40

td>staples (wheat, Corn, Barley, Soy, etc.), equipment that
Modelers of HO trains model after specific railroadneeded to be enclosed, parts, manufacturing
periods of the United States and Canada. From almostequipment that was relative small and the
the onset of American railroads the 40 foot boxcarmanufacturer did not want the tools and or equipment
has been in existence. It began to disappear from thedinged by flying debris, ice, snow and heavy rain, and
railroads in the 1960s.typical Midwestern hail storms.
Refrigeration was changing from the old ice method toTypically soft goods like flour, sugar, fruit, dairy
the modern thermal air-condition cars that were selfproducts, and processed meats were hauled in 40
cooling. Also, the 40 footer was beginning to be toofoot reefers. These boxcars are smaller in size than
small. The larger 50 & 60 footers were taking overthe standard 40 footer. The majority of these reefers
and they even experimented with 86 foot boxcars.were wood as were most of the other types of 40
The big railroads wanted to haul more goods andfoot boxcars. This changed however, as time went on
reduce the tonnage they had to haul. It took 125 40to metal reefers.
foot boxcars to equal 100 50 foot boxcars. TheThere are multiple types of 40 foot steel boxcars.
reduction would be 25 less 40 foot boxcars times theirThere are the following types:
empty gross wait.40’ Superior Door Boxcar; 40’ Double
This was certainly an advantage for the railroads letDoor Boxcar; 40’ Ribbed Boxcar; 40’
alone the maintenance of the smaller boxcar. With thisModern Boxcar; 40’ Express Boxcar; 1937
in mind the majority of the model railroaders I know stillAAR 40’ Boxcar; 40’ 12 Panel Boxcar;
prefer the 40 foot boxcar. They like the era from the40’ AAR Modified Boxcar; 40’ PS-1
late 1920s though the early 1960s. They are also veryBoxcar; 40’ Boxcar w/Youngstown Doors;
colorful and interesting. Many of these nostalgic40’ Double-Door Boxcar; 40’ High-Cube
colorfully designed boxcars are gone unless they mightBoxcar; 40’ Ribbed Boxcar; 40’ Steel
be in a railroad museum. There were so manyBoxcar w/6 Panel Doors; 40’ Steel & Wood Ice
different designs and logos to see.Bunker Reefers; 40’ Steel & Wood Boxcar.
The hobbyist still has the opportunity to find many ofThis includes several types of 40’ stock cars.
these colorful boxcars that are manufactured byIn all they all had a specific purpose for the railroad as
several model railroad producers of freight cars. Somewell as the user. Many of the reefers were labeled
examples are Kadee, Intermountain, Athearn/Athearnwith the name of the product and producer of the
Genesis, Accurail, Bachmann, Walthers, Red Caboose,goods being carried. There was Rath Black Hawk
Bowser, Roundhouse (Roundhouse is now makes onlyMeats, Swift, Carnation Dairy Products, Needham
the pre twentieth century cars), Branchline, Life-Like,Meats, and major carriers such as Pacific Fruit
etc. There are several more that sell kit form freightExpress. The Pacific Fruit Express Company (PFE)
cars as do some of the aforementioned companies.owned the largest number of reefer cars of any of
You can even get wood kits but they are notthe different reefer users. Union Pacific owned the
common.second largest number of PFE reefers and pulled
Now for the types of 40 foot boxcars there are moremore reefers than any other railroad during that period
than you may possibly think. The types of constructionof the 40’ Boxcar/Reefer era.
and usage varied. It all depended where the railroadAs time has gone on the boxcar has almost
was mainly located and types of products, food anddisappeared from the railroads. However, the need for
perishables that were being shipped. From perishables,boxcars has now become critical.