World War I Era Box Cars

B-40-5

1. SP #35500-36999
   

2. SP #37000-37049
   

3. SP #34520-34719
   

4. PE #2600=2699
   

5. 
   

6. Built 1918-19, 23
   

7. They used Vulcan pedestal trucks.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 148-155, 158
   

B-40-6

1. SP #34730-35479
   

2. 
   

3. According to the Freight book #34828 is a B-40-6 built between 8-'21 and 1-'22. The cars were not built as 40'-7" cars. The double sheathed ends were rebuilt as steel reinforced single sheathed ends. This is what caused the inside length to increase to 40'-7".
   

4. They used Vulcan pedestal trucks.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 148, 156-158
   

B-40-7

1. T&NO #52250-52259
   

2. 
   

3. Built 1923
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 148, 158, 159
   

Harriman Era Box Cars

B-50-1

1. SP #84680-84929
   

2. SP #85280-85780
   

1. Early Harriman box car built 1904-05.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 102, 105, 107
   

Modeling B-50-1

Westerfield

B-50-2

1. SP #84930-85279
   

2. SP #84781-87780 
   

3. SP #88600-89619
   

1. Early Harriman box car built 1906-08.
   

    The SP B-50-2 has Van Dorn ends. This one of a kind car, the first car ever rebuilt with steel ends.

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 102, 106, 111, 119
   

Modeling B-50-2

Westerfield

B-50-4

1. SP #88400-88599
   

1. Early Harriman box car built 1909.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 102, 112, 113
   

Modeling B-50-4

Westerfield

B-50-5

1. SP #16520-17319
   

2. SP #20500-21699
   

3. 
   

4. Early Harriman box car built 1908, 1910.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 103, 115-119
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 114, 115
   

Modeling B-50-5

B-50-6

1. SP #17320-18419
   

2. SP #22700-24249
   

3. SP #88300-88399
   

1. Early Harriman box car built 1909-13.
   

2. The boxcar sides extend over the side siles.
   

3. The B-50-6 has a Bettendorf "I-Beam" underframe.
   

1. The B-50-6 in 1941 had a conversion to a war emergency caboose.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 103, 120, 122-126
   

    B-50-6  #22824, in LA 1942               Trainline 79, pg. 7

1. 
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 136, 139
   

Modeling B-50-6

Red Caboose

1. Consider the Red Caboose wood reefer as a starting point. The B-50-6 RC model has the Bettendorf "I-Beam" underframe.
   

2. Gene Deimling
   

3. 
   

4. Unlike the reefer, the boxcar sides extend over the side siles and the boxcars are about 6 inches wider than the reefer. Perhaps, following Gene's clinic method, the RC reefer body could be used as the core for the boxcar.
   

5. Charlie Morrill
   

Westerfield

1. The SP B-50-6 box car "war emergency caboose" is a resin kit, (see T-79, pg. 7)
   

2.                                                                            http://westerfield.biz/_10300_b-50-6_temporary_caboose__s_p__76824.htm
   

3.                                                                            http://www.bobsgardenpath.com/tempcaboose.html
   

References

1. There are a few shots on the P48 Modeler site showing a T&NO caboose conversion done by Pat Duffin.
   

2. 
   

3. 
   

Post-Harriman Box Cars

B-50-8

1. SP #24250-24749
   

2. 
   

3. Post-Harriman box car built 1913.
   

4. They used Bettendorf T-section tucks.
   

The first single-sheathed (that's the term you should use) SP box cars were built in 1913 as the Associate Lines era was ending, Class B-50-8. There were cars of this general design (though not that class) running at least as late as 1960, though few in number by then. They survived decades longer in MOW service.

Tony Thompson

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 132-134
   

Modeling B-50-8

B-50-9

1. SP #18420-18869
   

2. SP #24750-24849
   

3. SP #87838-87933
   

4. SP #88200-88299
   

5. 
   

6. Post-Harriman box car built 1913.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 132, 135, 137, 142, 143
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 136-138
   

Modeling B-50-9

Westerfield

B-50-10

1. SP #24850-25839
   

2. 
   

3. Post-Harriman box car built 1913.
   

4. They used Vulcan trucks.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 132, 142, 143
   

Modeling B-50-10

B-50-11

1. SP #25840-26339
   

2. 
   

3. Post-Harriman box car built 1913.
   

4. They used Vulcan trucks.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 132, 136, 144, 145
   

Modeling B-50-11

1. RMJ Feb. 1993   - SP B-50-11/13/14 - 40ft Boxcars Proto and models.
   

B-50-12  Single Sheathed Boxcar

1. SP #26360-26459
   

2. AC&F (re#'d SP 110256-110927).
   

3. 
   

4. These 40 ft. is the 50 ton USRA outside braced box car of pre-AAR design. These 40'-6" USRA single sheathed box cars were built in 1919. They featured steel underframes and 3098 square feet capacity when built. It was 40' foot outside braced, single door, wood boxcar with roofwalk. They used Andrews trucks.
   

5. 
   

6. The Southern Pacific rebuilt 675 of the class from 8-49 through 5-50 and re-classed the steel rebuilds as B-50-12A.
   

7. All the single sheathed cars were gone from revenue service by April of 1953, when the last of the three converted Shasta Water Cars, 27172, was taken off the roster. These received a wider door and four interior tanks in 1940. At least one car, 27172, was painted a light shade of blue with black underframe and trucks. Operated between Dunsmuir and San Francisco.
   

8. 
   

9. The Class B-50-12 group, originally was the USRA single-sheathed design, was rebuilt to all-steel (and quite different looking) cars in 1949. All were either rebuilt to B-50-12A's (new sides, roofs and rebuilt ends) or retired. 1943 was a good year for those conversions. Some of the B-50-12's lasted in to the very early 50's but not many, and not long.
   

10. 
    

11. A vast number went into SPMW service. Certainly all through the 1950s one would see "original appearance" USRA single-sheathed cars as SPMW cars.
    

    Tony Thompson

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 146, 161-174
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 162, 163, 168
   

Modeling B-50-12

Ertel

1. You will need to re-work a Ertel kit after you find one.
   

2. Paul Lyons
   

Tichy Train

1. Tichy Train SP USRA single sheathed boxcar (#T452609)is an SP B-50-12. Price is $32.95.
   

Westerfield

1. It is the most accurate for pre-1949.
   

B-50-12A  Boxcar Rebuilt

1. SP #110256-110927    General service
   

2. SP #620124-620171    XAP engine cars
   

3. SP #620225-620227    XAP engine cars
   

4. SP #640030-640042    XME DF loader
   

1. The Class B-50-12 group, originally was the USRA single-sheathed design, was rebuilt to all-steel (and quite different looking) cars in 1949. All were either rebuilt to B-50-12A's (new sides, roofs and rebuilt ends) or retired. 1943 was a good year for those conversions. The B-50-12-A cars were rebuilt much more thoroughly, with significantly modified ends and more importantly, entirely new roofs and ends which looked like conventional box cars of the time (e.g. B-50-28) EXCEPT for the usual distinctive feature of cars rebuilt from USRA's, namely the narrow underframe which the sides overhang.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4. The rebuilt B-50-12 is a taller car than the B-50-15.
   

5. They used Andrews trucks.
   

References

                                                                             (*see MM 10/92)

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 174-78
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 174
   

Modeling 50-12A

Challenger

1. Challenger 2512.1 is an HO model of a rebuilt B-50-12-A boxcar, a USRA single-sheathed car rebuilt with steel sides.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Sunshine

1. It’s the rebuilt 1949 version.
   

1920’s Box Cars

B-50-13

1. SP #27360-29609
   

2. SP #87935-88184
   

   Built 1924. These 40 ft. box cars are pre-AAR design. B-50-13 and -14 cars have nearly identical body styles as originally built.

1. They used Bettendorf T-section trucks.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 188-197
   

Modeling 50-13

Sunshine

1. Done in resin by Sunshine, it comes with most of the variations in roofs, doors and ends encompassed by the prototype.
   

B-50-13  Rebuilds

1. These box cars had Z-bar bracing, diagonal end straps, braced ends with doors at the “A” end, distinctive SP ladders of bolting rungs thru angle irons verticals, 5’ bolster distance from ends + 30” SP herald used on single sheathed cars.
   

2. Some used on the “Overnight” B-50-13.
   

3.                   
   

4. SP assigned B-50-13 outside braced single-sheathed cars to Pacific Electric. PE did not have any USRA single-sheathed cars.
   

References

                                                                                (*see MM 11/94)

                                                                                (*see MM 12/94)

1. RMJ Feb. 1993 - SP B-50-11/13/14 - 40ft Boxcars Proto and models.
   

B-50-14

1. SP #29640-31139
   

2. SP #31140-31539
   

3. SP #18880-19079
   

4. 
   

5. These 40 ft. box cars are pre-AAR design. B-50-13 and -14 cars have nearly identical body styles as originally built.
   

Details

Ends

1. The Dreadnaught ends were added in the early 1930s and completed by the 40’s.
   

2. The #19341 was a former Pacific Electric car transferred to SP in 1951. Those PE cars did not get steel ends, but kept their wood ends.
   

Roofs

1. Both cars #19341 and  #30217 are from number groups which on the SP had radial roofs.
   

2. Hutchins roofs were on the following cars. (SP 30540–30939).
   

Trucks

1. They used Bettendorf T-section trucks.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The number 19341 is interesting, as this would be a former Pacific Electric car transferred to SP in 1951 and renumbered.
   

References

                                                                              (*see MM 11/94)

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 188, 198-211
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 198
   

Modeling B-50-14

Accurail

1. Like that class, these models have three diagonal braces on each side of the door. This may be good enough right there for many modelers, but there are some problems. The SP cars had a much shallower center sill than this model (which is based on a Canadian National box car), and when they had single-sheathed ends, they had different end bracing than the model of SP 30217. But those PE cars did not get steel ends, but kept their wood ends, and would have received a different paint scheme than the Accurail one. Both cars 19341 and  30217 are from number groups which on the SP had radial roofs. If you are concerned about accurate freight cars, these models are not good choices for the SP cars that they only broadly resemble.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. One car is lettered as SP 30217, and another car is SP 19341. Both are numbers corresponding to SP Class B-50-14.
   

2. The number 19341 is interesting, as this would be a former Pacific Electric car transferred to SP in 1951 and renumbered. If you want to use either car, it should be renumbered to the series which had Hutchins roofs (SP 30540–30939 and ex-PE cars SP 18880-19079 and 19366-19455). They should be renumbered to the series which had Hutchins roofs (SP 30540–30939 and ex-PE cars SP 18880-19079 and 19366-19455).
   

3. Tony Thompson
   

4. 
   

Sunshine

1. Done in resin by Sunshine, it comes with most of the variations in roofs, doors and ends encompassed by the prototype.
   

