This is the latest Greenville Auto Parts box car product in Tangent Scale Models line of “family-appearance” box cars that introduce market-leading design and tooling practices, geared toward consumers who desire the most accurate models with a “family-appearance” between prototypes manufactured by the same builder.

The 1960s freight car building boom was fueled by demand for specialty car types. A key type were 60’ box cars designed for dense auto parts such as engines, bumpers, axles, and glass. Greenville Steel Car was a box car innovator, first introducing these 60’ auto parts cars in 1963. Greenville’s box cars had a distinctive “fishbelly” sill design, and centered Youngstown Steel Door Company double plug doors with a 16-foot door opening. But here are where the similarities end.

Greenville produced these box cars with two significant body variations:

• Greenville Steel Car’s production from 1963-1964 had a distinctive “narrow” wheelbase design, and was ordered by DTI, EL (2 orders), DT&I, DTSL, GBW, N&W, MP, MKT, MP, NKP, NYC (2 Orders) and WAB

• Greenville Steel Car’s production from the 1965-1966 period changed to a “outset” wheelbase design which made them look more like the box cars produced by the other carbuilders. These later phase cars were ordered by CP, DTI, EL, GTW, LN and SLSF

Fourteen railroads initially bought these cars, with some of them receiving merger-related repaints and some of them changing hands. Most of these workhorses remained in service into the 2000s.

The Tangent Scale Models Greenville 6000cf 60’ Double Plug Door box car is a dimensionally-accurate replica of the real car, designed from actual blueprints. Tangent Scale Models Greenville 60’ system includes multiple bodies and design details to handle two different truck centers, corresponding prototypical sill and plug door changes, and accurate roofwalk and end appliance configurations appropriate for the era of the model. Additionally, Tangent Scale Models include a beautifully-rendered “Diagonal-Panel” roof, complete with accurate Stanray ends and the Greenville “rivet rows” on the sides of the model. Underneath, the car includes prototypical brake piping, appliances, and Tangent Scale Models “near-scale” draft gear box including side “key” detail. These cars are ready to roll with three possible Tangent-accurate truck and wheel options. Tangent Scale Models ready-to-operate replica is finished with coupler lift bars accompanying Kadee scale couplers, sufficient hidden weights, and CNC-machined wheels to ensure the model operates as good as it looks.

Features for Tangent Scale Models Greenville Steel Car Company 6000cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car replicas include:

• Dimensional accuracy – designed from Greenville Steel Car Company plans

• Highly correct “true to life” colors

• “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement

• Multiple road numbers for each scheme where appropriate

• Multiple Greenville Steel Car Co. body shells to handle side and end phase/era feature combinations 1963-2000s

• Separately applied door rods, handles, tackboards and door track details.

• “See through” Apex running board where appropriate

• Roofs options include: Installed running board, former-running board torched brackets, and no-running-board variations

• Genuine Kadee scale couplers

• COCC (Center Of Car Cushioning) “near scale” draft gear with “Keystone” and “Hydra-Cushion” variations

• Underframe detail and brake system variations

• Multiple crossover platform variations: Apex, Gypsum and Morton

• Multiple brake step variations: Apex, Gypsum and Morton

• Separate flexible rubber air hoses

• Beautiful details – metal stirrup steps, wire roof grab irons, wire coupler lift bars and “Tangent-Thin” ladders – no thick “chunky” plastic details anywhere!

• Two coupler lift bar variations

• Sixteen (!) prototypically-accurate brake stands (Ajax High (2), Universal High, Champion-Peacock 1148 High, Peacock 1600 High, Miner 6600 High (2), Ajax Low (2), Champion-Peacock 1148 Low, Peacock 1600 Low, Miner Low, Miner 6600 Low (3), Klasing Low

• Three possible handbrake “brake wheel” options

• Four different Auxiliary Top Crank arm parts to be configured in multiple ways

• Precision Tangent Scale Models 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with roadname-specific rotating bearing caps and separate brake beam parts

• All-New Precision Tangent Scale Models 100-Ton Barber S-2 Plain Bearing trucks with separate journal lids and separate brake beam parts

• Four “rotating” roller bearing truck cap options for 100-Ton Barber S-2 Roller Bearing truck

• Three journal lid cap options for 100-Ton Barber S-2 Plain Bearing truck

• CNC-machined 36” wheels with accurate front and back profile detail

• Replacement 36” semi-scale wheels for Tangent Scale Models “rotating bearing cap” trucks are available separately from Tangent in either blackened or nickel-silver finish

• Genuine Kadee scale “scale-head” couplers

• Recommended age 14 years and older

– Nickel Plate NKP “Delivery Brown 11-1963” gives modelers the as-delivered classic brown scheme. The prototype cars were delivered in November of 1963, and feature the 41’ 3” narrow-truck centers with shorter sills. Fun fact: These NKP cars were part of the same lot as the D&TS cars also part of this Tangent release – and share many of the prototype build features. The Tangent model executes these same prototype details with a beautiful Apex-style running board and high ladders for the era. On the end of the car, you will notice an accurate Ajax power brake and modern brake wheel. The brake step is Morton, while the crossover platforms are Apex-style, matching the NKP prototypes. The underframe features an accurate Center-Of-Car “Hydra-Cushion” setup with body-mounted brake gear details. The truck brake beams match this body-mounted brake cylinder configuration. This model is equipped with 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken caps, just like the prototype. NKP lettering is one of those things that deserves to be done right, and this car proves to be quite interesting in that regard. Careful study of the prototype NKP paint (as applied by Greenville Steel Car) shows multiple styles of lettering. All of this is carefully reproduced, from the extended-roman style reporting marks, GSC’s own block stencils for door data, machine-punched 1” stencils for trust lettering and more. In fact, if you look closely at each side, for the “R” and “L” next to the doors, you will see Greenville used NYC’s stencils. No kidding! Tangent has carefully duplicated all of these paint and lettering features. The model is accurately lettered with a return route/code of 190, for Ford’s Monroe, Michigan Stamping Plant.

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