Unusual 933 Box Car Box

Alan,

I have never heard or seen anything about a 933W box. A little bit of conjecture here, there is a listing for a 633F which is the G. Fox boxcar. There also was a red 633 and a tuscan 633 reefer along with a 633 brown and white B&O box.  Too many variations of the 633 number. Perhaps the thought was that when the 900 series knuckle coupler was introduced a letter would be assigned to identify the various colors. There was only one version of the 933 produced though which was the white and brown B&O. Perhaps the 933W box was the only version printed until someone came to their senses. Just a thought.

Rich

@ajzend posted:

Hi,

I have an AF 933 box car box that has, what I believe to be , a W after the 933, and before the word “box”.   I do not have the car. Is there something unusual or odd about the letter  W on the box?

Thanks

Alan

Interesting find.

Having the original contents would be helpful in knowing whether the 933 packed in the box was early or late. However, red B&O 633's are correctly and usually found in a box stamped 633-R on its end flap and the B&O Tuscan-painted 633's correct box is stamped 633T. Richabr's observation about the 633-F aside, a likely explanation is that W stands for 'white'. Because all known 933's have white sides and a Tuscan-painted roof and ends, the distinction at the outset was soon dropped. It helps to remember that Gilbert was making the trains as toys, rapidly packing them, and whisking them out to dealers.

Bob

I have 633 box cars in boxes stamped 633, 633T, 633R and 633W. I do not have a box stamped 633F, if they exist they would be very rare. I recall all my 933 boxes stamped 933, but some could have been stamped 633W.

Maybe I should have said that this is a blue and yellow box.
Alan

The 933's were made in 1953 and 1954 so they will all be in the the yellow/blue boxes. The red/white boxes did not appear until 1956.

I thank everyone who replied. I think I’m buying into the W stands for white.
Would the temporary use of the W at first indicate that initially other colors were contemplated?

Alan

@ajzend posted:

I thank everyone who replied. I think I’m buying into the W stands for white.
Would the temporary use of the W at first indicate that initially other colors were contemplated?

Alan

You are welcome!

According to my copy of the Maury Romer notes on Gilbert production, a 933 other than with white sides and Tuscan-painted roof and ends was never contemplated. Most likely, the use of the the 'W' was a carry over from the practice of its use with the 633W. The product notes do have listings for the 633R and 633W (white with Tuscan-painted ends and roof). There is not a listing for the 633T (which is a known more scarce Tuscan-painted variation) and the 633F (for the 4605F G. Fox and Co. set which is rare).

Bob