciative of their efforts call it the 'fun era' as MPC introduced an awesome array of fun cars and sets. If you're into beer and spirits, Lionel MPC had it. If you're into candy and sweets, Lionel MPC had it. If you're into various cereal brands, Lionel MPC had it all in colorful 'billboard' style reefers, boxcars, tank cars, etc. They offered a gazillion non-fantasy prototype roadnames as well.

A few years back I had started my fledgling collection of beer cars - mostly those that had a tie-in to Milwaukee or to Wisconsin - it's been a lot of fun and I've since moved on to non-Wisconsin brands as well. The MPC era was the perfect start because of the variety of cars available at decent prices and this was one of my early acquisitions. Old Milwaukee beer started in the 1930s and was then owned by Schlitz. In 1982 the brand was sold to Stroh Brewery, and in 2000 Stroh's was bought out by Pabst where it still is. That means the car depicted here was made by MPC when the Old Milwaukee brand was still owned by Schlitz.  The car is made in what we refer to as 'traditional scale' which essentially means it's smaller than the true 1/48 scale size of O-scale trains. Much of what we deal with in 3-rail O-gauge railroading is actually caricatures. Either the size is not true to scale or there are caricatures, or total toy (like most of Lionel's Prewar production) or perhaps fantasy schemes. But unless you're a pedant or size perfectionist, then it's all just plain fun!!

Cars like this can range in price for maybe $10 without box to upwards of $40 in like-new condition with box. Not bad considering almost nothing in the current Lionel catalog cost that little (expect to pay $80 - $100 for a new boxcar or reefer). Enjoy! Opa Fritz

FYI: I did not pay $36 for this! Try $20

Some MPC era boxes were mini-catalogs, a nice touch totally lacking in modern production boxes.

Red, white, and gold - a striking color scheme

Not every boxcar or reefer in Lionel's inventory had operating doors. This one does.