The 1960s freight car building boom was fueled by specialty car types.  60’ box cars designed for dense auto parts such as engines, bumpers, axles, and glass were an emerging car type.  Thrall Car Manufacturing Incorporated, based in Chicago Heights IL, was a new carbuilder in the 1960s who had a strong market offering of specialty auto parts box cars.  Thrall built its first 60’ auto parts cars in 1963 and utilized welded construction.  In 1969, Thrall constructed this modernized Plate C 5880cf design for Ford service with centered, double plug doors, distinctive “double weld” side construction, and “X-Panel” roofs.  Twelve railroads initially bought these cars, and these workhorses remained in service into the 2000s, including service in the conspicuity stripe era.

More than 500 Thrall 5880cf box cars were built in 1969, and production included two different underframe/EOC Cushioning variations:

• CN, LN, MILW, NW, SLSF, SN and WP orders were built with Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning and Stanray Coupler Centering devices.

• ATSF, CP, MP, SP and UP opted for Keystone End-Of-Car Cushioning, larger underframe I-beam caps at the large cross bearers and a more offset underframe brake equipment layout toward the B-End of the car.

The Tangent Scale Models Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car is a dimensionally-accurate replica of the real car, designed from actual blueprints. Tangent Scale Models Thrall 5880 60’ system includes multiple underframe and cushioning configurations, plug door details and end brake appliance configurations appropriate for the era of the model.  Additionally, Tangent Scale Models include a beautifully-rendered Stanray “X-Panel” roof, accurate Stanray ends and the signature Thrall “double welds” walking down the sides of the model. Underneath, the car includes full prototypical brake piping, appliances, and Tangent Scale Models “near-scale” draft gear box including side cushioning/centering device detail.  These cars are ready to roll with Tangent-accurate Barber 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks and 36 inch wheels. 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 Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car replicas include:

• Dimensional accuracy – designed from Thrall 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 Thrall Underframe and Draft Gear assemblies to handle end and underframe phase/era feature combinations 1969-2000s

• Separately applied door rods, handles, tackboards.

• Separately applied door track details.

• “See through” Apex, Gypsum or Morton end crossover platforms where appropriate

• Genuine Kadee scale couplers

• EOCC (End Of Car Cushioning) “near scale” draft gear with “Keystone” and “Freightmaster” variations

• Underframe detail and brake system variations

• Separate flexible rubber air hoses

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

• Three coupler lift bar variations

• Two Ajax and two Equipco 3750 prototypically-accurate brake stands

• Two 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

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

 

– Burlington Northern BN “Repaint 1985” shows a distinctive repaint offering. Frisco’s Thrall box cars became part of the BN freight car fleet with BN’s acquisition of the SLSF in late 1980. The Frisco’s Springfield, Missouri car shops stayed busy well into the BN era, including repainting cars BN green. These mid-1980s BN green repaints feature a distinctive graphic style with condensed reporting marks and stencil data. If you look closely, you will also see the red and white BN Springfield shop sticker in the bottom left of the carbody. It’s little details like this that make this scheme pop! This model features Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning, but the Stanray coupler centering device equipment has been removed. Yes, this matches the prototype photos. The model has Ajax brake equipment on the B End along with a modern brake wheel and later-era replacement coupler lift bars. The double plug doors are equipped with era-appropriate double-pairs of Auxiliary Top Crank arms. This replica is equipped with 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken caps. There are four numbers available, with SKUs 01 and 02 featuring a left-oriented “Burlington Northern” and data, while SKUs 03 and 04 featuring a more center-oriented “Burlington Northern” and data on the car side.

 

 

Looking for more Tangent Scale Models Boxcars? Click here!

---