Large Scale Central

Shorty Boxcars: Who makes them?

Is there any manufacturer that makes very short boxcars? I’m going to build a switching layout and the maximum car length available is 12" Are there any boxcars less than 12" long?

you could either take Hartland short flats, and make your own,

or have a look at Britain’s producers.

Joe, if you don’t mind scratching, I updated the old plan sets published by GR years ago. They are on my web site here http://www.gscalejunkie.com/GRPS.html

Short boxcars? Well Heartland made some, Kalamazoo made some. Aristo made some 2 axle jobbies, LGB makes short 2 axle jobbies. If you don’t mind some bashing, the Bachmann Big Haulers cars can sometimes be had cheep, and they could be cut down.

I would have to go measure the USA American series (1:24th scale) boxcars, but I think they are right around that length (12 inches).

The old Roundhouse boxcars are short too, but they are 1:32nd scale.

Joe, I have one, and it happens to be for sale.

I will post picture tomorrow, can’t right now. Gotta go!

Joe, I also just remembered, look for the 4 wheel American Scientific, etc inexpensive Christmas sets.

A while ago Bachmann made some 20’ cars that they claimed were 1:20 but were actually 1:22.5. They work out at about 11" long. The flatcar is still available with the log skidder:

There was also a boxcar (below) and a gondola made from the above flatcar with some sides slotted in the stake pockets. [I may be abled to find the Victor Mining gondola sides in my parts box.]

The boxcars and gondolas occasionally pop up on eBay. The short trucks are available in the B’mann Parts store for $9-ish.

Here it is:

That is a 12 inch ruler on top. I had a flat frame, probably LGB, and I forced put an Aristocraft body on it that I had bought separately.

The Timesaver is built to only use Hartland cars, so this one is a bit too big.

Joe

You did not tell us what scale you are looking for so I will offer two different ones.

The “Lil Big Hauler” series from Bachmann included a coach, baggage, boxcar, tanker, flat and gondola. Most of the series is still for sale direct from their website. It also appears regularly on E-bay.

Accucraft offered a shorty series in 1/20.3 that included an 18’ boxcar, caboose, flatcar and mine hopper. The boxcar and caboose were all brass and very rare (upwards of $200 each). The flat and hopper are still for sale from Accucraft and come up quite often on E-bay in the $50 each range .

As always Joe we love pictures of whatever you are working on.

Does somebody have dimensions on the Accucraft box car Boomer is showing above? I would really like having the dimensions of that car.

I use Eztec/Scientific cars which are under 12" long but you have to remove the single axle bogies and replace them with a pair of standard American trucks, this also allows you to install knuckle couplers.

Ric Golding said:

Does somebody have dimensions on the Accucraft box car Boomer is showing above? I would really like having the dimensions of that car.

I think they were all made on the same flatcar frame. Dave Frediani (advertises in SitG) makes 7/8ths cars from them.

Boomer K. MOGWAI said:

Joe

You did not tell us what scale you are looking for so I will offer two different ones.

The “Lil Big Hauler” series from Bachmann included a coach, baggage, boxcar, tanker, flat and gondola. Most of the series is still for sale direct from their website. It also appears regularly on E-bay.

Accucraft offered a shorty series in 1/20.3 that included an 18’ boxcar, caboose, flatcar and mine hopper. The boxcar and caboose were all brass and very rare (upwards of $200 each). The flat and hopper are still for sale from Accucraft and come up quite often on E-bay in the $50 each range .

As always Joe we love pictures of whatever you are working on.

I neglected to mention that I am modeling in 1:29. As long as the cars aren’t too big, they should work. So anything from about 1:29 to 1:22 should be in the correct size range for a standard gauge car in 1:29.

I already have, and plan to use the Accucraft 4 wheel flat car. Even being in 20.3, it’s small enough for a small 1:29 car.

Boomer, I’m starting to build a “tiny” 2x8 switching layout. I’ll create a thread for the layout once I decide on the theme. And there will be photos without a doubt!

Couple of overseas options out there too, unless that isn’t your cup of tea.

Brown one is a Lil Big Hauler box, Green one is a Bachmann Thomas goods van on 31mm axles and no buffers or couplings, and the Yeller one is a Lehmann/LGB thing.

These also exist, LGB 94067.

Look for these lgb’s LGB# 94268 4107 4033 3020

OOPS double post

I haven’t read the entire thread but have seen people post the Lil Big Hauler ones.

Another source is the cheap cars that come with like the New Bright (as well as a ton of other names) Christmas trains. Usually can be picked up for a song on shop and swap sites or garage sales.

Not pretty but are small short cars. Oh and some of the lionel stuff can be short

Joe, I can bring the PRR with me to ECLSTS for you to look at. I will only be there Friday day. Let me know if you want to meet.

personally I like the size of the Kalamazoo/HLW wood side box cars, smaller than LGB but a little bigger than new bright

These boxcars started out as Kalamazoo cars. They must have been stored in a damp environment. Their boxes had so much mildew that I would not even bring the boxes into the house. Made new boxes from a shop vac carton. They are nice little cars, but then my railroad is supposed to be set in the Fourth Age of Middle Earth, so the equipment is still somewhat diminutive.

Keep on Trackin’, David Meashey