USMRR Timberclad Rifle Cars

It seems that I've been away for a spell. To continue. I modeled two USMRR Timberclad Rifle Cars. Using the best method for numbering I could think of, I looked at the 4 digit lottery for the day and came away with USMRR N0. 1375. Then the 3 digit for the other car and arrived with USMRR No. 283.

 

Rifle cars were boxcars with planking cut to provide long slots for the soldiers to shoot from;

heavy timber railroad cross ties were stacked against the walls on the inside, making the cars rifle-proof. 

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USMRR 283

This car has Gatling Guns installed in the doors. Remanisant of a WWII B17 waist gunner or a Nam Huey Door Gunner. Just rather nifty looking although HIGHLY Improbable. Gatling Guns had an Extremely Limited use and only in the Western Theater of the ACW. If memory serves only about 4 Gatlings were put to use by the Union.

 

 These cars were used in conjunction with USMRR Gun Cars, usually coupled behind the Gun Car. A "normal" setup would have a Flat Car in the lead to trigger mines or locate loosened rail, followed by the Gun Car then a Rifle Car. The Locomotive and Tender would then be placed in the middle with a Rifle Car coupled behind the Tender and then a Gun Car rounding up the tail. Many times the Locomotive and Tender would be assembled into this train backwards so that any ambush (ambuscade) would allow the Locomotive to drop sand in front of the drivers to assist a hasty retreat.