Lionel 2326680 - Grain Door Boxcar "Minneapolis & St. Louis" #53150

• Rail Line: Minneapolis & St Louis
• Gauge: O Gauge 
• Min Curve: O31
• Dimensions: Length: 11 3/4"
• Most Recent Catalog: 2023 Big Book

Features:

• Diecast trucks and operating couplers with hidden tabs
• Opening side doors
• Wood grain doors and molded grain load

Overview:

Railroads equipped boxcars with temporary wood gates to carry bulk shipments of loose grain. These "grain doors" allowed the boxcars to be used for any number of other shipments off season. Ultimately, covered hoppers provided a much more efficient means of loading and unloading, and the practice fell out of favor through the 1960s and 70s, although some boxcars remained in this service into the 1980s. These models include opening doors to reveal a wood grain door and simulated load inside.