| Modelers of HO trains model after specific railroad | | | | Intermountain, Athearn/Athearn Genesis, Accurail, |
| periods of the United States and Canada. From | | | | Bachmann, Walthers, Red Caboose, Bowser, |
| almost the onset of American railroads the 40 foot | | | | Roundhouse (Roundhouse is now makes only the pre |
| boxcar has been in existence. It began to disappear | | | | twentieth century cars), Branchline, Life-Like, etc. |
| from the railroads in the 1960s.Refrigeration was | | | | There are several more that sell kit form freight cars |
| changing from the old ice method to the modern | | | | as do some of the aforementioned companies. You |
| thermal air-condition cars that were self cooling. Also, | | | | can even get wood kits but they are not |
| the 40 footer was beginning to be too small. The | | | | common.Now for the types of 40 foot boxcars |
| larger 50 & 60 footers were taking over and they | | | | there are more than you may possibly think. The |
| even experimented with 86 foot boxcars. The big | | | | types of construction and usage varied. It all |
| railroads wanted to haul more goods and reduce the | | | | depended where the railroad was mainly located and |
| tonnage they had to haul. It took 125 40 foot | | | | types of products, food and perishables that were |
| boxcars to equal 100 50 foot boxcars. The reduction | | | | being shipped. From perishables, staples (wheat, Corn, |
| would be 25 less 40 foot boxcars times their empty | | | | Barley, Soy, etc.), equipment that needed to be |
| gross wait.This was certainly an advantage for the | | | | enclosed, parts, manufacturing equipment that was |
| railroads let alone the maintenance of the smaller | | | | relative small and the manufacturer did not want the |
| boxcar. With this in mind the majority of the model | | | | tools and or equipment dinged by flying debris, ice, |
| railroaders I know still prefer the 40 foot boxcar. | | | | snow and heavy rain, and typical Midwestern hail |
| They like the era from the late 1920s though the | | | | storms.Typically soft goods like flour, sugar, fruit, |
| early 1960s. They are also very colorful and | | | | dairy products, and processed meats were hauled in |
| interesting. Many of these nostalgic colorfully designed | | | | 40 foot reefers. These boxcars are smaller in size |
| boxcars are gone unless they might be in a railroad | | | | than the standard 40 footer. The majority of these |
| museum. There were so many different designs and | | | | reefers were wood as were most of the other |
| logos to see.The hobbyist still has the opportunity to | | | | types of 40 foot boxcars. This changed however, as |
| find many of these colorful boxcars that are | | | | time went on to metal reefers.There are multiple |
| manufactured by several model railroad producers of | | | | types of 40 foot steel boxcars. |
| freight cars. Some examples are Kadee, | | | | |