True Line to release "mini box"

[Puddington]

True Line Trains has announced they will bring the iconic "Mini box" car (of CPR and PGE fame) out in n scale. Credit Valley Railway has a announcement here:

http://www.cvrco.com/whatscoming-n.htm

The mini box is a must for Canadian modelers right into the 80's as they were seen in MOW service even then. At $ 27.50/car they are a bit pricey but not out of the park... I'm looking forwrd to seeing these hit the rails !

[lock4244]

A bit of a ho-hum release to me with my era seeing them at the extreme end of their lives. That said I know one or two will find their way to me what with the Script scheme somewhat irresistible to me.

[bbussey]

An interesting choice.  I would have thought they would pursue the slab side covered hoppers first.  I might pick up one with the lumber end-door, either the "Spans the World" scheme or the block herald scheme.

[fredmoehrle]

Why are they called "Mini-boxes"?

[bbussey]

Because they are "height-challenged".  The roof height is much lower than the standard cars of the time period.

[Puddington]

An interesting choice.  I would have thought they would pursue the slab side covered hoppers first.  I might pick up one with the lumber end-door, either the "Spans the World" scheme or the block herald scheme.

Me too Bryan; I can't understand the delay on the slab sides......

[bbussey]

I believe the slab sides are on the schedule now, which is better than their status in the past, but there are other projects ahead of it.  That was my understanding from my last conversation with TLT.

[lock4244]

Not doin the slab sides is somewhat of a WTF moment... but I'm glad it's in the pipeline, but not just yet. Can you say 'leaves time to save up'? Slabs are a car I'd like a fleet of, particularly CP and TH&B. By the late 1980's I think CN's were slabs were either razor blades or the few left were in OCS sand service.

[Chris333]

NEW 6-29.   I'm in for 1 or 2.

[Bob Bufkin]

What's the timeframe for these cars?  Also, would they have made it into MD and PA in service?

[lock4244]

Bob, they'd have been in interchange service from the 1920's into the late 1960's. With over 7000 or so of them, it would be unlikely that they did not make it to PA and MD often, either coming down the D&H or through the Buffalo gateway.

[screeh]

I notice that TLT's website lists a SRP of $45 per car (possibly due to copying content over from the HO model, which has the same price tag?) and mentions a CP Rail MOW scheme:

http://www.truelinetrains.ca/freight-cars/n---mini-box-car

Will be good to see these in RTR form - Murphy's Law dictates that they'll arrive just as I finish assembling the Briggs models kit - and I look forward to TLT bringing more of their current HO line into N scale (particularly the slab sides, 8-hatch reefers and bulkhead flats).

[sirenwerks]

So did the Soo Line have any of these cars or am I thinking of the 1932 ARA box cars like Atlas has released? Or something similar? I've seen small Soo box cars with the block lettering in proto photos and am not sure which they are, so I can hope for them in N scale.

And any word if TLT will do the lumber door version?

[PGE_Modeller]

Applicable to either the Briggs Models or the True Line Trains miniboxes is the following information taken from the General Arrangement drawing available on-line from the Canadian Pacific Historical Association, http://www.cptracks.ca/cpsig/index.html:

There were a total of 7500 cars from three builders; National Steel Car, Canadian Car & Foundry, and Eastern Car Company.

National Steel Car built cars in series 241500 - 222499 and 245200 - 247499.  These all rode on Symington cast Steel trucks

Canadian Car & Foundry built cars in series 240000 - 241499 and 243000 - 245059.  These cars rode on Dalman 2 Level trucks.
The 1000 cars in number series 243000 - 243999 were the only ones with a lumber door in the 'A'-end.

Eastern Car Company built cars in series 242500 - 242999 and 245060 - 245199.  Like the CC&F cars, these rode on Dalman 2 Level trucks.

Note that the Briggs Models kit includes the option of building the car with the lumber door.  I haven't seen anything regarding a lumber door in the TLT information released to date.

Cheers,

[bbussey]

TLT lists a lumber door version for two of the CP schemes on their website.