References

                                                                             (*see the Ted Cullota article in RMC.)

  B-50-11/13/14 - 40ft Boxcars Proto models        RMJ Feb. 1993

B-50-14  Rebuilds

1. These box cars had Z-bar bracing, diagonal end straps, braced ends with doors at the “A” end, distinctive SP ladders of bolting rungs thru angle irons verticals, 5’ bolster distance from ends + 30” SP herald used on single sheathed cars.
   

Paint

interior

1. The interiors of single sheathed boxcars such as the B-50-14 finished Spec. says varnish.
   

                                                                                (*see MM 11/94)

                                                                                (*see MM 12/94)

Modeling 50-14 Rebuilds

B-50-15

1. SP #111535-111892        Steel Underframe
   

2. SP #111893-112091        Steel Underframe
   

3. SP #112092-112291        Steel Underframe
   

1. SP #112292-112947        All Steel
   

2. SP #112948-113149        All Steel
   

3. SP #112150-113645        All Steel
   

1. These 40 ft. box cars are pre-AAR design. B-50-15 and -16 cars, had similar though not identical bodies.
   

2. These SP cars had diagonal braces running in the opposite direction (Pratt truss design rather than Howe truss, if you know bridge nomenclature).
   

3. Z-bar bracing changed to Hat section braces 1925
   

4. 1930’s sides changed to steel
   

5. 1930’s converted to Overnight service (Post war black)
   

6. The rebuilt B-50-12 is a taller car than the B-50-15.
   

Measurements of the B-50-15:  (These dimensions are in the ORER.)

1.     40' 6 1/8" over the end sheets (flat portion of the steel end)
   

2.     32' 3" truck centers
   

3.     42' 3" over strikers
   

4.       8' 9" over side sills
   

5.       9' 2" over roof sheets
   

6.       9' 13/16" over siding
   

7.     13' 9 3/16" over running board
   

8.       3' 6" top of side sill (7" channel) above the rail
   

9. Gene Deimling
   

Details

Ends

1. It has a corrugated end.
   

Trucks

1. They used Bettendorf T-section cast steel trucks. Some had Columbia T-section cast steel trucks or ASF T-section cast steel trucks.
   

2. All types of trucks on this model were changed to AAR U-section trucks in late 40’s - early 50’s.
   

3. 
   

4. An Overnight boxcar, circa 1957, would not have roller bearing trucks. A number of them received roller bearings, but happened in the 1960s. These were distinguished by painting the journal lids Daylight Red. Externally they looked the same as other ASF A-3 plain bearing trucks.
   

5. Tony Thompson
   

Paint

1. SP adopted a black paint scheme for B-50-15's assigned to Overnight L.C.L. service in the 1940's.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 5: Hoppers, Tank Cars, pg. 384
   

2.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 222
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 213-224, 227
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-15.htm
   

Modeling B-50-15

Accurail

1. The model numbered as SP 14562, comes with four diagonal braces on each side of the door, it roughly resembles class B-50-15. The SP cars were taller than the Accurail model, and did not have fishbelly center sills. With the Dreadnaught ends as on the Accurail model, a better choice to letter it would have been for Class B-50-16 (SP cars 37340–37839, or T&NO 53560–54059), but the diagonal braces would still be wrong. If you really want the car as a stand-in, removing the fishbelly sill and renumbering into either of the B-50-16 number series would help.  If you are concerned about accurate freight cars, these models are not good choices for the SP cars that they only broadly resemble.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The model is lettered as SP 14562, would correspond to SP Class B-50-15.
   

Challenger (brass)

1. Outstanding model
   

Sunshine

1. It is accurate for the post 1946 “Overnight”. An outstanding resin model.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Paint

1. For “Overnight “ service paint it black.
   

B-50-15 Express Box Car

1. Class B-50-15 cars (at least some) retained a step and short ladder adjacent to their side doors after they had been converted from express box car service to "Overnight" LCL service. Only a few of the express cars had the short ladder by the door, so do not use that as a spotting feature. They would have kept things like high-speed wheels.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4. They also retained this equipment when they were converted for "Overnight" LCL service. On page 16 of SPH&TS Trainline No. 28, there is a 1952 picture of two "'Overnight' express cars" on the Coos Bay "Owl", after the were changed from express to "Overnight" cars. They are outside-braced like the B-50-15s. The first one is definitely B-50-16, as it has a Dreadnaught end. The second one is not clear. To operate with the passenger equipment on the train, the "Overnight express boxcars" would have retained the steam lines, etc.
   

5. 
   

6. Author Tom Dill said that the train usually consisted of three or four express boxcars or reefers, three baggage cars, an RPO, one or two coaches, and after WWII and until 1951, a Pullman sleeper.
   

7. 
   

8. SP #20086 however was an all steel car, lettered for Overnight service. This particular car, however, was never steel sheathed. There were no post-war Overnight cars with wood sheathing. The ladders were holdovers from assignments as BX (baggage box) cars in passenger trains. When reassigned to Overnight service, they didn't bother to remove the ladders.
   

9. 
   

10. Used for LCL service primarily LA-SF, SF/Oak-Portland, LA-Phoenix. As Overnight cars, they were  strictly city-to-city LCL service, no unloading at stations in transit. A few cities received set-out cars for this service, but not loading  and unloading en route.
    

11. Tony Thompson 
    

Paint

    Overnight box cars         painted black with orange trim        1941 B-50-15 rebuilds with steel side sheets

   Overnight box                black/orange trim

    Overnight box                aluminum                                        1956

                                           black lettering; S & P Daylight Red

    Overnight box               silver, roofs and sides painted aluminum, rest black + black and silver "Overnight" boxcars

1. The post-war black scheme (1946) survived until the silver came in in 1956, which in turn only lasted until boxcar LCL service was discontinued in 1961. Motive power fits the era in each case.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

interior

1. The inside of the B-50-15/16 that the PLA got for the Niles Canyon Railway the original wood was sealed with varnish.
   

2. Tony Thompson     
   

3. 
   

4. On the grain-hauling 40 foot box cars on the insides of the wood had a semi-shiny finish, the "sealer" was some type of varnish, rather than just linseed oil. Cars for edible grain haulage bore a special type designation as being dedicated to that service. Once "contaminated" by other use, they could not be used for grain hauling without rebuilding the interior wood lining or a thorough cleaning. Perhaps the "oiled" wood finish was from some of the grains hauled, as the cars were loaded "loose" in bulk without the grain being in sacks.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 5: Hoppers, Tank Cars, pg. 384
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 242
   

3.                                                                         
   

References

1. There is extensive coverage of these cars in the SPH&TS Q&A file, mostly in Q156, and several pages area devoted to them in my  SP Freight Cars series Volume 4 on box cars.
   

2. Tony Thompson  
   

3. 
   

4. The ORER gives totals but doesn't specify which cars in 20000-20499 still had wood sheathing in 1955.
   

5. Signor's "Coast Line" p.90 1930's photo rebuilt SP #9183 w/ steel replacement sheathing in black w/ orange stripe
   

6. SP Trainline #29 p.16 1952 photos of "Overnight" SS boxcars
   

7. SP In Color p.98 1962 color photo B-50-15 #112405 rebuilt w/ steel side panels built 1925 - note "heavy repairs" stencil
   

8. RMJ 7/1991 pp.45-46 roster and class notes, poor builder photo B end
   

9. Sunshine data sheet pp.1-4 excellent summary w/ original roster, many equipment and assignment details, photos.
   

10. See RP Cyc #6, pages 30-31. There is also a photo of one of the single sheath metal side conversions in express service, Class B-50 15/16, and a lettering diagram.
    

B-50-15A SP Rebuilt class

1. SP #113646-113958
   

2. SP #113959-114070
   

3. SP #114071-114280
   

1. The B-50-15 retained their diagonal hat-section side braces where the 12A was sheathed over on the outside of the braces. The -12 looks more like a convention AAR steel boxcar. The cars were rebuilt at one point with steel running boards. It has a corrugated end.
   

Details

Roof

1. The rebuilt 14480 series uses a Murphy Radial roof and a 31560 series uses a Murphy panel roof. Another roof used was a Chicago-Cleveland Viking roof or a Hutchins Dry Lading roof. The cars were rebuilt at one point with diagonal panel roofs.
   

Handbrakes

1. Pictures right after WW II still show vertical-staff hand brakes (or, if you will, horizontal wheels) as the type of brake wheel/gear box used on the B-50-15 that were rebuilt with steel sheathing. The SP seemed to use a wide variety of designs on their early steel cars like Universal, Ajax and Equipco and Ureco. 
   

2. 
   

3. The steel sides were added without adding vertical-wheel hand brakes. Later some did got vertical and Ajax wheels in the 1950s.
   

4. Tony Thompson 
   

B-50-15/16 Early Overnights

1. The earliest, pre-WWII, Overnights were sheathed over outside-braced boxcars. It had smooth sides and an orange band around the perimeter. They were SP B-50-15/16 class box cars rebuilt with steel side sheathing. The cars had a variety of doors, roofs and ends. Major difference: 5'0" truck ctr - striker plate different ends than -16 series
   

1. B-50-15/B-50-15A 40' SD single sheathed boxcars (3,900 cars)
   

2. PMT total 1942: 472 (269 -15's 203 -16's)
   

3. 
   

4. PMT cars 9000- 9094 rnb 1936 - 17 rbt 1941*       * these cars retained T-section trucks
   

5. PMT cars 9095- 9144 rbt 1936 - steel sides
   

6. PMT cars 9145- 9339 rbt 1937 - steel sides
   

7. PMT cars 9340- 9421 rbt 1939 - steel w/ AB
   

8. PMT cars 8950- 8999 cvt 1941 - AB brakes
   

9. 
   

10. BX total 1942: 99 cars (all former PMT cars)
    

11. series 5800-5874 - 60 mph
    

12. series 5900-5923 - unrestricted
    

13. 
    

14. OVERNIGHT total: 1946 150 cars, and more later, all of them evidently with steel sides
    

15. 
    

16. CFC = Classic Freight Cars
    

17. CFC V.1 p.63 1958 photo SP #112886 w/ very heavy weathering, except for new number! The car has steel sides, peak roof, steel door
    

18. CFC V.1 p.63 1958 photo SP #15559 w/ moderate weathering, car is wood sheathed w/ wood door.
    

19. CFC V.7 p.60 ca 1960 photo SP #20248, note peeled paint on the door, and steel rib
    

20. 
    

