Freight cars CR era Freight cars PRR era Caboose
CONRAIL "EARLY YEARS" 1976-1978 ERA FREIGHT CARS
The BOXCAR is the most common type of freight car used since the beginning of the american railroads. Thousands and thousands of boxcar were built by many industries to put in service on the tracks the better way for carrying every kind of goods. There are many types of boxcar, built using wood or metal frame, with different lenght and capacity. The classification of those freight cars type has been done following the main characteristics and taking names and different classes, within each railway companies.
CONRAIL
50' X58 class boxcar #229723 (1976)
The X58 Class boxcar was one of the Pennsylvania's largest classes of boxcars. At the Penn Central merger, just over 2,000 X58 and their subclasses were in service. Many survived onto Conrail with the original heritage colors (CR patched) and/or repainted, as some units in former Lehigh Valley white livery.
Tangent Scale Models - Weathered.
PENN CENTRAL
60' 70-ton X77 class Berwick 7440 Appliance boxcar #278129 (1974)
This Hi-cube car was built and delivered in 1973 by the Berwick Forge and Fabricating Corporation in the former AC&F Berwick, Pennsylvania plant. Penn Central was the largest buyer and took delivery of 130 of them (equipment series 278045 - 278174). The Illinois Central Gulf, Norfolk & Western and Rock Island also acquired a handfull each.
Exactrail - Weathered.
UNION PACIFIC - SOUTHERN PACIFIC
50' PC&F SS boxcar with 14' Plug Door #850110 (1974)
Bunkerless box/reefer car (built by Pacific Car & Foundry in many hundreds units) with or without ventilating devices and with or without device for attaching portable heaters. Construction with insulation in side ends, floor and roof to meet maximum UA factor requirement of 250 BTU/F/Hour for this type 50 foot cars. Equipped with adjustable loading or stowing device.
Athearn Genesis - Weathered and improved (Kadee couplers).
RAILBOX
50' single-door boxcar FMC-5077 type #18407 (1975)
The boxcar with the single-sliding door configuration is one of the best known and used widely by many different railroads. These cars were produced using the Gunderson metal works which FMC had acquired in 1965. In late 1975, FMC began producing a 5,077-cubic-foot Plate B boxcar for IPD and Railbox services. Railbox Company (reporting marks ABOX, RBOX, TBOX, FBOX) was founded in 1974, created to address a boxcar shortage in the United States in the 1970s. It is a subsidiary of the Chicago-based TTX Company.
Atlas Master Line - Weathered and improved.
JERSEY CENTRAL LINES
50' N.A.C.C. boxcar auto #41030 (1964)
The 50' NACC boxcar was designed and built by the North American Car Corporation (NACC) in the early 1960s. The car was an insulated boxcar (equipped with a plug-door) used to carry various commodities that are temperature sensitive. The plug door offers better sealing of the car to maintain temperature and better protection from weather, theft, and other possible damages.
Athearn Genesis - Weathered and improved (Kadee couplers).
QOCX QUAKER OATS COMPANY
50' NACC boxcar #330 (1966)
The 50' NACC boxcar was designed and built by the North American Car Corporation (NACC) in the early 1960s. This boxcar was an insulated type equipped with plug-door. Insulated cars are used to carry various commodities that are temperature sensitive.
Several railroads rostered this car with most of them either purchased by or leased to private shippers (as QOCX to transport foods and cereals).
Athearn RTR - Weathered and improved.
BOSTON & MAINE RR
50' PS-1 boxcar #77064 (1956 - 1977 repaint)
Pullman Standard built the longer version of its 40' PS-1 boxcar from 1952. The greatest variation was in the size and style of doors used. Later, Pullman Standard also offered 60′ boxcars – also with the PS-1 designation.
Kadee - Weathered.
The GONDOLA CAR , in North American railroad terminology, is an open roof rail vehicle used to transport bulk materials, such as metal scrap, stone, lumber, or heavy loads. Due to their low side walls, the nacelles are also suitable for transporting high density loads such as steel plates or coils, or bulky items such as prefabricated sections of track.
