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@Mannyrock posted:

Thanks for all of the excellent information!  Trying to make my layout look "bigger" by running smaller engines and cars.

Why were the eight inch box cars called "plug" cars?

"Plug door cars" had doors that would pull out and away from the car body when opening, and closed like a "plug". I am referring to the prototype, of course, and not the Lionel cars with the molded-in doors.

Last edited by jay jay
@jay jay posted:

"Plug door cars" had doors that would pull out and away from the car body when opening, and closed like a "plug". I am referring to the prototype, of course, and not the Lionel cars with the molded-in doors.

jay jay is correct; "plug doors" are basically a door design where the door, when closed, fits flush with the side of the freight car, and slide open by pulling out and to the side using angled door guides.  This design was made to accomplish two functions:  1) Provide a door that is larger than conventional sliding doors, and 2), allows for better insulation inside the car, particularly for those hauling perishables like refrigerator cars, but regular boxcars can have them as well.  In fact, it's pretty common nowadays to see boxcars with single or double-plugged doors.



Lionel has called the 6014 "Scout" type boxcars as plugged doors, but in the context of representing an actual plug door freight car that terminology isn't accurate.  It is possible Lionel meant it to define it as molded-in car doors that don't open as CSXJOE indicated.

Last edited by John Korling
@Mannyrock posted:

Thanks for all of the excellent information!  Trying to make my layout look "bigger" by running smaller engines and cars.

Why were the eight inch box cars called "plug" cars?

It's plug door cars, not plug cars.

Plug doors were hinged and closed flush with the outer car side.  They did not slide.  Normally a plug door was used on an insulated car to carry the insulation across the doorway.

Plug doors were undesirable on ordinary box cars because it took loading dock space to open them.  Sliding doors did not.

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