21. 1937+        SP #9183           steel PMT
    

22. 1940          SP #15665         wood general service
    

23. 1953+        SP #20086         steel Overnight
    

24. 1955+        SP #111985       wood company service
    

25. 1962          SP #15748         steel general service
    

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 5: Hoppers, Tank Cars, pg. 384
   

2. For a lettering diagram for BX service see:          Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 238
   

3. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 242
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 213, 243
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-15.htm
   

Modeling B-50-15A

Challenger Imports

Details

1. Had S-2 trucks capable of "passenger train speeds"?
   

2. It has ladders on the left side of the doors. It is outside braced, steel sheathed, with S-2 trucks and numbered 20181. It has ladders on the left side of the doors. Side frames are fine, but sides had to be steel, not iron.
   

Paint

1. Painted black, with a yellow herald, and a yellow/red arrow lettered "overnight.". The postwar paint scheme was introduced in mid-1946 and was mostly gone on these older cars by 1952, though a few were in such service as late as 1955. When "bumped" they were repainted BCR with the same numbers.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The car #20181, is a correct B-50-15 number. It shouldn't be hard to renumber the Challenger model.
   

Sunshine

1. Sunshine Models has an HO resin kit for the PMT version (orange band). Info is available in the Sunshine data sheet. sheet.
   

    (*see review in T57/6)                                         http://www.steamfreightcars.com/images/modeling/models/oconnor/sp32481.JPG

     prototype image                                                 http://www.choochenterprises.com/assets/images/670_N.jpg

1. There are B-50-15 models of the prototype which had the steel sheet welded inside the superstructure framing making it look much like it did with wood sides; in fact, it's still a single-sheathed car, just with steel instead of wood. B-50-15A.
   

B-50-16

1. SP #  37340 -  37839
   

2. SP #114282 -114391          Steel Underframe
   

3. SP #114392 -114743          All Steel
   

4. 
   

5. These 40 ft. box cars are pre-AAR design. B-50-15 and -16 cars, had similar though not identical bodies.
   

6. B-50-16 40' SD single sheathed boxcars (1,003 cars)
   

7. Major difference: 5'6" truck ctr -> striker plate different ends than -15 series.
   

8. It has a Dreadnaught end.
   

9. 
   

10. They were resheathed in steel INSIDE the superstructure framing, so they did NOT have smooth sides when done. The SP cars were similar (though a little taller) to the 1925 ARA single-sheathed box car.
    

11. Tony Thompson
    

Paint

interior

1. The inside of the B-50-16 that the PLA got for the Niles Canyon Railway the original wood was sealed in, Spec. says varnish.
   

2. Tony Thompson     
   

3. 
   

4. On the grain-hauling 40 foot box cars, the insides of as a teenager, the wood had a semi-shiny finish, which leads some to believe the "sealer" was some type of varnish, rather than just linseed oil. Cars for edible grain haulage bore a special type designation as being dedicated to that service. Once "contaminated" by other use, they could not be used for grain hauling without rebuilding the interior wood lining or a thorough cleaning. Perhaps the "oiled" wood finish was from some of the grains hauled, as the cars were loaded "loose" in bulk without the grain being in sacks.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 5: Hoppers, Tank Cars, pg. 384
   

2.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 222
   

3. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 242
   

4. For a lettering diagram for BX service see:          Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 238
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 213-215, 225 227,238-240 
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-16.htm
   

Modeling B-50-16

Accurail

1. The model numbered as SP 14562, comes with four diagonal braces on each side of the door, it roughly resembles the B-50-16 class. The diagonal braces are wrongly oriented. The SP cars were taller than the Accurail model, and did not have fishbelly center sills. If you really want the car as a stand-in, removing the fishbelly sill. If you are concerned about accurate freight cars, these models are not good choices for the SP cars that they only broadly resemble.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The model is lettered as SP 14562, would correspond to SP Class B-50-15. With the Dreadnaught ends as on the Accurail model, a better choice is to reletter for Class B-50-16 (SP cars 37340–37839, or T&NO 53560–54059).
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Sunshine Kitbash

1. It differs in having a Dreadnaught end instead of the corrugated end of Class B-50-15, but could certainly be kitbashed from a Sunshine kit.
   

B-50-16A

1. SP #114744 -114752
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 242
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 213-215
   

Pre-War Steel Box Cars

B-50-18

1. #32770-34519    (1750 cars)      re #'d SP #114753-116447
   

2. 
   

3. SP AAR boxcar built 1936-1937.
   

4. Sharp-corner Dreadnaught end ("S-corner posts"), straight-panel roof, Youngstown door
   

5. These SP cars came with wood running boards, some still had them in 1964, and brake steps.
   

6. They used ASF AAR trucks.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a NWP lettering diagram see:                      Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 256
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

3. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 248-249, 251-258
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=261712
   

Modeling B-50-18

Athearn

1. The sharp-corner Dreadnaught ends which the Athearn car models.. Replace the dreadfully thick Athearn running board with wood strips, and the dreadful Athearn brake wheel, and a correct height door (or at least clipping off the huge Athearn door claws) does make a more presentable model, especially if you carry on to replace molded grab irons and steps.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Atlas Trainman

1. The Atlas Trainman 1937 AAR boxcar kit labeled Southern Pacific is close enough to the prototype. In Tony Thompson’s Volume 4 shows it actually is as fairly accurate for the SP version. It is a model of a 10'0 Interior Height 40 foot box. The ladders and grab irons are cast on but as the are quite fine and from 24 inches away not noticeable. The roofwalk end is a solid triangle of plastic. Substitute a Kadee Minor brake wheel.
   

2. Ken Adams
   

3. 
   

4. Unfortunately the ends on the B-50-18 and B-50-19 had "S-corner posts" which created a sharp, squared off edge on the corners of the ends -- exactly like the old Athearn box cars, for example. But as a "layout car" it's definitely close enough for most modelers.
   

Paint

1. It has a fairly good paint job for the pre-1953 change.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. Southern Pacific is spelled out. The car is numbered 32455 which puts it in the last group of B-50-18 cars delivered in 1937. And the build date matches with a repacked date of 7-50 at El Paso.
   

2. Ken Adams
   

IMWX/Red Caboose

1. The IMWX (later Red Caboose) AAR 1937 box car kit is the only source for the exactly correct carbody for the B-50-18 and B-50-19.These kits can be used for B-50-18 square corner posts.
   

2. 
   

3. RMC Feb. 1993 article is a go-to guide for these cars, since it listed all of the doors, handbrakes, trucks, etc particulars for all of the SP and T&NO cars of these classes.
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Speedwich Media

1. #D110 for B-50-18 thru B-50-23 not B-50-22
   

2. Both post 1946 and 1955 block lettering included.
   

B-50-19

1. #37840-38839    (1000 cars)      re #'d SP #116448-117411
   

2. 
   

3. Sharp-corner Dreadnaught end ("S-corner posts"), straight-panel roof, Youngstown door
   

4. Had square corner posts.
   

5. The  -19 also had wood running boards and brake steps.
   

6. They used ASF AAR trucks or Bettendorf AAR trucks.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 248-249, 258
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 250, 251
   

Modeling B-50-19

Athearn

1. The sharp-corner Dreadnaught ends which the Athearn car models.. Replace the dreadfully thick Athearn running board with wood strips, and the dreadful Athearn brake wheel, and a correct height door (or at least clipping off the huge Athearn door claws) does make a more presentable model, especially if you carry on to replace molded grab irons and steps.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

IMWX/Red Caboose

1. The IMWX (later Red Caboose) AAR 1937 box car kit is the only source for the exactly correct carbody for the B-50-18 and B-50-19.These kits can be used for B-50-19's square corner posts.
   

2. 
   

3. RMJ Jul. 1994 - SP B-50-19/23 Boxcars from IMWX 40ft Kits.
   

4. RMC Feb. 1993 article is a go-to guide for these cars, since it listed all of the doors, handbrakes, trucks, etc particulars for all of the SP and T&NO cars of these classes.
   

Tim O'Connor

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Speedwich Media

1. #D110  for B-50-18 thru B-50-23 not B-50-22
   

2. Both post 1946 and 1955 block lettering included.
   

B-50-20

1. #83240-84739         re #'d SP #117412-118880
   

2. blt 12/1940- 1/1941 GACC (Creco-Superior doors)
   

1. 40' SD AAR 1937 boxcars 10'0"IH (1,500 cars)
   

1. Same as Style 1 but W-corner-post Dreadnaught end, Youngstown or Superior doors.
   

2. B-50-20's originally had black car cement roofs.
   

Details

1. The entire class of prototype B-50-20 cars received Equipco hand brakes and Apex steel grid running boards.
   

2. They used pre-war ASF Barber-stabilized AAR trucks with spring planks.
   

3. The “Creco” panel door, so named for its maker, Chicago Railway Equipment Company, was available by the end of the 1930s in either welded or riveted form. But in 1941, Creco spun off its door business as the Superior Door Company
   

4. 
   

5. SP #83546 had welded 7-panel doors, built with an Equipco handbrake.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. Some came with “Return to SP agent Bakersfield” placards on them. These kinds of stencils were obeyed “when convenient,” so they were far from mandatory.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 248-249, 259-261
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-20.htm
   

    Some detail shots of  a B-50-20, taken at Napa Junction in January of 2001:

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338347

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338352

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338396

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338401

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338403

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338405

                                                                             http://www.pbase.com/rxr/image/153338407

    John

Modeling B-50-20

IMWX/Red Caboose

1. The best available model is the old IMWX (later Red Caboose) 1937 AAR 10'0" box car, from a special run made for the La Mesa Club. Make sure you get the kit with the "W corner posts" (rounded corners, rather than sharp square edged corners). These car classes came with a variety of doors, running boards, hand brake appliances and trucks. That car had a Superior door (the La Mesa special run included both Superior and Youngstown doors). This kit is numbered SP 83546, and correctly includes welded 7-panel doors. But the kit also includes a representation of a wood running board and the kit has Ajax handbrake gear (the car with this number would have had an Equipco handbrake) and Apex steel grid running boards, neither of which was supplied with this kit. The kit’s AAR trucks with spring planks are a reasonable stand-in for the correct pre-war Barber trucks.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Paint

1. Paint the stainless running board part with Floquil Boxcar Red, which was a pretty good match to the car color.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. It came with a black “Return to SP agent Bakersfield” placards on them.
   

2. The model has a spelled-out road name, indicating a post-1946 repaint.
   

3. Add a few chalk marks with a sharp artist’s pencil in white (the Prismacolor brand gives the best results). Also add a small square of paper to represent a route card on the route card board.
   

Reweigh Data

1. Use the Sunshine Models decal sets for these data, such as the “Western Reweigh and Repacking Data” set, which includes SP.
   

Innovative

1. 1937 AAR Standard, replace oversize bracket-style grab irons with Detail Assoc. #FC6209 parts and make new wire corner grabs for the roof.
   

