NASG Dispatch Articles: Freight Cars - Box Cars

1997 #3 June

18

Michael Sulzbach

The author builts his model from two American Models 40-foot plug-door cars. Includes a materials list, drawings, and some photos of the model under construction and completed.

2012 #3 June

29

Edwin C. Kirstatter

The author admits to not knowing what the prototype for the American Models' 40-foot box car is, but he does describe how he added some more details to the model to enhance its appearance. Several close-up photos are included.

1993 #6 December

22

John Porter

Step-by-step instructions and a few diagrams show how to make these kits have movable doors.

1997 #1 February

16

Richard Lind

The author shares some of his thoughts and experiences building the Pacific Rail Shops box cars, which are easy enough to assemble.

2022 #2 March

8

Brooks Stover

The author describes his process of converting an A.C. Gilbert American Flyer box car into a reasonable likeness of the B&O car. Includes several close-up photos.

2022 #2 March

20

Edwin C. Kirstatter

Using a Scenery Unlimited resin box car, the author describes how to properly prepare and build these types of kits. Include three built model photos.

1998 #1 February

18

Bill Lane

By changing the ends of a River Raisin Models X33a, the author produced an X32a.

2014 #1 February

9

Pieter Roos

The author reviews the S-Helper Service single-sheathed box car, and offers suggestions for how to improve it even more. He discusses ways to improve the center and side sills, the brake components (depending on era modeled), the grab irons next to the coupler pockets, the changing to a vertical brake wheel (which requires additional parts), and adding cut levers. Several photos are included of project cars.

1991 #3 May

16

Ken Zieska

The author describes how he super-detailed the Pacific Rail Shops' 50-foot NP box car.

1991 #3 May

10

Bob Jackson

Taking two American Models box cars, Jon Firpach has done a lot of detailing to them so that you can't tell that they started life as the same models. Includes many close-up photos showing the details added.

2024 #2 March

22

Larry Shughart

The author shares his knowledge of the Seltzer's box cars from the 1970s.

1990 #5 October

5

Jon Firpach

The author shares the modifications he has made to the Pacific Rail Shops' 50-foot box cars to make them even more accurate, and more specific to particular railroads' versions. Includes photos and detail-drawings.

2022 #1 January

5

Bob Hogan

The author reviews the kit by Pre-Size Model Specialties of their SP A-50-6 box car. Note that at the time of this article, the company had not yet released their truck kit for this car, which is now available via their web site. Issues found with the kit were fed back to the owner, and subsequent kits were corrected based on the author's findings.

2015 #6 November

7

Brooks Stover

The author describes how he built a 50-foot Southern Pacific box car out of two 40-foot Ye Olde Huff 'n Puff box car kits (now owned by LaBelle Woodworking). Includes construction and final-model photos.

2015 #1 January

10

Bill Winans

Tips and photos on how to successfully build the Pacific Rail Shops kits that nearly all S-scale modelers have in their closet.

1990 #6 December

24

Jim Kindraka

A complete history of these unique cars, with lots of prototype photos.

1983 #4 Fall

10

Kent Singer

Step-by-step instructions and various diagrams show how to add the brake rigging, and center sill flanges. These reference the older American Models box cars that were sold as kits.