PENN CENTRAL
The G43 class was a 52-foot, 6-inch interior length corrugated-side gondola first saw production in 1966. Initially produced with a design based on "all panel corrugated", the following sub-classes later they had some changes. The variant G43b have no corrugations in the outward two panels, as well as DSI (Despatch Shops, Inc., Rochester NY) corrugated ends. The Pennsylvania Railroad and merger successor Penn Central built a total of 3.750 G43 / G43A / G43B / G43C gondolas at the Sam Rea Shops in Hollidaysburg, PA, from 1966 to 1970.
Tangent Scale Models - Weathered.
CONRAIL
65'6" Mill Gondola #593300 (1977)
First built by General American in the early 1940’s, the mill gondola was designed for steel mill shipments that required extra length and versatility. The sturdy riveted construction could carry the necessary weight plus both end panels were hinged to fold inward. This allowed long beams and other extra-length loads to extend beyond the length of the car. When carrying such loads, the mill gondola requires flat cars coupled to both ends to allow clearance of the overhanging load.
Athearn RTR - Light weathered and improved (Kadee couplers and air-hoses added).
LEHIGH VALLEY
Bethlehem 70-Ton riveted drop-end gondola LV #32904 (built 1950 repaint 1973) #37076 (built 1952 repaint 1970)
This 52.6-foot (over 16-meter) long, 70-ton tipper gondola type was designed and manufactured by Bethlehem Steel for the first time in March 1937 on demand by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad company. This car, referred to as the "O-59 class gondola car" for B&O, was built in over 4,000 units. Other railway companies bought these "Bethlehem" gondolas in the following years, until production ceased in 1957. They are used intensively, mostly by companies operating in highly industrialized eastern countries rich in foundries, for the transport of metal scrap and, not infrequently, coal and other natural materials such as crushed stone. Most of these gondolas were gradually withdrawn from service in the mid-1980s, replaced by more modern models.
Tangent Scale Models - Weathered.
Since the beginning of the American railroad, the FLATCAR have been used to transport nearly all bulk products, including machinery, pipes, pulp, and lumber. Used for general services, the deck has been built entirely of steel since the early 1900s. The USRA (United States Railroad Administration) designed a 55 ton / 42 foot flat car and some 8,000 cars were built. Many other variations followed; for example, 50 tons / 46 feet and 70 tons / 53 feet, built by AAR (Association of Railroads) and Pullman-Standard between 1940-1950. Other types of flatcars were those adapted for the transport of trailers and containers (piggyback trains).
TTX-HTTX-OTTX TRAILER TRAIN
F60-GH class 60' trailer train flatcar HTTX #91534 #93226 (1968)
F60-GH class 60' trailer train flatcar HTTX #91534 #93226 (1968)
TTX Company (formerly TrailerTrain and founded by Pennsylvania Railroad and Norfolk & Western Railway) a provider of railcars and its "trailer flat cars" are the main option for many railroads about "piggybacking" train services. From 1956 over 165.000 cars (flatcars, boxcars and gondolas) were built and leased at the major american railroads. Between 1964-1975, TrailerTrain (now known as TTX Co.) acquired a fleet of 5.000 modern 60' flats built by ACF, Thrall and Pullman Standard. TTX cars were assigned to various classes to handle loads as auto frames, logs, military vehicles, farm equipment and construction equipment. Some were even modified to handle TTX's bread and butter, intermodal containers.
Intermountain Railway Co. - Weathered and improved.
COVERED HOPPERS are very special freight cars common to many North American railway companies, built in large numbers. Utilized to transport dense and heavy granular products like cement, clay, potash, and sand. In the United States, the leading manufacturer of covered hopper wagons is the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing (Pullman Company). The 4000 cubic foot PS-2CD indoor hopper was manufactured by P-S (first type developed) between 1962 and 1964 in the Butler's, PA, shops. These cars had a very long useful life, with some remaining in income service in the United States, Canada and Mexico until the early 2000s. One of the most distinctive Pullman-Standard covered hoppers, this common 90/100ton car it was mainly used for cereals, malt, fertilizers and similar services.
