Asheville, North Carolina: Tangent Scale Models is happy to announce the next release of our Greenville 86’ High Cube Double Plug Door Box Car! This is not just a single box car model, but instead a system of 86’ High Cube Double Plug Door Box Car models. Today, we are releasing two all-new bodies for the Double Plug Door cars with six exciting paint schemes plus two undecorated kits. This is not a pre-order announcement — the cars are available right now!
During the 1960s, the most radical freight car designs employed the extreme height clearances offered by Plate F car designs. In 1964, no car type articulated this extreme more than the 86-foot, purpose-built “Auto Parts” boxcars. These large boxcars became fixtures on the rails all over North American mainlines, riding hot trains to deliver components vital to the productivity of auto plants. While several car builders offered 86’ auto parts boxcars, the most prolific builder of the double plug door design was Greenville Steel Car Company of Greenville, PA. More than 4,400 of these cars were acquired by most major railroads, and they were assigned to pools where multiple railroad’s cars served a specific shipper or shippers. Original utilization of these cars was for Ford, Pontiac, and Chrysler, as well as deliveries from 3rd party parts suppliers to the auto plants. Greenville’s 1964-1978 production was the longest run for this car type, with many still in service today.
Our April 2023 release replicates a distinctive group of Greenville cars: the 1970 Brownstown, Michigan Ford Parts Pool. The Ford Brownstown Parts Redistribution Center came online in 1970 and supplied the Ford Parts Depot Network around the United States. Parts Depot destinations for these cars included cities like Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, New Orleans, LA, Jacksonville, FL and more. (We assembled a complete 1970 Ford “BRO” Pool map – check out our website!) It is important to note that these cars are pooled – so that means any of the BRO cars can be loaded for any BRO pool location! This means that mixing and matching these BRO cars would be accurate to prototype practices.
Visually, these 1970 cars are different from any other Greenville car, with extra vertical rivets rows on the sides of the cars at each end. These rivets attach to the prototype’s interior posts for the DF2 belt rails, allowing palletized parts to be loaded on the DF2 interior crossbars. Eleven of the railroads participating in the Ford BRO Pool used cars supplied by Greenville Steel Car Company. With the extra riveted interior posts, the inset end panels on each March 1970-built Greenville side are more narrow. No other Greenville 86’ box car lot looks like this!
The Tangent Scale Models Greenville 86′ Double Plug Door Box Car continues the design and operational standards set by previous models in the Tangent product line. These are the eleventh and twelfth Greenville body styles in our line (yes ELEVENTH and TWELFTH, you read that right), including multiple specific body variations, four different brake layouts (two brake systems), four different draft gear combinations, and three underframe styles which incorporate Center-of-Car Cushioning and End-Of-Car Cushioning options. The Tangent Greenville 86’ box car includes a 70-ton or 100-ton truck option, with selections appropriate for each paint scheme, and both include “spinning” roller bearing caps. Finally, our cars are weighted properly and come with Kadee® couplers mounted in specially-designed coupler pockets which means they operate as good as they look. Due to the car’s size, we recommend curves of 24” or larger for these models.
Are you modeling auto parts traffic from March of 1970 forward? Welcome. You don’t have any Greenville cars that look like these!
Our April 2023 release includes these six new paint schemes – available for purchase today!
– Santa Fe (ATSF) “Quality Repaint 1992+” offers an example of ATSF cars that were repainted in the railroad’s “Quality” scheme in 1992. These models feature accurate Freightmaster End-of-Car Cushioning details, including the centering handles mechanism under the coupler. In this era, the Santa Fe cars have the “third crank arms” on each of those big plug doors, a detail we have faithfully replicated on the model. The model is equipped with Tangent 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” wheels and “Timken” rotating caps. If you look carefully, you will notice the accurate brake beams with truck-mounted brake cylinders. This replicates the truck-mounted brake features of the prototype cars. We are offering six road numbers in this 1992 ATSF release: SKUs -01, -02, -03 have accurate February, 1992 Topeka Shops applied data, while SKUs -04, -05, -06 have a variation of Topeka data applied in August 1992, with slightly different side, end and door locations. We even changed the tack board locations to follow prototype photos. Variety is a wonderful thing for your Tangent fleet of cars. And don’t forget to check out our prototype photos on our website. We back up our Industry-leading artwork with real prototype photos! SKU 25044