Details

Running Boards

Plano

Overland   (part #2156)

1. There are lots of etched metal running boards which could be used for this project, and I often choose the various Plano products. But for this one, use an old Overland etched-stainless board, and an etched brake step. The only trick is to get the corner grab irons correctly spaced from the surface of the lateral board, prior to applying CA to hold the parts. Use a normally-closed spring-loaded tweezer to hold the grab iron against a styrene spacer (the spacer was shown in use to space grab irons, in this post:
   

                                                                            http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com

1. Tony Thompson
   

Brake Wheel

Kadee

1. Kadee makes a superb Equipco brake wheel, part #2021.
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Speedwich Media

1. #D110  for B-50-18 thru B-50-23 not B-50-22
   

2. Both post 1946 and 1955 block lettering included.
   

Modeling Reference

1. There was a brief article by Cyril Durrenberger on modeling a B-50-20 class box car in the June 1981 issue of Prototype Modeler magazine. He starts the project using an HO scale Model Die Casting (Roundhouse) 40' box car.
   

2. 
   

3. There is also the February and March 1993 issues of Railroad Model Craftsman containing a two-part article by Tony Thompson covering several classes of 40' SP box cars.         http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com
   

B-50-21

1. #81990-83239    (1250 cars)      re #'d SP #118881-120115
   

2. 40' SD AAR 1937 boxcars 10'0"IH (2,000 cars)
   

1. Same as Style 1 but W-corner-post Dreadnaught end, Youngstown doors.
   

   These cars were built with 7-panel Creco or Superior doors.

1. They used ASF Barber-stabilized AAR trucks.
   

Paint

1. B-50-21's originally had black car cement roofs
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 248-249, 262-265, 269
   

                                                                             http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-21.htm

Modeling B-50-21

IMWX/Red Caboose

1. The best available model is the old IMWX (later Red Caboose) 1937 AAR 10'0" box car. Make sure you get the kit with the "W corner posts" (rounded corners, rather than sharp square edged corners). These car classes came with a variety of doors, running boards, hand brake appliances and trucks.
   

Innovative

1. 1937 AAR Standard, replace oversize bracket-style grab irons with Detail Assoc. #FC6209 parts and make new wire corner grabs for the roof.
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Speedwich Media

1. #D110  for B-50-18 thru B-50-23 not B-50-22
   

2. Both post 1946 and 1955 block lettering included.
   

3. 
   

B-50-22

1. #81490-81989    (500 cars)     re #'d SP #170000-170491
   

1. It has the 6+6 panel design, a straight-panel roof, and W-corner-post ends. They used Bettendorf AAR trucks.
   

1. It’s one of the AAR 50' B-50-22 boxcars originally built in 1941. The B-50-22 cars were built in October and November, 1941, to essentially the AAR 1937 car design, stretched to 50 feet. The AAR would adopt a “standard” design for this type of car in February 1942, but the SP box car was not of the AAR design. The design SP used had six panels on each side of the door, panels which looked much like those on the 1937-design 40-foot cars. The new AAR design, however, had eight narrower side sheets on each side of the door. Many railroads in the late 1930s also used the 6+6 panel design, so SP was far from alone. But there were just 500 of these cars built by SP.
   

2. 
   

3. It was used for auto parts. By AAR definition this is a box car, not an automobile car, but is part of the automobile traffic fleet. It carries AAR class XME (stowable parts racks). There were still 22 of them in service according to the 1972 ORER.
   

4. Tony Thompson
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The renumbering took place in 1956 and to a lesser extent in 1957 and was nearly done by 1958. T he new sans-serif road names were applied to many cars when they were renumbered.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

5. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

6. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 346
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 248-249, 270-275
   

Drawing

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 32

Modeling B-50-22

Athearn

1. It’s certainly a stand-in with about the right look. It’s got sharp-corner Dreadnaught ends, not the correct W-corner-post ends; and it has the curious Athearn 50-foot car roof, which Athearn’s double-door automobile car also has, a roof with 12 panels instead of the correct 13. And it has an odd 6-and-a-half panel side design.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Proto 2000  (Walther’s)

1. The Proto2000 version, almost exactly accurate right out of the box. It has the 6+6 panel design, a straight-panel roof, and W-corner-post ends.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4. The kit is of the model with the newer billboard paint scheme as well as a number in the 170000 series after these cars were renumbered. A "New" date of 4-61 is on the model as well. The new date is, of  course, bogus in this case, though if it were a reweigh date with a symbol other than "NEW" it would be all right. It is a single-door box car.
   

B-50-23

1. SP 95520-95863     PS (lot 5701)     re #'d SP #120116-121833
   

2. SP 96220-96919     AC&F
   

3. SP 96920-97619     PSC
   

4. 
   

5. Same as Style 1 but W-corner-post Dreadnaught end, Youngstown or Superior doors
   

6. These 40'-6" single door box cars were all built to the 1937 AAR design in 1942 and featured 3715 square feet capacity, a 6'-0" door opening, 4/5 Dreadnought ends, Hutchins panel roof, Barber S-2 truck and either Apex or Gypsum running boards.
   

7. They used Scullin AAR trucks and ASF Barber-stabilized AAR trucks.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

3. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 376
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 248-249, 275-278
   

                                                                             http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-23.htm

                                                                             http://www.steamfreightcars.com/prototype/frtcars/1937aarpdfmain.html

Modeling B-50-23

IMWX/Red Caboose

1. The best available model is the old IMWX (later Red Caboose) 1937 AAR 10'0" box car. Make sure you get the kit with the "W corner posts" (rounded corners, rather than sharp square edged corners). These car classes came with a variety of doors, running boards, hand brake appliances and trucks.
   

Innovative

1. 1937 AAR Standard, replace oversize bracket-style grab irons with Detail Assoc. #FC6209 parts and make new wire corner grabs for the roof.
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Speedwich Media

1. #D110  for B-50-18 thru B-50-23 not B-50-22
   

2. Both post 1946 and 1955 block lettering included
   

Reference

1. An article by Nelson McCormick on modeling B-50-23 class 40' box cars appears in the July/August 1975 issue of Western Prototype Modeler.
   

1. Feb and Mar 1993 issues of Railroad Model Craftsman, written by Tony Thompson.
   

Post-War Steel Box Cars

B-50-24 AAR Express Steel Boxcar  SP Overnight

                    Class                      Notes                                                                              Series # Built Date

        SP 97620-98069                           re#'d to SP 121834-122311)                                            450 cars built 7-9/1946

        SP 5700-5749                               delivered in dark olive for head end box express service       50 cars built

        SP 5700-5713 and 5736-575740  were randomly renumbered as SP 133000-133018.

                                                              5700 series, alternate center rivet (ACR) pattern, box car.

1. SP 5700-5713 and 5736-575740 were randomly renumbered as SP 133000-133018.
   

1. Early Improved Dreadnaught end, Alt. Ctr. Rivets, st.-panel roof, early Improved Youngstown door (6' 6/6/5 IYD).
   

2. In 1946 Southern Pacific took delivery of 50 BE-50-24 boxcars equipped for use in passenger service. They were in the number series 5700-5749 and were delivered in dark olive for head end box express service. It was one of a series of postwar 10' high cars. The 32.x series included SP postwar 40 foot box cars (B-50-24 Overnight cars, the B-50-27 and the B-50-28 with 7 foot doors). They used RC square panel roofs. All Overnight cars were steel or steel sheathed. SP 5700-5713 and 5735-5740 cars were built with steel grid running boards.
   

3. 
   

4. These 40'-6" box cars were all built to the same basic design by Mount Vernon in 1946 and featured 3715 ft 3 in capacity, 6'-0" Youngstown doors, 3/4 early improved Dreadnought ends, Hutchins panel roof, Barber S-2 trucks, alternate-center-rivet pattern sides and Morton running boards. These were: inside length 40 feet 6 inches, inside height 10 feet, outside length 41 feet 10 inches, extreme height 14 feet 6 inches, door opening 6 feet, and capacity 3715 cubic feet or 100,000 pounds. In fact, the description of the car is "Box, All Steel, Lightweight."
   

5. 
   

6. They used A-3 ride control, 1-W wheels and ASF  A-3 trucks.
   

7. 
   

8. Some were used in ammunition service. See page 296 in SP Freight Cars Volume 4: Box Cars.
   

9. All of the cars that were hauling the ammunition were DODX's.
   

1. Those express box cars were renumbered in the freight series, so maybe some of those glorious former BX cars and their GSC trucks were wiped out in the Roseville ammunition train explosion.
   

Timeframe

1. Used for the “Overnight”, 1940’s.
   

mid-1950's to early 1960's

1. The Espee's Overnight cars, a program that officially lasted only from 1946 to 1959, were plenty of variations on the theme. The most popular paint scheme was, of course, the black and the silver paint schemes, but there are several single car variation. One of the black versions of the car, with the full road name Southern Pacific, remains the single catalog number (20090) with the most releases, at 22 total; but this was preceded by a style with just SP reporting marks, which so far has zero releases.
   

1956

1. You saw the changeover from the black car in the series 97620 to 98069, to the silver, and 300 boxcars from the initial run of 500 B-50-24 class cars were redone in this paint and placed in a different number series, namely, 163051 to 163350. However, the program was dropped in 1959 by the railroad and some cars started to lose the "Overnights" under the large road name on the right. Some but not all.
   

2. 
   

3. The citation in the ORER for January 1953 (NMRA Reprint) under the first number series 97620 to 98069 (with black paint) will do for gathering the vital statistics.
   

1960’s

1. Overnight Service was discontinued in 1960.
   

2. After 1961 they were renumbered, the group of 300 from 163051 to 163350 went to the series 121834 to 122310.
   

3. SP #5704 and #5712 were still in express service in the mid 1960's.
   

1970

1. April 1970 edition of the ORER shows 31 cars remaining in the group.
   

Details

Doors

1. The SP Overnight car doors are for 10-0 cars, early Improved Youngstown door (6' 6/6/5 IYD). So called "upside down" door because it has the reverse panel count of the more common 5/6/6 IYD, such as Red Caboose, Branchline Trains, and Kadee make.
   

2. 
   

3. Superior doors are for 10-6 box cars.
   

Trucks 

1. Delivered with ASF A-3 ride control trucks. from 1947-1950 many had Allied Full Cushion trucks, but these where replaced with the A-3 trucks in 1950. From 1953 to 1954 about half received GSC Express trucks.
   

GSC #5700

1. SP 5700 cars had General Steel Casting Corporation (GSC) BX Express trucks. Not all cars were so equipped.
   

2. SP 5700-5713 and 5735-5740 received the GSC BX high-speed trucks with outside equalizers in 1954.
   

3. 
   

4. They had free-standing Houdaille friction snubber (the shock absorber-looking thing in the middle of the sideframe). The sideframes come with the horns on the ends where a brake beam would be hung for a car equipped with clasp brakes. B-50-24 #5700 doesn't have clasp brakes
   

5. 
   

