Heritage Freight Cars

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi, I picked-up on Kevin’s thread (August) about NMRA Heritage Stock - after reading MR (Dec 20) about the MR&T’s Heritage Locos.

Watching YouTube vids of Manifests rolling by, it’s amazing what still shows up on Boxcar sides, ‘Southern Pacific’ (Hydra-Cushion) ‘Conrail’, BN Cascade green etc.

I fear have developed a fetish for 57 Varities of Boxcars. Recently a light-blue one with a circular yellow crest went by. I researched this to being a Corinth & Counce and was pleased that even though Patched-out, I could identify it’s Heritage. Next thing, a HO model turned-up on ebay UK CCR#61394 and the impulsive buyer in me, bid successfully.

Then I saw N&S’s Heritage loco SD70 ‘Illinois Terminal’ livery. A nice yellow and green Boxcar, ITC#80783 appeared on ebay and…

Next up on ebay was a Chicago North Western CNW#718223, I quite like the instantly recorgnisable Badge. Also, I’ve always liked the Delaware & Hudson loco livery & Shield - and along came Boxcar DH#24001

For the moment (I won’t risk ‘final’) a black livery Boxcar showed-up, silver-painted Plug-door, Seaboard Coast Line SCL#28690 proclaiming ‘Smooth Cushion Load’ with a ‘DF Loader’. Roundhouse once again, trying to pass this one off as a Plate F.

I bought these because I like them for their liveries and I research their RR Co. history. Even though, apart from the CCR, I cannot legitimately run them on my Railroad, I reasoned that N&S might have refurbished an ITC Boxcar along with their SD70 and other RR Co. have done similar, therefore I can run them all, if I want to.

Whilst this may all seem a bit ‘wheels off the rails’ stuff - I just wondered if other Modellers have a fleet or items of ‘favourite’ Heritage Freight stock that they like to run on their layouts, even though they are stretching the history record book - a bit, either thru era and/or location. Regards, Paul

2

I had to track down Kevin’s earlier post on this subject, as I was uncertain as to the meaning of “Heritage Freight”.
I seem to recall having a Gorre & Daphetid boxcar, and a couple (or more) from, I think, Allen McClelland’s V&O.
I either sold or gave them away, although one or two of them might have been stripped and repainted, and may be still on my layout, with no indication of their former identity. Collecting such cars was not one of my interests and I would have bought them mainly because they were affordable.

Wayne

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I probably sin when I run my billboard ice-bunker reefers. Not only were advertising reefers and other rolling stock outlawed, but ice bunker refrigeration also faded out before my era is done.

4

I had some of those billboard reefers from Train Miniature, but they were outlawed before my layout’s late '30s era. I sold some of them, and re-painted a few…

Wayne

5

I don’t recall what era you model, but according to the book “Pacific Fruit Express” ice bunker service officially ended in the US in late 1972 after an ICC decision. The ice reefers themselves were still used in top-ice and insulated boxcar services afterwards until they were eventually retired.

6

I took a modern approach. I have a five unit HO scale intermodal 48’ well car, that was CSX blue. I painted out all the CSX reporting marks. I made the A and B parts “GT” with GTW reporting markings, and sections C, D, E are two different versions of Detroit Toledo & Ironton and one Detroit Toledo & Shore Line.

7

Wasn’t all that long ago I saw a NS train run through locally with an un-patched LEF (Lake Erie, Franklin, and Clarion) box car in the consist. This railroad went bye-bye in 1993, this would have been maybe 2011 and the car wasn;t even all tagged, the logo and road name was clearly visible. Was interesting because my GF is from just outside of Franklin, and went to Clarion University.

–Randy

8

I have all the NMRA Heritage/Living Legends cars that were produced in S. Some are RTR, most are kits. I will happily run all of them on the layout (currently under construction). I also run billboard reefers even though my layout is set in the early 50’s just because I like them.

Most of the cars themselves are of the era even if the paint schemes were outlawed or fanciful.

Paul

9

I live near Enola Yard, on the west shore of the Susquehanna River, in Pennsylvania. My house in Marysville is about 1 mile as the crow flies from the famous (former PRR) Middle Division main line (once four tracked).

We see it ALL here. Anything can show up at any time, and that includes anybody’s boxcar from anywhere. Mexican cars–sure we see them. Autoracks all the time and brown NdeM or FXE 50’ boxcars fairly often.

You have to realize that in many cases, repaints were done quickly, and over a period of time the second coat of paint literally washes away if the surface was not properly primered.

Rock Island went bankrupt in 1980, yet on my way to The Station (train store in New Cumberland) on a Saturday a couple weeks ago, I saw a gorgeous blue Rock Island covered hopper, with the big R and everything. Only the reporting marks differed. The entire second coat of paint had washed away revealing gorgeous Rock Island blue and all factory lettering.

We have seen full red warbonnet Santa Fe diesels, not even patched, just a few years ago. There were some running around yet, though they were getting a bit rough. Former Santa Fe (early 1980’s rebuild in kind) GP-30’s. Check–local shortline bought some and even ran them for awhile in pretty much full Santa Fe blue and yellow warbonnet. It was quite surprising to be on one’s way home from work and to see the full on Santa Fe blue and yellow warbonnet GP-30’s sitting in Enola enroute to the shortline.

Mexican diesels, all they way up here? Check–we see them mixed into N-S loco consists from time to time.

Anything CP Rail or CN, nearly solid trains of Canadian newsprint boxcars. Check.

However, I can’t tell you the last time I saw an 86’ hi cube boxcar in Enola. It has been a couple years. The NJ auto plants that received them are closed. We saw a lot of those big box