ELGIN JOLIET & EASTERN - ROCK ISLAND
PS-2 4427 "High Side" Covered Hopper EJ&E-RI restencil #131016 (1974)
Developed from "low-side" variant, the series 4427 “High Side” production ended in 1971 after delivery of approximately 12,000 cars. Built by Pullman-Standard in some thousands units, these covered-hopper cars met the needs of rail freight shippers for bulk transport.
Tangent Scale Models - Weathered.
MINNEAPOLIS NORTHFIELD & SOUTHERN
PS-2CD 4750 Covered Hopper MNS #3028 (1974)
The type 4750 followed the successful "high-hip"/high-side" design of one of Pullman Company's earliest designs, the 4740 deck hopper. When the Pullman ceased production of the 4750 in 1981, the accumulated fleet was the largest fleet of covered hoppers and it was probably the most prolific production of a singular design in any era. It was rare to find a manifest train without a PS-4750 inside. MNS Railway ordered two lots of PS-4750s, and both were delivered in the elegant dark blue paint scheme.
Tangent Scale Models - Weathered.
PENN CENTRAL
H30 class 3-bay covered hopper PC #32349 "sand service" (built 1936 PRR, rebuilt 1969 PC)
The Pennsylvania Railroad started building 70-ton H30 class covered hoppers around 1935. During the Sixty years, the capacity of the remaining cars was increased to 77tons from 70tons. At the time of merging between the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central Railroad, with the creation of the Penn Central company, remained in service around 1.000 exemplaries of H30. Many "sand service" H30 covered hoppers were used on the first years of Conrail era.
Bowser - Weathered and improved (Kadee couplers).
Pennsylvania Railroad
PS2 two-bay covered hopper car PRR H34a class #257156 (1955)
This variant of the original H30 class was built at Altoona Shps from Pullman Standard supplies parts, between May-June 1955. Following variants were the H34b and H34c, with the same features. A total of 1.400 PS2 covered hoppers have been produced in Pennsylvania Railroad colors.
Images coming soon!
Kadee - Weathered and improved (scale whisker couplers).
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD "PITTSBURG DIVISION" 1957-1960 ERA FREIGHT CARS
Pennsylvania Railroad
40' single sheathed USRA wood boxcar X26 class PRR #564543 (1919)
The PRR X26 class of wood boxcar was derivated by a model designed by USRA (United States Railroad Administration) since 1910. The "Pennsy" acquires its first variant of this boxcar beetwen 1919-1920, following the X25 class that was the first series of this boxcar type.
Tichy Train Group (RTR series) - Weathered.
Pennsylvania Railroad
USRA steel rebuilt boxcar X26c class PRR #105808, #105530 (1919)
By the beginning of WWII, the majority of the classic USRA double-sheathed box cars and their clones were rebuilt with steel sides. More rebuilds followed in the late 1940s and early 1950s. By late 1948, close 14,000 of the original 24,500 USRA double-sheathed cars had been rebuilt with quite a degree of variation including the end, door and underframe. These steel side rebuilds were far more popular than their single-sheathed counterparts.
Atlas Master Line - Weathered and improved.
Pennsylvania Railroad
50' post-war single door boxcar X44 class PRR #604419 (1951)
At the end of Second World War, railroads ordered large numbers of 50' AAR boxcars with a standard design that was first widely used in the late 1940s. This design was based on the original 1937 AAR design but was modified in the post-war era to include: improved dreadnaught end and diagonal panel roofs with standard or overhanging design. These 50' boxcars were a common sight on american railroads well into the 1970s and 1980s. Pennsylvania Railroad called this 50' boxcar X44 class.
