The boxcar has been a defining feature of freight railroading for more than a century, serving as the backbone of rail transport across North America. Its versatility made it the industry’s all-purpose workhorse, capable of hauling a wide range of cargo that required secure, enclosed protection from the elements. In the early 20th century, boxcars typically measured 40 feet in length and had a capacity of around 40 tons. These compact yet practical cars were the standard for decades, but as shipping demands grew, so did the boxcar. By the 1950s, 50-foot boxcars became the new norm, offering greater capacity for bulkier goods. The evolution continued into the 1960s with the introduction of 86-foot excess-height boxcars, designed to meet the needs of the automotive industry and other sectors requiring larger, specialized shipping solutions.
Alongside changes in size, the materials and construction of boxcars also advanced. Early boxcars were made of wood, which offered basic protection but limited strength and durability. By the mid-20th century, steel had become the material of choice, providing superior strength, weather resistance, and longer service life. Design innovations to roofs, ends, and doors made boxcars more secure and easier to load and unload, further enhancing their utility.
Although intermodal shipping has since taken over much of the freight that once travelled by boxcar, they remain a vital part of modern railroading. Today, boxcars continue to transport essential goods that are less suited to containerized shipping, such as auto parts, paper products, canned goods, and other cargo requiring enclosed protection. Their enduring presence on the rails is a testament to their adaptability, with each generation of boxcars reflecting the changing needs of industry, technology, and commerce.
Roofs
Running Boards
The evolution of running boards on boxcars offers valuable details for modellers. Initially, wooden running boards were standard, with three central stringers and lateral panels extending to the car’s side ladder at each corner. These were typically painted to match the car’s primary colour but required extensive maintenance due to their susceptibility to wear from the elements. As such, running boards on older cars were often replaced as they deteriorated, offering a chance to model a car with new, updated components. The shift to steel running boards began in the late 1930s and became mandatory for new cars by 1945. Steel boards offered enhanced durability and were more resistant to wear and weather conditions, providing a longer-lasting solution.
Steel running boards came in various styles, with the most common being the rectangular grid pattern, but diagonal grids and perforated holes were also used. These variations are important for modellers, as the design of the running board can help distinguish different eras and types of cars. The pattern could vary by manufacturer, meaning the use of the correct grid or perforation style on models can add realism. Modellers can replicate these details by carefully studying prototype photographs, as these styles would have varied by decade and car type.
Running boards were phased out on new cars by 1966 and, with a few exceptions, were to be removed from older cars by 1974 though the deadline was later extended until 1979. As older cars were serviced, their running boards were removed, and ladders were typically cut down to four rungs to comply with the new regulations. When modelling these changes, it’s important to note that cars modified during this period would often retain their running board supports and ladder brackets even after the boards were removed. This distinction makes the cars stand out from fully modernized equipment, with the brackets and supports serving as visible remnants of an earlier design.
Modellers interested in this period can replicate the transition in detail by using both modified and unmodified cars in their layouts. For cars with retained supports, adding small details like the brackets and ladder configurations will offer an authentic look to a fleet of cars from the 1970s. Using aftermarket detail kits that include running board supports, ladders, and brake wheel modifications will also help capture the unique character of these transitional freight cars. Additionally, it’s important to note that, especially in more rural settings, older cars that hadn’t been fully modernised might still be in service, adding even more depth to a period-based layout. These subtle differences not only enhance the historical accuracy of a model railroad but also give modellers a chance to explore the visual impact of these regulatory changes on the cars’ design.
Understanding these transitions is key for accurately representing freight cars from the period, particularly when modelling cars that show the evolution of the boxcar and other house cars from the older, more traditional styles to the newer, streamlined designs seen in the later years of the 20th century.