6. These easy-riding trucks were the reason for assignment of the former BX cars with GSC trucks to ammunition service in the 1960s..." . The problem that necessitated easy riding cars was with small arms ammunition. When the government went to the 5.56 ammo they reclaimed a bunch of old powder and remade it as ball powder. (Insert long story about powder burning rates and control thereof). Essentially the rough riding of standard freight cars was causing a fracturing of the powder kernels in loaded ammo with an attendant increase in burning rate. This caused an over pressure condition on firing the round with causing damage to or destruction of the weapon.
   

7. 
   

8. With GSC trucks,  some of the 5700's have trucks which were banned from interchange service because the trucks tended to derail.  Allied seemed to be part of the name.
   

Trucks Reference

1. There a source for HO-scale General Steel Casting Corporation (GSC) outside-equalized trucks as shown under #5700 on page 296 of Tony's volume 4.
   

Steam Line Details

1. The express box cars (and PFE BR-40-10 cars) received AB-1-B brake valves, signal and steam lines, and marker brackets on all four corners. This was a standard AB valve with a filler piece between the bracket and the emergency section. From a photo, looking from the A-end, the steam line passes above the trucks to the reservoir and then crosses over the center sill. It is just below the level of the center sill and the brake rods are below that, quite visible from the side. Also the steam line runs close by the center sill, appears to be a bracket hung directly on the center sill.
   

2. 
   

Modeling GSC #5700 trucks

Athearn

1. There a source for HO-scale General Steel Casting Corporation (GSC) outside-equalized trucks as shown under #5700 on page 296 of Tony's volume 4.            http://www.athearn.com/ProdInfo/ATH/450/ATH53308-450.jpg
   

2. 
   

3. Modify the Athearn trucks as mentioned.
   

4. 
   

5. Go to steamfreightcars.com after page opens at the top is a site search, type in my name and you will be able to find a picture of one of the B-50-24 with the trucks.
   

Walthers

1. You need to get from Walthers their GSC BX Express Trucks w/metal wheelsets, p/n 933-1062. They are a very nicely done copy of this truck, with a free-standing Houdaille friction snubber (the shock absorber-looking thing in the middle of the sideframe). The sideframes come, like Athearn's, with the horns on the ends where a brake beam would be hung for a car equipped with clasp brakes. B-50-24 #5700 doesn't have clasp brakes, so remove the horns, and also "daylight" the interior of the sideframe behind the snubber in the area between the wheels. Drill small holes through the material to be removed in the corners next to the spring seats and brackets, the work the material out with a new #11 blade and small files. Painted, and with .088 wheels, they look great.
   

2. 
   

3. The Walthers trucks do not have a longer wheelbase. They are correct. The Walthers GSC trucks have roller bearings while the GSC trucks originally installed had solid bearings. Athearn has a version of the same truck. Comparing the two trucks, the Walthers truck looks better and has the indispensable shock absorber. It does have roller bearing journals however, and the SP cars had solid bearings. This may not be too difficult to fix, if you can find a suitable donor sideframe...
   

4. 
   

5. Page 296 of Tony's volume 4 is the source of my belief: ". These easy-riding trucks were the reason for assignment of the former BX cars with GSC trucks to ammunition service in the 1960s..."
   

6. 
   

REA boxcars

1. The SP did have olive green Railway Express Agency Baggage boxcars in passenger train service, but not PS1s. Get a copy of Railway Prototype Cyclopedia Vol. 6, there are car photos, roster, and info on trucks (ACF A-3 Ride-Control and Allied Full Cushion high-speed).
   

2. 
   

3. These are Weaver boxcars. Weaver has a few different steal sided 40 foot boxcars. They call them PS1s. They look about the same with the exception of the doors. On the page with the B-50-24 boxcars. The lower two pictures have a different type of truck than most freight cars. It’s a GSC Express truck. Only used on Express boxcars and reefers. SP REA box car with Allied Trucks (they were removed in the late 40"s or early 50"s and replaced with a newer high speed truck).
   

1. It had special interim improved Youngstown doors.
   

Paint

Timeline

    1936     Overnight boxblack/orange trim

    1955     Overnight box    aluminum

                            black lettering; S & P Daylight Red

                 Overnight boxsilver, roofs and sides painted aluminum, rest black

                                              Their cars were then renumbered and repainted to box car red.

Black freight car Version

1. SP adopted a black paint scheme for B-50-24 class assigned to Overnight L.C.L. service in the 1940's. The 1936 scheme was black with an orange stripe and was the "original" one. This was the so called "PMT" scheme. They wore it until the early 1950's when they were repainted aluminum color. Only tank cars and these box cars were painted black, lettered as B-50-24 SP 97757 for Overnight service and issued by (at least) one manufacturer. In 1956 they were repainted silver or returned to regular freight paint.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

    *see B-50-24 for black "Overnight" scheme          (*see RMC March 1993 )

    *see builder photo in                                             (*see RMJ 1/1996 )

Black freight car paint Version diagram

1. For black “Overnight” paint diagram see:                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 285
   

Silver freight car Version

1. The silver “Overnights” paint scheme was adopted in late 1955. It had silver sides and black roof and ends. The silver “Overnights” paint scheme was seen into the late 1960s.
   

1. The later silver repaint is at:                                   http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-24.htm
   

Silver freight car paint Version diagram

1. For silver “Overnight” paint diagram see:                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 290
   

2. 
   

Dark Olive Green Express Version

1. The express version of these cars were painted Dark Olive Green with Dulux Gold lettering. Roofs were same color as rest of body. It is believed the underbodies were black. 50 of the 500 B-50-24 cars were delivered in Dark Olive for headend box express service. Technically, those are BE-50-24's, per the the AAR classification BE.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4. 5700s were painted REA Dark Olive Green as that was the standard color when they were delivered in 1946 for express service. Encono baggage cars were painted dark gray as that was the standard in 1959. SP Passenger Cars Volume 3: Head End Equipment points this out.
   

5.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 295-296
   

Lettering & Numbering

Herald

1. It has the SP Daylight Orange circular herald & SP Daylight Red “S”, “P” & “Overnights” lettering and runs on black Bettendorf trucks.  The 45” circular herald was SP Daylight Orange with black lettering and the “S”, “P”, & “Overnights” lettering was SP Daylight Red. In 1956, the SP began renumbering with 6 digit numbers all cars previously having 5 digit numbers. The word “Overnights” was dropped in 1957 and shortly after, in 1958, the color of the herald was changed from orange to Daylight Red. However, no attempt was made to repaint the entire fleet of overnight cars.
   

2. 
   

3. How these express box cars were lettered/numbered for ammunition service for the Vietnam war when no doubt they weren't handled in passenger trains.
   

Diagrams

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

3. 
   

4. For black “Overnight” lettering diagram see:     Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 285
   

5. For silver “Overnight” lettering diagram see:      Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 290
   

Advertising

1. There were exactly three cars out of the 50 BX versions of Class B-50-24 that had some advertising on the side. No passenger train slogans, though.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282-286, 290-295
   

2.                                                                           SPH&TS Passenger Car Vol. 3.
   

3. photo of SP #133013 in freight service              SP Passenger Cars Volume 3: Head End Equipment Pg. 435
   

4. Another view of #5700,                                     (see RP Cyc #6, pages 30-31.)
   

5. For a picture of a B-50-24 with the trucks go to www.steamfreightcars.com   
   

6. For more info on these cars:                               February and March 1993 issues of Railroad Model Craftsman
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 298-299
   

2.                                                                           1946 Car Builders Encyclopedia pg.
   

Modeling B-50-24

Accurail

1. The Accurail AAR 40' box car body is not correct for ANY Southern Pacific or T&NO box car. Period. The SP didn't own a single 40' single door box car with interior height of 10'6" -- they were all 10'0" or less.
   

2. Tim O'Connor
   

3. 
   

4. Door's wrong, sides are wrong (should be ACR), roof's wrong,  and the ends are wrong. They offer the same body as the post-1956 number series for the same class, B-50-24, which of course is equally wrong. There ARE some SP classes for which the body would be okay, but do they letter for any of them? Noooo.
   

5. Tony Thompson
   

Athearn (old)

1. Modify the Athearn trucks as mentioned.              http://www.athearn.com/ProdInfo/ATH/450/ATH53308-450.jpg
   

2. For all its shortcomings, the old Athearn metal Overnight box car IS an accurate car body. Add a new door and grab irons.
   

3. Tony Thompson
   

Athearn (new)

1. Athearn is also releasing "Overnight Service". The cars are not accurate as they don't follow several of the features found on the real B-50-24 class box cars, namely lack of alternate center rivet pattern among other spotting differences.
   

1. Also wrong ends, wrong door. The door discrepancy are very visible, though there does exist a very nice styrene door replacement, and matching the black paint shouldn't be a challenge. Athearn's artwork shows a correct door height.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Paint

1. They s are painted box cars in both the black and aluminum versions in several road numbers for both schemes.
   

                                                                                http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/042010/08_40_YSDBox_SP_042010.pdf

Sunshine Models

1. They have just re-issued the B-50-24's, along with the B-50-27/28's in resin. The '24's are available with Overnight or Express boxcar decals. Granted, resin isn't cheap, but it's likely the only way you'll get the ACR-sided cars other than brass.
   

2. Use to build a reasonable size fleet of the Overnight cars.
   

3. Rob Sarberenyi
   

Walthers

1. Get their GSC BX Express Trucks w/metal wheelsets, p/n 933-1062. They are a very nicely done copy of this truck, with a free-standing Houdaille friction snubber (the shock absorber-looking thing in the middle of the sideframe). The sideframes come, like Athearn's, with the horns on the ends where a brake beam would be hung for a car equipped with clasp brakes. B-50-24 #5700 doesn't have clasp brakes, so remove the horns, and also "daylight" the interior of the sideframe behind the snubber in the area between the wheels. Drill small holes through the material to be removed in the corners next to the spring seats and brackets, the work the material out with a new #11 blade and small files. Painted, and with .088 wheels, they look great.
   

2. 
   

3. The Walthers trucks do not have a longer wheelbase. They are correct. The Walthers GSC trucks have roller bearings while the GSC trucks originally installed had solid bearings. Athearn has a version of the same truck. Comparing the two trucks, the Walthers truck looks better and has the indispensable shock absorber. It does have roller bearing journals however, and the SP cars had solid bearings. This may not be too difficult to fix, if you can find a suitable donor sideframe.
   

4. 
   

Red Caboose

1. It is nothing more that a painted version of the 1937 AAR Box Car. It is a nice car but it isn't the B50-24 SP Class Box Car. The kit appears to be just a normal 40' AAR box car (model #RC-8050-1) with dark green body and golden lettering of an SP express box car. The kit comes with simulated wooden roof walk, so it would be worthwhile to find some steel grid running boards.
   