Atlas Master Line - Weathered.
Pennsylvania Railroad
40' 50ton all steel boxcar X29 class #100467, #100554, #101801(1934)
In 1923, the ARA (American Railway Association) proposed a standard design all-steel box car for the american railroads. The largest fleet of these freight cars, was undoubtedly purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad. PRR assigned to this car the designation X29 class (sub-classes were developed). In 1957 remain in service over 30,000 cars, used throughout the huge PRR network, used for the transport of any goods not perishable.
Red Caboose - Weathered and improved (air-hoses and whisker couplers).
NEW YORK CENTRAL
50' automobile "double door" boxcar #64474 #64184 (1941)
Originating in the 1890, 50' boxcars were adapted to the needs of the automotive industry early in the 20th century with double side doors for easy loading at docks and ramps. In 1942, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) adopted a new standard all-steel design that included the latest pressed steel ends and doors.
Walthers Proto-2000 (Life-Like) - Weathered and modified (air-hoses, whisker couplers and correct side steps).
ERIE Railroad
40' modified AAR boxcar ERIE #80268 (1941)
The 1944 AAR boxcar is an evolution of 1937 design. The primary variations are the updated ends, known as "dreadnaught ends". Other changes have involved many exterior details as ladders, the panel roof and about only some units and the new doors (Superior model door and Youngstown door with different sizes). ERIE Railroad sold many hundreds of this boxcar type, put in service to carry not perishables goods.
Intermountain Railway Co. - Weathered.
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
M-53 wagon-top boxcar #380934, #1924 R.E.A. (1937)
The design of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad wagontop boxcars was one of the true innovations in boxcar production during the entire history of american railroading. The B&O created express boxcars from the M-53 class wagontop to meet the increased demand for mail storage and Railway Express Agency movements surrounding World War II. The production of new C-16 class beginning in 1937. The first 25 M-53s were re-equipped with steam and signal lines and additional vertical and lateral grab irons on the ends. From 1937 the B&O also constructed 2,000 additional Wagontops, classed M-53, numbers 380000-381999. In 1953 an additional 1,000 cars were built as class M-53A and numbered 385000-385999. Following, a total of 125 were converted from 1941 to 1945.
Fox Valley Models - Weathered.
MONON CIL Railway
40' PS-1 boxcar with 7' 5-Panel Superior Door #859 (1953)
Pullman-Standard built thousands of ARA and AAR boxcars through the mid-1940s, but in 1947 P.S. began producing its PS-1 line of boxcars. Basically, these new boxcars were further developments of 1944 AAR design, built in 40- and 50-foot lenghts. The PS-1 boxcar proved immensely popular with over 75.000 cars produced for 79 railroads and private owners.
Kadee - Weathered.
Wabash
USRA steel rebuilt boxcar #82144 (1923)
By the beginning of WWII, the majority of the classic USRA double-sheathed box cars and their clones were rebuilt with steel sides. More rebuilds followed in the late 1940s and early 1950s. By late 1948, close 14,000 of the original 24,500 USRA double-sheathed cars had been rebuilt with quite a degree of variation including the end, door and underframe. These steel side rebuilds were far more popular than their single-sheathed counterparts.
Atlas Master Line - Weathered and improved.
WABASH
1937 ARA double-door boxcar WAB #8246 (1950)
In 1937, the AAR approved a new standard box car. The design itself was an update of the 1932 ARA box car design, with increased height and width, and newer components.
The 1937 AAR box car and its subsequent iterations represent the first voluntary and mass adoption of a box car design by the railroads.
While the 1932 ARA car received some acceptance by the railroads, the 1937 AAR design was the first standard steel box car built in large quantities by many railroads.
While the 1932 ARA car received some acceptance by the railroads, the 1937 AAR design was the first standard steel box car built in large quantities by many railroads.
Red Caboose - Weathered.
