Atlas O 3008718 - Express BoxCar "Railway Express" (2-Rail)

• Road Name: Railway Express (CRDX)
• Road Number: 8257; 8263; 8277; 8290
• Product Line: Atlas O
• System: 2-Rail
• Scale: O Scale
• Estimated Release: 3rd Quarter 2020

Four road numbers are available per road name.

Features:

• Die- cast floor with under frame details
• Lighted Interior - Troop Sleeper; Troop Kitchen and Troop Hospital Cars
• Detailed die-cast allied full cushion trucks
• Flush fitting window glazing
• Rubber diaphragms
• Minimum diameter curve: O-45 (3-rail)
• Minimum curve: 36” radius

Overview:

During the Second World War, the task of moving large numbers of troops and materiel across the country to ports of embarkation fell to the US railroads. It is estimated that nearly 44 million troops traveled by train between December of 1941 and June of 1945 alone, and the available passenger car fleets were unable to keep up with this sudden increase. The Pullman Company, together with American Car and Foundry, utilized the design of a standard 50’6” boxcar to produce 2400 troop sleepers, 440 troop kitchen cars, and 60 hospital/kitchen cars to meet this demand. Following the war (and the use of these cars to return troops home), in 1947 the majority of these cars were sold to the railroads, who converted them into baggage / mail cars, box cars, MOW bunk / kitchen cars and even cabooses. Others were sold to freight car leasing companies, such as Chicago Freight Car Leasing, who then converted them into express and refrigerator cars for companies such as Railway Express Agency (REA).