Wow. This is a tough one for me. I feel as if boxcars are hard to categorize into a favorite as there are so many flavors of boxcars. Funny thing is I do have a favorite passenger car and they are about as varied as well.
I'll simply leave everyone with this video that has some of my favorite boxcars in it. 
Hmm...lots of choices.
I've always liked this EL box car. It's MPC-era vintage and is part of one of the old Service Station Sets.
It has a unique shade of blue and contrasts well with the white lettering.
Its easy for me. This one is my favorite:
It's my favorite because it's signed by some of my friends, one of which who is sadly no longer with us - Marty Fitzhenry.
And here is where it resides - just to the right of the coal tipple which is where you'll find me for part, if not all, of our shows:
-Greg
@CAPPilot posted:
Ron,
That's an interesting sign on that car. From the presence of the French words, I'm assuming this is modeling the 1947 "Friendship Train"? If so - very cool! Did you add this sign yourself, was this a variation Atlas offered, or was this a custom run?
@GG1 4877 posted:Wow. This is a tough one for me. I feel as if boxcars are hard to categorize into a favorite as there are so many flavors of boxcars. Funny thing is I do have a favorite passenger car and they are about as varied as well.
I'll simply leave everyone with this video that has some of my favorite boxcars in it.
That is cool how many cars?
@Sitka posted:That is cool how many cars?
I think this train was in the 50 car range. The longest I've run on this layout has been 75 cars, but that was on the outside track without any significant grades. It is the Paradise and Pacific Railroad club at the Scottsdale McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. It is an awesome club with great people and a fun layout to operate and work on. It is 32'x40' and has four mainlines to operate on. The club record is around 140 cars, but they were all ore cars.
Typically, the outside two tracks are on automatic control as the layout building is a public facility and we want trains always running when there are visitors. However, they can be switched to user operation as well. Here is old video of the outside track with another freight train being pulled by my Williams PAs. I think a lot of the same cars are in this one too.
These two for me ......
@Prr7688 posted:Ron,
That's an interesting sign on that car. From the presence of the French words, I'm assuming this is modeling the 1947 "Friendship Train"? If so - very cool! Did you add this sign yourself, was this a variation Atlas offered, or was this a custom run?
I forgot that I have the K-Line CB&Q Friendship Boxcar. A really neat piece.
@GG1 4877 posted:I think this train was in the 50 car range. The longest I've run on this layout has been 75 cars, but that was on the outside track without any significant grades. It is the Paradise and Pacific Railroad club at the Scottsdale McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. It is an awesome club with great people and a fun layout to operate and work on. It is 32'x40' and has four mainlines to operate on. The club record is around 140 cars, but they were all ore cars.
Typically, the outside two tracks are on automatic control as the layout building is a public facility and we want trains always running when there are visitors. However, they can be switched to user operation as well. Here is old video of the outside track with another freight train being pulled by my Williams PAs. I think a lot of the same cars are in this one too.
Very nice what else can I say!
Mark
@k-liner posted:I built this from an Intermountain kit. It has Weaver 2-rail trucks and Kaydee 's on it. Will never be run but will sit on my 3-rail layout that is under construction!
I have run 2 rail cars on my 3 rail layout without major challenges. They tend to bounce through the turnouts, but otherwise they work fairly well.
Just got this today from Mr. Muffins (got to stop looking at Steve’s emails 
)… this is the first car I’ve ever bought from the Milwaukee Road - I think it is stunning. Maybe a new favorite!!!
As much as I like Milwaukee Road and Illinois Central, these two are my favorites - one a box car the other a tanker. Worked for Liquid Carbonic for many years and then while at Liquid, worked with the "Persnickety Cheese People" at Sargento on several projects. But I might have to pick up one of those Apples55's Milwaukee double door car from Mr. Muffin - nice looking Hiawatha!
This is an Atlas car, mine is 3 rail.
This is an MTH Premier
Scouting Dad, the Sargentos boxcar is one of my favorites as well. I had to have one as I live about 10 miles from Plymouth WI. The cheese capital of the world!
One of many.
Johns trains, You are right. It came out of the Minneapolis and St Louis service station set. That set came with a black Sunoco triple dome tank car, a white circus stock car, a a blue Erie box car, a red Minneapolis and St, Louis covered hopper and a red, white and blue Minneapolis and St Louis bay window caboose. Great looking set.
@ScoutingDad posted:As much as I like Milwaukee Road and Illinois Central, these two are my favorites - one a box car the other a tanker. Worked for Liquid Carbonic for many years and then while at Liquid, worked with the "Persnickety Cheese People" at Sargento on several projects. But I might have to pick up one of those Apples55's Milwaukee double door car from Mr. Muffin - nice looking Hiawatha!
