SOO LINE boxcar lettering

[Cajonpassfan]

Of any of you Soo experts or aficionados here, anyone know when the Soo first started using the large, bold lettering on their boxcars? I came across an undated photo taken in San Bernardino, and there's one of these sitting on the arrival track. Photo looks like pre-1950? Atlas makes a nice USRA rebuilt in this scheme ... Close enough or a total foob?
Thanks for any information,
Otto K.

[wcfn100]

http://www.sooline.org/Publications/Drawings/freight_car_box_51-59.shtml

Jason

[Cajonpassfan]

Thank you very much Jason, that was quick! And what a great resource! Got to love TRW!

So it looks like the Atlas car above would be appropriate for about 1953 and later, which is fine with me as I like the earlier, more subtle box car lettering without each car in a train screaming "look at me". But an occasional screamer is okay, and I thought this one would be worth acquiring. On to other things...
Otto K.

[eja]

Gotta love TRW  .. ask a legitimate historical railroad or model question and you shall receive .... usually amazingly quickly.

[scaro]

Foobie I think, for two reasons. 

One, I do not think SOO or its predecessors owned any USRA  (or USRA clone) double sheathed rebuilt boxcars. The tabulated information on the STMFC Yahoo group and the RMC articles on the cars (RMC, Sept 1989) do not mention any. 

Second, the Atlas rebuilt USRA car isn't anything much like most USRA DS rebuilds.  The only rebuilds that resemble the Atlas model were those done by ACL, Charleston & Western Carolina (an ACL subsidiary), and the Frisco.  These are more 'close enoughs' than exact matches.

Typically railroads that rebuilt USRA DS cars raised the height by a foot or so, by adding end panels along with new sides, and they gave their rebuilds a much more modern roof - 'Murphy' rectangular panel being common.

Ben Scanlon

[pedro]

The SOO cars in the series that Atlas did were leased cars acquired and painted in the mid-50’s from various sources and with widely varying details. They appear in the SOO freight car book. They’re “plausible.” Some lasted into the ‘70s. As far as specific details being different, I’ll defer to others on that. They’re good enough to me.

[scaro]

From the SooLineHistory Yahoo list, Dennis Storzek said

"Soo LEASED 500 boxcars from U.S. Railway
Equipment Co. These were numbered in two series, 450 - 1048 even and 1050 -
1448 even. While carried in just two listings in the ORER, in actuality, it
appears that no two of these cars were the same. Many appeared to be steel
rebuilds of USRA cars. They had a whole variety of different pressed steel
ends. Some cars had double doors, although the auxiliary door must have
been permanently sealed, because all are listed as having 6' door openings."

Another poster mentioned seeing a SOO car like the C&NW USRA DS rebuilds.  Maybe it's a pity Atlas did not select this version of the USRA rebuilds as it at least appeared in the paint schemes of three big railroads, C&NW/CMO, RI and SOO.  I believe some were also picked up by the Salzberg shortlines.

Worth mentioning that this version is nothing like the version Atlas offer, which is at least a foot lower, with different sides, ends and roof and is close to early 'basic' rebuilds. Whether any 'basic' rebuilds made it to USRE or lessee roads, I do not know.