C&NW Auto Boxcar Question ?

PRR #1:  I don't have the library to prove or disprove the authenticity of that boxcar, but Atlas is known for it's diligence in doing research on authentic prototypes.  I would trust them.

Also, I have the same car on order from my local hobby shop and I'm sure hoping it will be correct.  Meantime, I'll do a bit of research in my limited library to see what I can find.  Don't know if I have the Morning Sun Color Guide you referenced.  The photo certainly looks authentic.

Paul Fischer

I will not trust them any more. Suggest you visit the 2-Rail Forum covering the same discussion, and see the facts!

Unfortunately,

This is a bogus car but depending upon your preference for prototypical detail it can serve as a reasonable standin.

This car series (57400-57898, even only) was built for C&NW by Pullman Std as a PS-1 double door boxcar in 1949.  So it is not a 1937 AAR design boxcar which makes the roof and ends incorrect.

Given Pullman didn't make many 40 foot double door boxcars, it is not likely that any manufacturers will bother to make an accurate model.  Lionel would be the best possiblity since they already make a single door PS-1 but doesn't seem economically smart to make tooling for a double door PS-1 when so little prototypes were made.

What I find so amusing about this subject is, quite a number of us 3RS modelers asked Atlas O to offer UTLX and GATX 8000 gallon tank cars over the last 3 to 5 years. We even ask what it take to produce a "special run" of 6 or 8 different road numbers for UTLX/GATX 8000 galling tankers. The "final response" we received from Atlas was, "Our 8000 gal. tank car is NOT prototypical for EITHER the GATX nor UTLX cars, thus we will not produce those models."!

Go figure!