Ibbes refrigerating wagon Frangeco LS Models

Nice wagons with well respected scale. Multiple metal inserts: handles, photoetched steps, transmission rods, or plastic: e. g. door locks. The ice containers’ access ladders, made of plastic, are quite thin.

The roofs seem very dark, almost black, compared to the photos of time.

Wagon no. 8 007 seems to have a marking error: having, like its sibling, a surface greater than 27 m², it should be marked Ibbes, not Ibes. But this is also the case for the real wagon shown opposite (11 87 082 8 048-2)!

As often at LS Models, the finish is not very good: the steps are not horizontal (but it’s easy to correct). Several end handles are not installed correctly, or are even simply missing (see photo — two different wagons), fortunately found at the bottom of the box. To glue in priority!

The axles, equipped with brass bearings, are pivoting. But, as for other wagons, the pivoting is illusory: some axes are tight, and the small moulded return springs don’t even lean on their support!

The wheels have thin flanges (0.45 mm). The back-to-back wheel spacing is still a bit small (14.2) compared to the latest NEM standard (14.5 ± 0.1).

See the Loco-Revue Forum.

Series of 250 wagons built by Frangeco in 1968/69. Source: DocRail (link bellow).

Main characteristics: usable volume 55 m³; tare 16 t; load 20 t (15 t at 120 km/h).