This is an Atlas car, mine is 3 rail.
This is an MTH Premier
Nice SD.
Received product on Sargento trucks for years. Great people to work with , great product and excellent expiration dating and product codes all clearly indicated on packaging. 
I guess they want to keep their consumers healthy and happy for a long time. 
I think it is a good practice to be " Persnickety " 
Newest favorite box car
@jim sutter posted:Johns trains, You are right. It came out of the Minneapolis and St Louis service station set. That set came with a black Sunoco triple dome tank car, a white circus stock car, a a blue Erie box car, a red Minneapolis and St, Louis covered hopper and a red, white and blue Minneapolis and St Louis bay window caboose. Great looking set.
Right you are, Jim. This was the Lionel SSS for 1978. Great colorful set.
More favorites. A couple of MPC boxcars repainted back in 85.
Buy savings bonds
Arnold,
I will make a video and post it here from my YouTube channel tonight. The cars look great and I added them to my Legacy remote. The cars come with cows. I am not entirely sure how to get the cows into the cars, and wow are they huge.
John
@jbmccormick posted:Arnold,
I will make a video and post it here from my YouTube channel tonight. The cars look great and I added them to my Legacy remote. The cars come with cows. I am not entirely sure how to get the cows into the cars, and wow are they huge.
John
Thank you, John. I bet the sounds of the Visionline Armour cars include the mooing of cows, which would be very nice, especially as the train passes a farm on the layout.
Weaver B&O wagon tops. 
Regarding box cars, do you ever get this reaction from others (probably a relative): does it do anything or does it just sit there?
LOL
I've gotten that reaction, but us train buffs know how special box cars, especially our favorite ones, can be.
I just received this from my son for Christmas. Had this Atlas reefer on my list for some years, and he surprised me with it making it a special gift for sure. Came with a neat background story on the company's history too.
Tom
Lionel MPC era Maine Central #9753 from 1975. It's been my favorite for 45+ years.
@JDFonz posted:The cheese capital of the world!
🙄
Mine has to be my # 3424 Wabash Operating Brakeman car with original box. My dad purchased new back in the late 50's.
Hi Arnold,
In answer to your question, "Regarding box cars, do you ever get this reaction from others (probably a relative): does it do anything or does it just sit there?"
I'd pull out this one.
Though I wouldn't say it's my favorite box car it does have a special place on the layout. Over the course of my career, I supported the development of several different propulsion systems utilized in missile defense systems. And no they didn't involve large springs! 
John
@Prr7688 posted:Ron,
That's an interesting sign on that car. From the presence of the French words, I'm assuming this is modeling the 1947 "Friendship Train"? If so - very cool! Did you add this sign yourself, was this a variation Atlas offered, or was this a custom run?
I did that myself and it is pretty close to the actual sign used on the X-29. I am building a Friendship Train with cars that are commercially available and with cars I can make. There are a lot of photos of the 200+ Friendship Train cars but most are blurry or at too much of an angle to clearly see the sign or the car it is on. Some are also too complicated. I figure I have maybe 20 good designs, now I am looking for the correct cars to put them on.
I plan to pull them behind my PRR Centipedes, just like the real train was pulled through PA.
@CAPPilot posted:I did that myself and it is pretty close to the actual sign used on the X-29. I am building a Friendship Train with cars that are commercially available and with cars I can make. There are a lot of photos of the 200+ Friendship Train cars but most are blurry or at too much of an angle to clearly see the sign or the car it is on. Some are also too complicated. I figure I have maybe 20 good designs, now I am looking for the correct cars to put them on.
I plan to pull them behind my PRR Centipedes, just like the real train was pulled through PA.
That should make one amazing train, Ron. I purchased the Friendship Train boxcars and coaches that Lionel issued last year. I really wish they would do another set (but not all 200+!!!). I found a picture where the train was pulled by a GG1, so I used my VisionLine version. Wish I had bought the centipede when it came out 
Ride the Reading !
Had put these in "Pull out your MPC" but here are some more favorites.
@CAPPilot posted:I did that myself and it is pretty close to the actual sign used on the X-29. I am building a Friendship Train with cars that are commercially available and with cars I can make. There are a lot of photos of the 200+ Friendship Train cars but most are blurry or at too much of an angle to clearly see the sign or the car it is on. Some are also too complicated. I figure I have maybe 20 good designs, now I am looking for the correct cars to put them on.
I plan to pull them behind my PRR Centipedes, just like the real train was pulled through PA.
I think this is an extremely cool project!
Would you consider starting a topic/thread on the cars you have done so far?
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