- URSA – United States Railroad Administration (government control of U.S. railroads during World War I)
- ARA – American Railway Association (industry standards body active until 1934)
- AAR – Association of American Railroads (successor to ARA, established in 1934)
- ICC – Interstate Commerce Commission (U.S. federal agency regulating railroads from 1887 to 1995)
- FRA – Federal Railroad Administration (U.S. agency overseeing rail safety and policy)
Freight Car Builders & Manufacturers
- ACF – American Car & Foundry (major U.S. railcar manufacturer)
- FMC – Food Machinery Corporation (manufacturer of boxcars and other rolling stock)
- NSC – National Steel Car (major Canadian railcar manufacturer based in Hamilton, Ontario)
- PS – Pullman-Standard (historic U.S. builder of passenger and freight cars)
- Budd – The Budd Company (pioneer of stainless-steel passenger cars and rail vehicles)
- Thrall – Thrall Car Manufacturing Company (U.S. manufacturer of freight cars, later merged into Trinity Rail)
- Trinity – Trinity Industries (U.S. manufacturer of railcars, including tank cars, covered hoppers, and boxcars)
- Greenbrier – The Greenbrier Companies (global manufacturer of freight railcars, headquartered in Oregon, USA)
- GATX – General American Transportation Corporation (lessor of tank cars and other rail equipment)
- UTLX – Union Tank Car Company (major manufacturer and lessor of tank cars)
- Procor – Canadian lessor and manufacturer of tank cars, often seen in Canada and the U.S.
1932 ARA Box Cars
BAR, C&O, CG, CGW, CP, CRR, D&H, ERIE, I-GN, MEC, MI, MP, NC&StL, NdeM, NKP, NOT&M, NS, NYC, PRR, SAL, WM
- http://steamerafreightcars.com/prototype/frtcars/1932ara.html
- http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/ara_aar/ara_1932.htm
1937 AAR Box Cars
Post-war AAR Box Cars
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Rutland – Route of the Whippet
| Series | Qty | Design | AAR | Capacity | Inside Length | Inside Width | Inside Height | Doors Width | Doors Height | Builder | Lot | From | Notes | Modelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100-107 | 8 | Pullman-Standard PS-1, 7ft wide Youngstown doors | [40ft] | 7ft | Pullman-Standard | 1954 | ||||||||
| 108-199 | 92 | Pullman-Standard PS-1 – 7ft wide Superior doors | [40ft] | 7ft | Pullman-Standard | 1954 | ||||||||
| 200-299 | 100 | [40ft] | 7ft | Pullman-Standard | 1956 | |||||||||
| 400-450 | 50 | Pullman-Standard PS-1 – 8ft 6in wide Pullman-Standard doors | [40ft] | 8ft 6in | Pullman-Standard | Apr 1957 | ||||||||
| 6000-6088 | 89 | XM | 40ft 6in | 6ft | Rebuilt from 8000 and 9000 series box cars between 1941 and 1952. | |||||||||
| 7999 | 1 | Single Sheath Wood Box Car with Wood Doors & Steel Ends | XM | 50T | 40ft 6in | Originally built for CN in 1917. | ||||||||
| 8000-8299 | 300 | XM | 40T | 40ft 6in | 6ft | 1924 | ||||||||
| 9000-9199 | 200 | XM | 40ft 6in |
http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/other_cars/mec_cars/mec_type/box/mec_box.htm
FMC 5272
MEC 20000 – 20149
MEC 31900 – 32149
ACF 5270
MEC 29000 – 29229
FMC 5277
MEC 31250-31749
MEC 31250-31749
FMC 5347 50′ Boxcars
MEC 31900 – 32149
NACC 50 Foot Insulated
The 1960s was a period of development that would set the course of railroading as we see it today. The North American Car Corporation designed and built a 50’ outside post, insulated, plug-door boxcar which proved to be a vision of developments to come.
NSC Newsprint Box Car
In 1967, the National Steel Car Corporation of Hamilton, Ontario, created the first purpose-built cars for handling dedicated newsprint paper transport between Canada and the US. These cars featured riveted or welded sides, and completely smooth interior surfaces – including the doors – which was necessary to protect the large rolls of paper which weighed as much as 2000 pounds each. These rolls were normally stacked two high, requiring an internal height of more than 9 feet for clearance. These paper rolls also required large door openings, and the cars featured sliding Youngstown lever-type flush plug doors or lever-less exterior post plug doors. These cars were originally purchased by seven different railroads (CN, CV, CP, DWP, PGE, MDW, and QNS&L) and were regularly seen in international paper shipping services through the late 2000s. Over their long lifespans, they wore many different, usually colourful, paint schemes which made these cars readily identifiable in any consist.
True Line Trains 50-ft. NSC newsprint
CP 81137 XM