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