Norfolk & Western
40' PS-1 single door 8' Youngstown boxcar #44263 (1951)
Pullman-Standard built thousands of ARA and AAR boxcars through the mid-1940s, but in 1947 P.S. began producing its PS-1 line of boxcars. Basically, these new boxcars were further developments of 1944 AAR design, built in 40- and 50-foot lenghts. The PS-1 boxcar proved immensely popular with over 75.000 cars produced for 79 railroads and private owners.
Kadee - Weathered.
Illinois Northern
40' Mather Boxcar #2023 (1948)
From the 1920s through the 1950s, when freight car manufacturing and leasing were largely the province of big corporations like General American and American Car & Foundry, the Mather Company remained relatively small, privately owned and presided over by its namesake, Alonzo C. Mather. Using proven designs and off-the-shelf components, his company cranked out utilitarian cars using a minimum of specialized components or machine tools. The hand-built cars were cheap to build and maintain, so the company flourished because its cars could be leased at very competitive rates. Because railroads couldn't afford new cars from the major builders, the Mather Company's shops built or rebuilt many box cars for lease during the Depression. These cars remained in service through World War II and, updated with AB air brakes and more modern trucks, many of them lasted through the 1950's and into the 1960's, by which time the Mather Company had been acquired by the North American Car Company. With their distinctive Mather construction and sheet metal Mather Patent roofs, they could be seen all across the North American railroad network.
Walthers Proto - Weathered and improved.
Essentially a boxcar refrigerated, the reefer ( REFRIGERATOR CAR ) is designed to carry all perishable goods. The first refrigerator cars were being tested on the Northern Railroad in 1851, in New York. These cars featured some type of insulation and blocks of ice to keep the contents cool. The common merchandise carried were fruits, dairy, meat, and vegetables. Many railroads put in service huge quantities of reefer cars, at least until the beginning of the sixties. Following, the increase in traffic on the road caused a significant reduction in the use of rail transport of perishable goods, especially for short and medium distances.
Fruit Growers Express (FGE)
40' insulated reefer FGEX #37363 (1954)
Intermountain - Weathered.
Merchant Despatch Transportation Company (MD Ref. Line)
40' wood side refrigerator car #17217 (1936)
Red Caboose - Weathered and improved.
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad
40' wood reefer #BAR-6540 (1931)
Early “reefers” were of all wood construction and about 36’ long. The first 40 'model appeared from the end of the Second World War, built in wood but equipped with normal wood ends or new steel "dreadnaught" ends. As with box car development, steel components were incorporated into construction as technology improved. Stamped steel ends were added to the refrigerator cars to strengthen the body. “Double sheathing” remained a prominent part of the construction to insure maximum insulating properties. Equipped with steel roofs and Bettendorf trucks, these “reefers” could still be seen in trains during the 50’s.
Red Caboose - Weathered and improved.
The HOPPER CAR is a main actor of railroading history. Coal is undoubtedly one of the most important goods transported by trains since the dawn of rail transport. The first "open hoppers" used, called "jimmies" by the railway pioneers, were essentially a little two-axle cars used on mule-powered railroads of the 1820's and 1830's to haul about 1.5 tons of coal (3,000 pounds) from mines to a nearby canal or river. The little jimmies carried the basic features of the modern hopper that differentiates it from the gondola. However, the early hoppers were essentially an extravagant version of a gondola car. The first original hoppers with unloading of coal through a doublel-bay system, appeared in the mid of XIX century. With the new century, thanks mainly to the change from wood to iron/steel in the construction of rail cars, were built models with capacity up to 55 tons, which were the standard until the advent of the 4-bay hopper car with greater length and increased load from 70 to 100 tons.
Pennsylvania Railroad
USRA 55ton two-bay hopper GLA class PRR #220149, #220158 (1919)
Over 22.000 units of this hopper car were delivered by the U.S.R.A. to 23 railroads. This familiar car is the most long lived and successful USRA design. Many were in still service into the "sixties" and some even into the "seventies".
