I model the Wabash in the early to mid 1950s and have come to realize that I don't have enough Wabash box cars. It would seem I need more 40 ft. steel cars that are accurate. I have a few rebuilds from Sunshine and Proto 50 ft cars (not exactly accurate) and Speed Switch Single Sheath cars. (I also have some Atlas USRA rebuilds too.) I don't have access to an OER for the time period. 

What is out there for 40 ft. Wabash, steel box cars that are close or can be modified. (Note that flags on the cars don't fit my era.) How about the old Red Caboose or Cannonball Car Shops cars? I need cars that have separate grab irons and ladders.

Victor Baird

Victor,

1937 AAR box cars and several orders of postwar 40 foot cars - Branchline  Kadee  Red Caboose  C&BT

--
*Tim O'Connor*
*Sterling, Massachusetts*

Victor (and others),

I would be a bit careful about using boxcar ratios created from ORER listings as the exclusive method for creating a roster. 

You should be looking at loads arriving on your layout destined for your layout's customers, as well as loads out.  Both may dictate certain kinds of boxcars over other kinds.  For example, if you model lumber and plywood mills on your layout, double door boxcars, either 40ft or 50ft, would be in demand for loading all plywood, and finished lumber to a lesser extent.  My layout has a large feed mill and will have a large flour mill.  Both require single door boxcars, usually 40ft, for loading bagged feed and bagged flour.  Bulk feed loaded in a boxcar contaminates the car to the extent it is permanently assigned to bulk feed service until the interior is replaced.  (Feed is protein, and decomposing protein is very smelly.)

So, I encourage you to take stock of the industries your railroad serves, and tailor your boxcar fleet appropriately.  Of course, if you need lots of 'plane jane' 40ft single door boxcars, then the ratio game from the ORER comes into play.

Todd Sullivan

Victor,

I'm out of town for work but I have the April and October 1951 ORER. I can post them in a few days when I get home.
--
Matt Smith
Bloomington, IL

Some major Wabash boxcar classes with models:

Speedwitch made conversion kits for the Wabash AAR 1942 and 1946 boxcars. These are different from the standard 1937 design because they have solid side sills spanning the bolsters.

Sunshine made a kit for a Wabash rebuilt boxcar and a conversion for another class of Wabash rebuilt boxcar used for auto parts.

Wabash had several thousand single-sheathed autocars, which had different widths and heights. The 8'6 IW, 10'0 IH car was made by Sunshine. Two classes of 9'0 IW, 10'0 IH cars were made by Sunshine, Speedwitch, and Funaro (which only made the wood door version). The 10'3 IH cars are apparently planned as a future release from Yarmouth.

Of all the above cars, only the 9'0 IW, 10'0 IH wood door/Murphy end car is still available from Funaro.

-Phil

Folks: Like I said, I don't have access to an appropriate OER Guide, unless you can point me to one on the Net.

Victor Baird

Like i said, I don't have access to an ORER for the appropriate time period or a Wabash freight car book unless someone can point me to a source online. Also, AFIK, Branchline, Kadee and C&BT cars are all painted in a later scheme with flags. I suppose I could repaint the correct cars.

Victor

Thanks Matt. But I was able to get some from another source.

Thanks anyway.

Victor Baird

Westerfield orer discs. Reasonable prices too. 

--
Brian J. Carlson, P.E.
Cheektowaga NY

Victor;

    If you are modeling the early to mid-1950's, the original small flag emblem is absolutely appropriate on many Wabash steel box cars. I've seen paint and stenciling diagrams with references to the emblem being added starting in 1948.  This is confirmed by the photographic record. Certainly by 1949-50, the Flag emblem was being applied to new steel cars. A specific example from January 1950 is for the 8000-8299 series cars. A diagram for subsidiary NJI&I series 100-199 from October 1949 also specifies the emblem. The emblem also found its way onto the steel rebuilds of the 82000-85000 series, as well as the 86000 10'6" IH Modified AAR box cars. The Wabash built or purchased several variants of post-war box cars which would all have worn the small flag emblem during your time frame.

    Branchline, Yarmouth Model Works, Intermountain, Sunshine, Speedwitch and others have produced viable options for your roster. Note that while the Wabash did own some 10' IH 1937 AAR box cars later on, they were purchased second hand in the early 1960's so would not be appropriate for your needs.

    If you have interest, I can likely provide Wabash ORER pages that are in temporal proximity to the year you are modeling.

Kind regards, Rob Adams

I model the Wabash in the early to mid 1950s and have come to realize that I don't have enough Wabash box cars. It would seem I need more 40 ft. steel cars that are accurate. I have a few rebuilds from Sunshine and Proto 50 ft cars (not exactly accurate) and Speed Switch Single Sheath cars. (I also have some Atlas USRA rebuilds too.) I don't have access to an OER for the time period. 

What is out there for 40 ft. Wabash, steel box cars that are close or can be modified. (Note that flags on the cars don't fit my era.) How about the old Red Caboose or Cannonball Car Shops cars? I need cars that have separate grab irons and ladders.

Victor Baird

-- 
John Robert Adams
Wellman, Iowa