New boxcar from Rapido

[CBQ Fan]

According to Don Strack, they would be 1997-2003. "The first group, numbered as 70000-70049 (50 cars), delivered in July and August 1997, were rebuilt from standard 50' cars built new for Southern Pacific in 1976. They were painted green, supposedly matching the green color used by the earlier Railway Express Agency. As the cars were rebuilt, most were repainted to Amtrak's standard Platinum Mist color to match the other cars in Amtrak's trains."

https://utahrails.net/pass/amtrak-mail-express.php

Chris

Thank you, I will grab at least the single unit I am guessing.

[jagged ben]

This may cost me quite a bit.   Where is the best place to pre-order Rapido?

[BruceStikkers]

I plan on getting mine from Lombard Hobbies. They have good discounts and great service. I have really liked this car since it first came out although it is a couple of years too new for me. I will get the SP because I really like that paint scheme and only lightly weather it.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

[ai5629]

Does anyone know of a typical cargo these carried?  I am looking for a reason to justify these showing up in the northeast, Pennsylvania specifically.  Thank you.

Jeff

[mu26aeh]

At least in my case, the car I photographed was probably heading to International Paper, this plant does container board/cardboard

[Ngineer]

According to Don Strack, they would be 1997-2003. "The first group, numbered as 70000-70049 (50 cars), delivered in July and August 1997, were rebuilt from standard 50' cars built new for Southern Pacific in 1976. They were painted green, supposedly matching the green color used by the earlier Railway Express Agency. As the cars were rebuilt, most were repainted to Amtrak's standard Platinum Mist color to match the other cars in Amtrak's trains."

https://utahrails.net/pass/amtrak-mail-express.php

Chris

Thanks for answering my question, too. Even before I had it posted.   

Did they travel exclusively in Amtrak trains, or was there some exchange with other railroads? Or some use in Maintenance of Way?

(And the SP box cars, when were they first used?)

   Javier

[wazzou]

(And the SP box cars, when were they first used?)

   Javier

1976

[Ngineer]

1976

Thank you. Now I HAVE to buy a few of them.

   Javier

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Does anyone understand the actual product listing on the Rapido site?

There are two listings for single SP cars labeled "delivery". What's the story?

[EspeeGoldenState]

Does anyone understand the actual product listing on the Rapido site?

There are two listings for single SP cars labeled "delivery". What's the story?

As delivered. There is two multipacks. And the singles are random numbers out of the 6 pack.

There are still cars that we delivered with SP paint out running faded and yellow stripes, but are not being offered this run.

Chris

[James Costello]

I'll get one just to support the cause. I really wish they went with the 14' plug door box if they were going to go with a SP centric PCF car.

I sitll hold out hope we get the 16' door on the Wheels of Time (8' + 8') Espee box. 

[cv_acr]

Does anyone understand the actual product listing on the Rapido site?

There are two listings for single SP cars labeled "delivery". What's the story?

Two different six-packs, 12 road numbers total.


SKU 537001   - 6-pack #1
SKU 537001A - single car out of 6-pack #1
SKU 537002   - 6-pack #2
SKU 537002A - single car out of 6-pack #2

The Rapido 6-packs are the brown boxes they sell to dealers. With 6 individually packaged cars within. If you order single cars *direct* from Rapido, they send you a random car out of that set at their convenience.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Two different six-packs, 12 road numbers total.


SKU 537001   - 6-pack #1
SKU 537001A - single car out of 6-pack #1
SKU 537002   - 6-pack #2
SKU 537002A - single car out of 6-pack #2

The Rapido 6-packs are the brown boxes they sell to dealers. With 6 individually packaged cars within. If you order single cars *direct* from Rapido, they send you a random car out of that set at their convenience.

Ok cool, so the two singles are just separate items to represent items from the two different packs.

[bbunge]

They're doing the Amtrak express scheme too!  Cool!

I remember seeing a couple of these tacked on to the end of the Coast Starlight in the late '90s.

Rode the Empire Builder east back in the day; there were three of these (green) tacked on the back.  Walked back and watched them bounce and sway behind our sleeper car.  The conductor said each car had two large aluminum ingots in it and because of the loading they limited the train to 50mph.  Given how much they bounced along, I believe it.  We had an extra day in Chicago before we caught the Cardinal so I didn't mind we were 8 hours late. 

[greenwizard88]

Does anyone know of a typical cargo these carried?  I am looking for a reason to justify these showing up in the northeast, Pennsylvania specifically.  Thank you.

Jeff

For the Amtrak ones? Freight. Overnight mail. Anything you could load or unload on a station platform, even smaller commuter platforms if Amtrak had a stop there too. If my memory isn't making things up (and no promises here!) they were used on the Silver Series trains from NYC to Miami, and would occasionally double as baggage cars too. You could put them at the end of just about any long distance train, and at any station.