Red Caboose  (kitbash))

1. You could take the Red Caboose 40' box car (already the correct height) and add alternate center rivet pattern decals from Archer, along with the correct doors to model a B-50-24. Source the resin doors from Southwest Scale Models for his B-50-24 Express Service painted box car (in dark olive green). Install new roofwalk, steam lines, etc. to upgrade. These were on express box cars (BX-50-24), not overnight cars. Apply Archer ACR pattern rivet strips.
   

2. 
   

3. New doors, "metal" running board, steam and signal lines, and high-speed trucks was good enough to turn what was an ARA 1937 box car into a respectable BX-50-24.
   

4. Mark Pierce
   

Details

Steam Line Details

1. The signal and steam line details are missing from the kit.
   

2. Cal-scale used to make plastic steam air, and signal lines. 
   

3. Precision Scale makes an insulated steam line in brass, but an .030-.040 brass or bendable plastic rod Plastruct will do just as well to simulate the steam pipe.
   

    Tim O'Connor

Doors

1. One big improvement to the 1937 AAR "Overnight" and BE-50-24 cars is to replace the doors with Dan Hall's excellent version of the interim improved Youngstown door. It is better than the doors in the Sunshine kit. Andy Carlson sells the styrene doors, and so does Des Plaines Hobbies. With these doors, from 3 feet away, you can't see the A.C.R. rivets anyway.
   

Southwest Scale Models Doors

                                                                             http://www.southwestscale.com/

Archer Surface Detail Rivet Sets

1. Archer offers some superb sets for adding rivets and weld lines to your models. One of Archer's newest releases is for the Alternate Center Rivet (ACR) pattern. These are perfect for those of you wanting to accurately model Espee B-50-24 class box cars as used in Overnight service.                                               http://www.archertransfers.com/AR88030.html
   

2. Rob Sarberenyi
   

Trucks

1. Change to BX high-speed trucks.
   

2. Mark Pierce
   

Running Boards

1. Replaced wooden running boards with steel mesh ones.
   

2. Mark Pierce
   

Paint

1. These are painted Dark Olive Green. A mixture of 1/2 ounce of Model Master dark green and several drops of Floquil brunswick green applied to the doors is a good match for the Red Caboose paint job.
   

2. Mark Pierce
   

3. 
   

4. Badger Modelflex 16-65 GN Green is still a solid match for Dark Olive.
   

5. 
   

6. Or combine Floquil's Pullman Green (too light) with Brunswick Green (much, much too dark) and get a color matching the factory paint job. It was something like 85% Pullman with 15% Brunswick. The mixed paint shines versus the car body's dull surface, but a coat of Dullcoat should solve that.
   

7. 
   

8. The Overnights came also in either the black or aluminum paint schemes.
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals    Black Overnights

Microscale (#923)

1. The Microscale decal sheet (923) has two styles of lettering in white for the black Overnight boxcars. One is "S P" with lines and the other is Southern Pacific spelled out without lines. In the RPC collection, a picture of #97938 with the "S P" with lines scheme. Is the spelled out version also correct, if so when was the change and did they ever do the spelled out version with lines?
   

2. 
   

3. Both schemes are right. SP changed to the spelled-out road name in August, 1946, during the time the Overnight box cars were being built. The builder changed from the old style with initials, to the new spelled-out style, in  mid-production. There is a photo of SP 97940 with spelled-out name, not sure about  #97939
   

4. Tony Thompson                                                http://tinyurl.com/Overnight-decals
   

B-50-25

1. SP #20500-21499
   

2. SP #21500-21799
   

3. SP #21750-22249
   

4. 
   

5. Same as Style 3, but 12-panel non-ACR sides, Improved Youngstown (IY) and Superior Doors.
   

1. The most visible difference between most of Class B-50-25 and the B-50-26 class is the car door. The so-called “interim improved Youngstown door,” the 1946-built cars of the -25 class shares with the famous “Overnight” cars of Class B-50-24. In 1947, 1000 more cars of Class B-50-25 were built, without the wide-seam door. These are the highest 500 car numbers for both SP and T&NO. This door, would no longer be “interim”.
   

2. 
   

3. SP had cars with 6' doors and 10 panel/12 panel sides, or 7' doors with 10 panel sides. There were only two classes of 12-panel cars and six classes of 10-panel cars, just among post-war cars, so there is no question that the majority were the 10s. Now to be more specific, those two classes, B-50-25 and -26, totaled 5600 cars, but the postwar 10-panel cars totaled about 11,000 cars. Add to that the pre-war 10s, numbering about 8000 cars, and you can see the preponderance. These box cars had yellow striped doors.
   

4. Tony Thompson 
   

5. 
   

6. These cars were 12-panel 10'0" inside height Postwar AAR box cars that were purchased from Pressed Steel and Pullman-Standard in 1946-1947. There were 2,600 total. Most received an unusual interim Improved Youngstown door with a wide overlap between the three panels in the doors.
   

7. 
   

8. Both the early “wide-seam” door of the 1946-built B-50-25 cars, and the subsequent “standard” welded door of the later -25 cars and all of Class B-50-26 were produced.
   

9. 
   

10. They used A-3 ride control trucks, 1-W wheels.
    

11. 
    

12. Only a very few 40-foot SP box cars were raised in height for appliances. But there were some, and they got the 10-foot doors also. That may make them look like rebuilds of the plywood cars, but in fact they were "first-time" rebuilds from original cars. These cars are riveted.
    

13. Tony Thompson    
    

14. 
    

15. For cars with 10' "AND WIDER" door openings, not at single door cars. Also the only A-50-16 photo is for car number 640217...
    

16. 
    

17. The cars modified were drawn from several classes, but the cars retained their old class after conversion, so photos are the best way to know which is which.
    

18. Tony Thompson   
    

19. 
    

20. Some of these cars were indeed in plywood service in later years, once their usefulness in auto or auto parts service had ended.
    

21. Tony Thompson
    

22. 
    

23. In the late 60's/early 70's some of the "Yellow Stripers" were again reconditioned and many had their original ends replaced with the later Dreadnaught end with "banana" ribs. They were renumbered into the 191000-192174 series but not grouped by class.
    

Paint

   Yellow striped doors.

References

1.                                                                          Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 299
   

2. 
   

3. Get copies of RMC, for Tony Thompson's seminal articles on SP box cars... or get the book from Signature Press. No SP modeler of the postwar period should lack those magazine articles. They tell you which cars had which brakes, running boards, doors, and trucks, and other features.                                     (*see RMC February and March, 1993 as well as the SPH&TS roster)
   

4. 
   

5. It does have the wider door but does not appear to have had the height changed.
   

6. Photos of these cars on Lee Gautreaux's website: http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/bytype/box/40_yellow_stripe_rebuilds.htm
   

7. 
   

8. "Yellow Stripers" Boxcars MS Works Spreadsheet
   

9. Access this file at the URL:                              http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Espee/files/Yellow%20Stripers.wks
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. These 40', double-door, auto cars were re-numbered in the big 1956 re-number-athon.
   

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267, 301
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

Modeling B-50-25

Intermountain Kitbash

1. Both the 10 and 12 panel sides with 6' doors are available from Intermountain, as are the two styles of ends used on such cars.
   

2. 
   

3. The 12-panel carbody is good for B-50-25/26, use their 1937 carbody to kitbash.
   

4. 
   

5. The 12-panel underframe is good for B-50-25/26/27 (postwar AAR welded)
   

6. A rectangular panel roof (use IMWX/Red Caboose) is for B-50-25/26
   

7. 3/4 ends without a thin top rib is for B-50-25/26
   

8. 
   

9. Intermountain does not make the correct 6' postwar doors to model any of the above. (They used prewar doors on their kits.)
   

1. Running boards and hand brakes did differ amongst various parts of the B-50-25 and -26 orders, and if you want to get those details right also, I’m afraid you will need to consult the very detailed tables in my book. At least it is convenient that all the cars of these two classes got the same trucks, ASF A-3 “Ride Control” trucks, and we have lovely commercial versions of that truck from both Kato and Kadee.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Reference

                                                                            Trainline, No. 119, Spring 2014

Southwest Scale Productions Converson Kit

1. You can model the -25 cars of 1946 (1600 cars) with Intermountain models, by changing the door. The so-called “interim improved Youngstown door is made by Southwest Scale Productions (visit their web site at: http://www.southwestscale.com/ ) and will drop right into place on an InterMountain box car model. (You want the one for a 10' 0" inside height car.)
   

Speedwitch Conversion Kit

1. There’s a HO scale SP/T&NO B-50-25 box car conversion kits to the Speedwitch web site (www.speedwitch.com). The kits are offered in two configurations:
   

2. 
   

3. KC101 - includes decals, resin ends and details and styrene injection molded doors from Southwest Scale Reproductions - $18.00
   

4. KC101X - as above but with Intermountain undecorated 12-panel box car kit - $30.00
   

5. Separate Murphy panel roofs are available for $2.00 extra (the IM kit includes the diagonal panel roof). The decals are available separately on the set as set D110 for $6.00.
   

Andy Carlson Conversion Kit

1. A conversion kit for the InterMountain model which has been offered by Andy Carlson; it includes a car body and details to accomplish all the needed changes to make a correct SP box car.
   

2.                                                                         midcentury@sbc.global.net
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Intermountain

1. Intermountain sells lettering for it.
   

Speedwitch

1. Speedwitch has a decal set for classes B-25 and -26 (and which can be used for a number of other SP box car classes too) has been reprinted. It is Item D110, and you can order it at this link:
   

2.                                          http://speedwitchmedia.com/product/d110-southern-pacific-and-texas-new-orleans-b-50-25-aar-box-car/
   

B-50-26

1. SP #58920-59479
   

2. SP #60250-60439
   

3. SP #60440-61189
   

1. Same as Style 3, but 12-panel non-ACR sides, Improved Youngstown (IY) and Superior Doors
   

1. The 1948 construction of Class B-50-26 was exactly like the 1947 cars of Class B-50-25. (Specialties other than doors did differ.)
   

1. SP had cars with 6' doors and 10 panel/12 panel sides, or 7' doors with 10 panel sides. There were only two classes of 12-panel cars and six classes of 10-panel cars, just among post-war cars, so there is no question that the majority were the 10s. Now to be more specific, those two classes, B-50-25 and -26, totaled 5600 cars, but the postwar 10-panel cars totaled about 11,000 cars. Add to that the pre-war 10s, numbering about 8000 cars, and you can see the preponderance.
   