M.T.H. HO Trains - Weathered.
Pennsylvania Railroad
H21a class 4-bay coal hopper PRR #177060 (1916)
In 1911 thru 1917, the 70ton H21 "quad" hoppers were introduced for coal and coke services, by PRR and others railroads. During 1922 and 1923, all early H21 hoppers were converted to H21a's by replacing the 50ton trucks with 70ton trucks, equipping them for coal service and bringing the total to 36,000 H21a hopper cars.
Bowser RTR series - Weathered and improved (scale whisker couplers).
Pennsylvania Railroad
Four-bay hopper car PRR H22a class #410435 (1930)
The H-22a was a converted H-22 coke car, beginning in 1923.
The H-22 was originally built with clam shell doors but were converted to saw tooth doors as shop repairs were required.
Carrying capacity was increased to 140,000 pounds of coke. 3671 H-22A's were converted by 1930.
Images coming soon!
Bowser RTR series - Weathered and improved (scale whisker couplers).
CABOOSE AND CABIN CARS (ALL TIME)
The CABOOSE (cabin car for the Pennsylvania Railroad) was the last car in the consist about freight trains, used by conductors and other railroad workers for checking and to assist when needed, by ensuring the proper trip of the train, in complete safety. Cabooses were used on every freight train until the 1980s, when safety laws requiring the presence of cabooses and full crews were relaxed. Each north american railroad company has had in service their own types of caboose, but in more recent times, many companies have removed from service this rail transport vehicle, following the changing of the american rail transportation rules. Now, cabooses are generally only used on rail maintenance or hazardous materials trains, or on heritage and tourist railroads. In the U.S.A. surviving many units in service on short regional lines and industrial area or stored in museums.
The classification of the caboose has been different from company to company, while the producers, identified the vehicles by their appearance and design adopted. Essentially, there are two concepts of development for the production of caboose, with or without the dome (cupola). The variants derived sort the subclasses and the common types were: built with wood or metal body, with centered or offset cupola, designed as transfert role, set with bay-windows (no cupola) or wide-vision's windows configuration. Almost all caboose products, were equipped with four-axle trucks (of different producers), but the american railroad pioneers had also supplied caboose with two axles, as types called "bobber caboose".
PENN CENTRAL
NE-6 caboose PC #19825 (Built date unknown)
The "all steel" NE-6 class of caboose originated in 1947-1948, built by Railway Equipment Company (as C635-709 production lot) purchased by The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad. When New Haven merged to Penn Central contributed with some group of NE-6 (and some NE-5 class) renumbered with 19000 and 23000 series and were not modified when Conrail absorbed the Penn Central in 1976 (PC caboose numbers remained the same during the Conrail years).
Centralia Car Shop - Weathered and improved.
Pennsylvania Railroad
Wood-caboose cabin car N6b class PRR #981693 (Built 1919)
The N6b class of PRR's cabin car was the most famous caboose put in service by railroad, used in hundreds units on the huge network. Most cars rebuilt from 4 wheel wood underframe classes. There were Lines West (of Pittsburgh) cabins rebuilt in Lines West shops, starting 1914. These Lines West rebuilds into class N6a and N6b were concurrent with Altoona production of the N5 all-steel cabins for Lines East. Cupola placement could be variable: some rebuilds extended the body on only one end leaving the cupola near the other end, whereas others extended both ends leaving the cupola in the middle. N6b has narrower cupola with sloping sides.
Walthers Platinum Line - Weathered and improved.
Pennsylvania Railroad
Steel-caboose N8 class PRR #478072 (Built 1951)
The N8 Class Cabin Cars were built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1950 and 1951. There were a total of 199 built. Road Numbers assigned to these Cabins were 478020-478219. These were the last of the Cabin Cars built by the Pennsy. The N8 streamlined typical design has been produced with and without trainphone antennas.
Bowser Manufacturing HO scale Kit - Weathered and improved.
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