2. Tony Thompson 
   

    These 40'-6" AAR box cars were all built to the same basic design as above and featured 3715 ft3 capacity, a 6'-0" door    

    opening, 3/4 early improved Dreadnought ends, 12 panel sides and ASF A-3 trucks. 1947-1948 AC&F.

Paint

1. These box cars had yellow striped doors.
   

2. Tony Thompson 
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267, 301
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 300-301
   

Modeling B-50-26

Intermountain

1. You can kitbash Intermountain kits to do B-50-26. The 12 panel sides is good. Replace the pre-war door. A summary of what is needed, along with a recommendation for Andy's parts. It in the SP Society magazine Trainline, issue 119 (Spring 2014). Put the RC roof onto the car instead of the IM roof; put the SSC doors on instead of the IM doors, etc.
   

2. Tony Thompson  
   

1. Use Kadee running boards and Miner brake wheels along with Kadee trucks. For the doors use a Southwest Scale replacement.
   

2. Ken Adams
   

Andy Carlson Kit

1. Use the Andy Carlson kit to kitbash your Intermountain car. Andy is a distributor not a manufacturer. He sells Intermountain kits, along with others, the correct doors, roofs, trucks and other detail parts needed. The running boards are not an issue, the doors are. They use post war doors (which can be ordered through Andy).
   

2. He can be reached at:                                        midcentury@sbcglobal.net
   

3. Rich Christie
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Speedwitch

1. Speedwitch has a decal set for classes B-25 and -26 (and which can be used for a number of other SP box car classes too) has been reprinted. It is Item D110, and you can order it at this link:
   

2.                                          http://speedwitchmedia.com/product/d110-southern-pacific-and-texas-new-orleans-b-50-25-aar-box-car/
   

B-50-27

1. SP #100000-102099
   

1. Improved Dreadnaught end, st.-panel roof, IY and Superior doors.
   

    B-50-27 series of 40’ AAR cars (some, or all) had diagonal panel roofs. It is thought that during 1948, roofs were in    

    transition to the DP style. Had 10 panel body, 12 panel underframe and 3/4 ends with thin top ribs.

Roof

1. B-50-27 were the first forty-foot boxcars switched over from Hutchins to diagonal roofs. They had Improved Dreadnaught ends as seen in the photograph of SP101399,
   

2. 
   

3. The prior cars did NOT have Hutchins roofs, just ordinary panel roofs from Standard Railway Equipment Co. Quoting from the "authority" as it were (vol. 4 of SP Freight Cars, p. 303) the entire B-50-27 class had the DPR; note that Table 12-2 in that book has an error on this point. In any case, it is clear from the SP drawing numbers for roofs that all cars of this class had the same roof, barring only the minor differences for running board attachments for Apex or Gypsum, vs. Morton.
   

4. Tony Thompson
   

SP 129807 and 213650 ca. 1967

1. Both cars were classed as box cars by SP. Class B-50-27, built in 1948-49, had both SP and T&NO cars. When the latter was merged into SP in 1961, the cars were renumbered. The surviving B-50-27 cars from T&NO became SP 128700-129914. They had 10-panel sides, straight-panel roofs, and 3/4 improved Dreadnaught ends. The 50-foot double-door box car class B-50-38, built in company shops in 1956, included a group of cars numbered 213028-213805. The number group Mark cites includes cars of Class B-50-36, whose number groups were intermixed with B-50-38. These cars had diagonal-panel roofs, 4-6 panel side sheets, and "banana-rib" improved Dreadnaught ends. This information, and many photos, are in my forthcoming volume on SP box cars.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Paint

1. The paint schemes are not those seen on these two particular boxcars in 1967. Both are the paint schemes are when they were new.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4.      SP 129807                                             http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/photos/sp/sp101399_pullman_standard_jack_wood.jpg
   

5. 
   

6. The 40 foot car is in the 1948 scheme, and those were uncommon by the late 1960's. The 50 foot car was painted in 1955 and mostly likely still in original paint in 1967.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The change (which took place in the late 50's) was dropping the (black & white) "sunset" emblem.
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

3. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 303-309
   

1. NOTE: Table 12-2, on page 283, is wrong about this class. There are three typos in Volume 4 (currently out of print), all of which are corrected in the revised edition, due out early next year, along with a bunch of added photos (circa 14 pages of them).
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

Modeling B-50-27

Intermountain

1. The 10-panel carbody is good for B-50-27
   

2. The 12-panel underframe is good for B-50-27 (postwar AAR welded), use their 1937 carbody to kitbash
   

3. The diagonal panel roof is for B-50-27
   

4. 3/4 ends with a thin top rib is for B-50-27
   

5. 
   

6. Intermountain does not make the correct 6' postwar doors to model any of the above. (They used prewar doors on their factory kits, too.) No one else makes them in plastic either.
   

1. A new Intermountain B-50-27 now exists. Model item #45785, an SP post-war, 10 ft. interior height boxcar. The model shows a diagonal panel roof, whereas the other models in the same listing have rectangular panel roofs. Based on photo and caption evidence in Thompson's Volume 4, I conclude InterMountain has done their homework and are CORRECT.
   

2. Bill Decker
   

Sunshine

    Make B-50- 27 with Sunshine kits.

B-50-28

1. SP #102100-103599
   

2. SP #104100-105099
   

3. SP #105100-105599
   

1. Same as Style 5, but diagonal-panel roof, 7-ft. IY and Superior doors.
   

1. These 40'-6" box cars were all built to the same basic design by PS in 1950-51 and featured 3782 ft3 capacity, a 7'-0" door opening, 3/4 improved Dreadnought ends, diagonal panel roof and ASF A-3 trucks. The original SP cars were transferred to the T&NO in the 1950's mixed with B-50-29's as T&NO 62250-62999 & 63500-64249. They were renumbered back to their original numbers in the early 1960's as the T&NO was absorbed into the parent SP.
   

2. SP 104100-105099 PS (lot 5982) 5/1951 (to T&NO in 1950's; back to original #'s in 1960's)
   

Original 50-ton Box Car Wide-Door Rebuild Production

1. SP #176000-178999     2000 built 
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Trainline No.115, pg. 21-29
   

2.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 308, 310-312, 334
   

3. Most photos show Classes B-50-28 as converted. I do not have a photo of a 12-panel car converted, though they may have existed.
   

4. Tony Thompson   
   

Modeling B-50-28

1. The SP postwar cars had 7' door openings and no one makes the correct car bodies (10p or 12p) for these.
   

Intermountain

    These kits to do B-50-27

    12-panel cars and use their 1937 carbody to kitbash.

Sunshine

    B-50- 28 Sunshine kits used to be available but were discontinued.

B-50-29

1. SP #103600-1040099
   

2. 
   

3. Same as Style 5, but diagonal-panel roof, 7-ft. IY and Superior doors.
   

    The SP postwar cars had 7' door openings.

Original 50-ton Box Car Wide-Door Rebuild Production

1. SP #174000-174499     500 built 
   

2. 
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 314-315
   

2.                                                                           Trainline No.115, pg. 21-29
   

Modeling B-50-29

    The SP postwar cars had 7' door openings and no one makes the correct car bodies (10p or 12p) for these.

Sunshine

    They used to be available from Sunshine but were discontinued.

B-50-30

1. SP #109100-110099  (1000 blt.)
   

2. 
   

3. The B-50-30 built in 1952-1953 -- the 12 panel body w/ 8' doors and a straight sill.
   

4. Improved Dreadnaught end, diagonal panel roof, and 8-foot Youngstown door.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

2. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 346
   

3. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 376
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 316-318, 322
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=46433
   

         http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-30.htm http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-30.htm

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 316
   

Drawing

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 32

Modeling B-50-30

Front Range

1. Front Range #5020: 8' door, 12 riveted panels (6+6). If you can't find one, add rivets to the welded version (FR #5000). Thanks to the Archer rivets, it's finally possible to model these cars with the old Front Range 12 panel, 8' door carbody and a straight sill. Both are available now from Accurail, but the ladders & grabs are molded in place.
   

2. Tim O'Connor
   

Scratchbuilt

1. It's easier and faster to just scratchbuild the sides using the Archer rivets as opposed to trying to remove such cast-on details from the sides and ends. You can buy the Dreadnaught ends from both Intermountain and Branchline without the cast-on ladders and grabs. Same for the roof and underframe.
   

2. Elizabeth Allen
   

Branchline Kitbash

1. For that 8+8 car, the Branchline kit is correct with Improved Dreadnaught end, diagonal panel roof, and 8-foot Youngstown door. Slice off all the rivets, sand off the panel seams, scribe new seams to make a 6+6 panel car, and replace the rivets with Archer rivets.  (And one more detail: re-letter it.)
   

2. See:                                                            http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/08/choosing-model-car-fleet-sp-50-ft-box.html
   

3. Tony Thompson
   

B-50-30-A

1. SP #661001-661120                rebuilt from B-50-30 #109100-110099  (1000 blt.)
   

1. These are are rebuilt 50 foot plug door insulated box cars. The original B-50-30 class cars were built between 1952 and 1953, then the B-50-30-A class was created in 1965. They were built by SP Sac Shops 1000 cars as SP 109100-110099 in ’65. The class was reduced to 100 cars in 1967.
   

2. John Huey
   

References

                                                                                Color Guide SP Freight & Passenger Cars, Vol 2., by Kincaid, pg. 34

         http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-30.htm http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-30.htm

         http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/photos/sp/sp661016.jpg http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/photos/sp/sp661016.jpg

B-50-31

1. SP #105600-107099
   

2. 
   

3. Same as Style 5, but diagonal-panel roof, 7-ft. IY and Superior doors.
   

Original 50-ton Box Car Wide-Door Rebuild Production

1. SP #174500-175999     1000 built
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 324-325, 335
   

2.                                                                           Trainline No.115, pg. 21-29
   

Modeling B-50-31

    The SP postwar cars had 7' door openings and no one makes the correct car bodies (10p or 12p) for these.

Sunshine

    They used to be available from Sunshine but were discontinued.

B-50-32

1. SP #107100-107099
   

2. 
   

3. Same as Style 5, but diagonal-panel roof, 7-ft. IY and Superior doors.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 325-326, 337-338
   

2.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 466
   

3. PM Jul./Aug. 1983 - SP B-50-32 Boxcar
   

4. 
   

Modeling B-50-32

    The SP postwar cars had 7' door openings and no one makes the correct car bodies (10p or 12p) for these.

Sunshine

    They used to be available from Sunshine but were discontinued.

B-50-33

1. SP #107700-109099
   

2. 
   

3. Same as Style 5, but diagonal-panel roof, 7-ft. IY and Superior doors.
   

    Most of the photos I have show Classes B-50-33 as converted. I do not have a photo of a 12-panel car converted this way, though    

    they may have existed.

    Tony Thompson   

Original 50-ton Box Car Wide-Door Rebuild Production

1. SP #173000-173999     1000 built 
   

2. SP #179960-179999         40 built
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 267
   

2. For a lettering diagram see:                                Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 323
   

References

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 21-29

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 282, 326, 329, 332-335
   

    B-50-33 40ft Hi-cube Boxcar #659001 - 659005 - Plans RMC Dec. 1967 -

1. 
   

Modeling B-50-33

    The SP postwar cars had 7' door openings and no one makes the correct car bodies (10p or 12p) for these.

Sunshine

    They used to be available from Sunshine but were discontinued AFAIK.

B-50-33-A  Appliance Car

1. SP #659001-659005
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

B-50-33-B  Appliance Car

1. SP #659006, 659007
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

B-50-33-C  Appliance Car

1. SP #659008-659047
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

B-50-33-D  Appliance Car

1. SP #659048, 659049
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

B-50-33-E  Appliance Car

1. SP #659051, 659052
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

B-50-33-F  Appliance Car

1. SP #659050
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 341
   

50 Ton Box Cars

B-50-34   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #652613
   

    It has the Evans “Damage Free” loaders.

Lettering & Numbering

1. These had the “DF” logo on the side.
   

2. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 346
   

3. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 376
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 346-347, 362-365, 370
   

Drawing

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 30

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 32

B-50-35

1. SP #210556-211305
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-401, 403, 411
   

B-50-36

1. SP #211306-211651
   

2. SP #212056-212237
   

3. SP #212806-213027
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-397, 402-404
   

B-50-37   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

    SP #650000-650124    Buckeye couplers; ASF A-3 trucks

    SP #650125-650199    Symington-Gould couplers; Symington-Gould A-3 trucks

    These 50'-6" box cars were all built to the same basic design by PS (Michigan City, IN) in 1955 and featured 4889 ft3 capacity,    

    Apex running boards, Ajax hand brakes and an offset 15'-4" door opening.SP's 50 foot PS-1's were riveted.

Paint

1. Some SP freight cars had black ends (e.g. the B-50-37 50 foot PS-1 box cars) and some PFE reefers had black asphalt roof panels. The B-50-37 scheme were from Pullman and had "PS-1" ends, but had riveted side panels. An interesting point about partial black cars is still an open question as to whether SP's first 1937 AAR box cars had black roofs. The AC&F paint specs say yes, photos are ambiguous.
   

2. Tony Thompson
   

3. 
   

4. Don't forget about the SP621100 - 621124 B-100-6 cars.
   

Lettering & Numbering

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361, 371-372
   

2. Photos of SP #621112                                       Mainline Modeler, Feb. 1998, pg. 46
   

3. A 1957 photograph in -color- of B-50-47 SP #651596 in the "experimental" Red over Grey paint scheme see:
   

4.                                                                    "Southern Pacific Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment", pg. 23, back cover
   

Modeling B-50-37

Branchline

1. To model in HO, you need the Branchline carbody (which has the correct number of panels on the riveted double door body), and PS-1 ends and roof and other details.
   

2. 
   

3. SP had a small class of 40 foot cars, RBL's, with the scarlet/gray paint scheme. It shouldn't be difficult to model the cars, but what to use for decals.
   

Intermountain

1. PS-1 DD boxcar lettered for SP. They are numbered for the B-50-37 class.
   

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

    Decals provide both SP and TNO reporting marks.

B-50-38  (SP Extended Height Boxcars)

1. SP #211652-212055
   

2. SP #212238-212555
   

3. SP #213028-213805
   

4. SP #213806-213891
   

5. SP #213942-214805
   

6. SP #683272-683521
   

7. 
   

8. SP's 1956 car roster shows the number series as B-50-38's built in 1951, which is silly, since 38's were built 1955-1956. The listing has the annotation "high roof". But in the June 1956 roster the number series has no cars in it.
   

9. 
   

10. They were rebuilt from a total of 1,500 A-50-17's that were built in 1950-1951. Yet the 1959 ORER shows only 899 cars remaining!
    

11. 
    

12. The data for these cars (B-50-XX and A-50-xx) and others are on a spreadsheet along with the Sacramento Shops Car Production and Material data. It appears that the earlier entries with zero was the original plan, which had simple clearly defined blocks of cars. But later, as they were being built, the B-50-36's and the B-50-38's started showing up in alternating series and using some of the same material orders. Also, gaps appeared: one was for B-50-38's equipped to carry finished autos in a 683000 series, but the other gap is not so easy to explain until you go forward in time to the 1960's and start to see some of these cars being renumbered from the special service 600000 series back to the 200000 general service series, and filling these gaps.
    

1. The #681568 car was equipped with auto racks and was classed as an XMR in the 1959 ORER. Photographed inside the Chevrolet plant in Oakland.
   

2. Tim O'Connor
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-397, 405-406
   

Modeling B-50-38

B-50-39   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #650830
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. These had the new winged DF emblem.
   

2. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 376
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361, 369
   

Drawing

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 30

B-50-40

1. SP #219206-219505
   

2. SP #683522-683821
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-397, 406-407
   

2. 
   

B-50-41

1. SP #214806-215805
   

1. It has one plug door and one standard rolling door.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. The round SP logo is at the very far end of the car; its vertical axis even beyond the final roof rib.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-397, 408-409, 415
   

2.                                                                           http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-41.htm
   

3. 
   

4. A Peter Arnold photo of SP 215240, taken at San Luis Obispo in 1972, appears on pg. 13 in the "Southern Pacific Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment, Volume 2".  http://tinyurl.com/3k4brtf
   

5. Rob Sarberenyi
   

6. 
   

B-50-43   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #695000-695099
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361, 372-374
   

Modeling B-50-43

Lettering & Numbering

Decals

Microscale

1. #87-1332 SP 40' & 50' box cars (including B-50-43 Compartmentizer!!) This set contains a wealth of data and small stencils.
   

B-50-44   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #651030-651079
   

2. SP #651874-652373
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. These had the DF emblem (yellow circle).
   

2. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 376
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361, 374-375
   

B-50-45   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #670000-670249
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361, 377-378
   

B-50-46    (Specially Equipped Box Cars)  (SP Extended Height Boxcars)

1. SP #615082-615131
   

2. 
   

3. These hi-cube SP box cars were built as class B-50-46. They were built new in 1956 (with purchased parts from suppliers) as a 50-car class, "permanent" numbers 213892-213941) and given numbers 615082-615131, originally built by SPE for auto parts service and the 1965 ORER shows them renumbered to the general service series SP 213892-213941 in 1964. These are 50' double door cars. The 1956 register lists this series as 10'6" IH. In the Oct. 1969 register, they have IH of 12'3". The original order calls them "extended height" cars.
   

4. 
   

5. From the SP books, it appears that SP #213892-213941 were to be part of a larger series of B-50-38 cars that were being built in 1956, but it probably was never built as a B-50-38 low roof car in that series. The ORER's often list series larger than the quantities. Please note that B-50-46 cars have centered doors, while all other classes' of 50' double door cars from the 1950s were offset.
   

6. Tony Thompson 
   

7. 
   

8. A builder photo of a B-50-46 at Sacramento in August, 1956 show it did have the high roof. A number of contemplated orders got modified and reorganized in the mid-1950s. Obviously the SP Mechanical Dept. was rethinking the directions of the car fleet "on the fly" at that time. You can get a SP B-50-46 photo from the CSRM Library.
   

9. Tony Thompson 
   

10. 
    

11. From the photos, it is clear that these cars were originally built as 10'6" high cars, and later rebuilt to 12'3". The original ends are R-3/4 ribs, and the photo shows the extension was made with closely spaced ribs. It would be an interesting modeling project, if we could determine what sort of roof was used, and maybe come up with a photo of the sides of the cars. 
    

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361
   

Modeling B-50-46

B-50-47  Express Box      (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP#651400-651673
   

2. 
   

3. These 50'-6" box cars were all built to the same basic design by SP Equipment Co. in 1957 and featured 4895 ft 3 capacity, DF loaders, Hydra-Cushion underframes and a single 8'-0" door. This class was one of the first classes to have Hydra-Cushion underframes installed. The parts were the first commercially manufactured parts applied to SP freight cars. Previous applications used parts manufactured directly by Stanford Research Institute.
   

#651596  Experimental 40’ Hy-Cube Box Car

1.     This car, running on roller bearing trucks, was rebuild in January 1965.
   

2.     Sub-series 659008- 659047 is equipped with DF-2 loaders and assigned to unique appliance loading
   

3. 
   

4. There was ONE such car, from Class B-50-47, numbered #651596. It was an obscure 50 foot boxcar built to demonstrate load restraining devices on the Coast Mail.
   

Paint

1. The car had a special red and gray paint job. Only one 1957 photograph in color of B-50-47 SP #651596 in the "experimental". It kept the scheme for several years apparently; see pages 385, 386 in my Box Car book, vol. 4 of the SP Freight Car series. It was so painted in the fall of 1958 and ran at least to 1971 in that paint.
   

References

1. There's one 1957 color photograph of B-50-47 SP 651596 in the "experimental" Red over Grey paint scheme is reproduced on the back cover and pg. 23 of Tony Thompson's book "Southern Pacific Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment".
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. For “DF” lettering diagram see:                         Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 376
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg.360-361, 382-383, 386-390
   

Drawing

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 388-389
   

                                                                             Trainline, No. 115, pg. 30

Modeling B-50-47

Intermountain

1. 12 Road #'s 651665
   

2. Hydra-Cushion
   

Paint

1. 50’ standard box car with plug door painted box car red.
   

Lettering & Numbering

1. Had white lettering.
   

B-50-47-A   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #651558
   

2. 
   

3. The only car converted to double sliding doors.
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 390
   

B-50-51

1. SP #215806-216305  renumbered in 1973
   

2. 
   

3. Built in 1957.
   

4. The plug door is permanently closed, so this is now a "single door" car.
   

5. Tim O'Connor
   

1. July 1974 ORER shows series number box car SP 171225 - 171299 to be 54' 4' outside length, 15' 10" door width, 4948 cu. ft. capacity, 110,000 lbs., AAR A200/XP (Cereal). Number of cars reserved in series is 75.
   

2. 
   

3. There is also an earlier number series SP 171185 - 171199, same outside length, 8' door width, 4937 cu. ft. capacity, 110,000 lbs., AAR A200/XP (Cereal). Number of cars reserved in series is 24.
   

4. Jim Cook
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-397, 412-414
   

                                                                             http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1375698

                                                                             http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/spcars/byclass/box/b050-51.htm

B-50-53

1. SP #216306-216555
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 396-397, 414-415
   

B-50-54   (Specially Equipped Box Cars)

1. SP #660000-660049
   

References

1.                                                                           Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, pg. 360-361, 391
   

2.