– Burlington Northern (BN) “Delivery 1970” replicates the only 86’ Greenville box cars delivered new to Burlington Northern Railroad. Built in March of 1970, these big Auto Parts cars feature the early version of BN’s graphics – notice the bold “BURLINGTON NORTHERN” on the left side, similar to the premerger CB&Q green scheme. These cars feature a 1970 Greenville body, with narrow end inset panels and an EOCC Underframe with correct Freightmaster cushioning. The car rides on accurate 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” CNC machined wheels with front and back profile along with a tapered axle and “Timken” rotating caps. The BN scheme features an accurate return route stencil to Penn Central in Brownstown, Michigan, home to the Ford Parts Redistribution Center. Here is a fun fact: The BN’s 12 cars in this group were ordered by CB&Q (5 cars) and GN (7 cars). As a result, the prototype cars have CB&Q or GN-specific trust data in the upper right-hand corner of the car sides. Yes, the Tangent models carefully replicate this lettering. Our BN models are available in six numbers. SKUs -01, -02, -03 feature CB&Q trust into and SKUs -04, -05, -06 feature GN trust data. Finally, these were the first new freight cars delivered to the then-new Burlington Northern railroad. Don’t miss these requested models! SKU 25045
– Detroit Toledo & Ironton (DTI) “Delivery 1970 Magenta” shows off one of the most-requested paint schemes for the Tangent Greenville 86’ Box Car System. We appreciate the patience of DT&I modelers, as we wanted to get this car right with the correct 1970 Greenville body with accurate DT&I Magenta paint and lettering. This Magenta DT&I group totaled 54 cars — It was also the first group to be delivered for use in the new Ford Brownstown Parts Distribution facility pool. Yes, these cars were pooled, so that means these beautiful Magenta 86’ giants served Ford US Parts Depots coast to coast in the Ford BRO pool lanes. Note the prototype photo on our website that shows a DT&I “BRO” car behind a GN painted, BN-restenciled SD45 presumably photographed on BN headed to Seattle. The DT&I cars feature the distinctive Brownstown body style, with extra vertical rivet rows at the ends of the side sheets. An accurate End-Of-Car Cushioning underframe shows off the 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” wheels and “Timken” rotating caps. These stunning DT&I cars are available in twelve numbers. SKU 25046
– Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) “Delivery 1970” is our first SCL offering in the Tangent 86’ Greenville world. These cars were painted black with yellow graphics advertising “Smooth Cushioned Load” – did you see what they did there? The SCL class X-9 numbered four cars and these models match the prototypes with truck-mounted brakes and Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning. The ends feature Gypsum end crossover platforms and an Elcon-National power brake. The models are equipped with Tangent 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” wheels and “Timken” rotating caps. The silver doors and white ends really pop on this scheme, as does the sharp yellow stenciling! SCL’s mainline between Atlanta and Jacksonville hosted Ford Brownstown traffic, and we are pleased to offer all four numbers in this run! SKU 25047
– St. Louis-San Francisco (SLSF) “Delivery 1970” is another one of those paint schemes that Tangent customers have requested – a lot! The Frisco contributed nine cars to the Ford Brownstown Parts Pool, all delivered in March of 1970. The Tangent models feature an accurate Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning underframe along with 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” wheels and “Timken” rotating caps. Yes, it’s 2023, and that means free-rolling wheels with prototype vendor-specific rotating caps are available in HO Scale. These 86’ box cars were painted in SLSF yellow, with the iconic coonskin logo and “Ship it on the Frisco!” slogan. This paint scheme is simply stunning when applied to an 86’ Greenville box car. But there is more to painting SLSF than just a logo. The Frisco’s Roman reporting marks and data need to be done right. Add in the Boatmen’s National Bank of St. Louis trust stencil and even a Frisco-accurate ACI label, and we are very proud to offer the most-accurate SLSF artwork in the industry. These Frisco beauties are available in six road numbers. SKU 25048
– St. Louis Southwestern (SSW) “B-100-26 Delivery 1970” brings one of the most-recognized paint schemes on a Greenville 86’ box car to the Ford Brownstown Parts pool party. The Cotton Belt’s only group of Greenville 86’ Box Cars were delivered in March of 1970, painted in “SP Scarlet Red” including those aluminum doors! SP “lettering gray” was painted in an oval shape on the doors, leaving a huge “SP” in place in scarlet red. Also, the slogan “HY-CUBE CUSHION-CAR” along with most of the small data is accurately replicated in SP “lettering gray.” The “COTTON BELT” roadname and reporting marks are accurately painted white. The prototype car featured a Center-Of-Car Cushioning underframe with 20-inch Keystone draft gear, and so does the Tangent model. The Keystone COCC system has a distinctive look – notice how the draft gear sticks out longer than the carbody. Truck-mounted brake details complete the underframe, along with corresponding truck-mounted brake beams on the 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks. At any angle, these B-100-26 box cars are stunners and available in six accurate numbers. SKU 25049
– Undecorated KIT “Version H – 1970 EOCC” gives the kit builders a little bit of love. We get it — sometimes you just want to build your own model or paint a scheme we have yet to offer. This unpainted kit handles our new 1970 Brownstown Body build version with End-Of-Car Cushioning. The kit includes the correct Greenville BRO Brownstown EOCC body, appropriate truck-mounted brake details, accurate End-Of-Car Cushion underframe, appropriate details parts and 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” wheels and rotating “Timken” caps. You supply your own favorite couplers. (ATSF, BN, CO, DTI, EL, LN, SCL, SLSF) SKU 25008-01
– Undecorated KIT “Version I – 1970 COCC” gives the kit builders a much-needed option. Sometimes you just want to build your own model or paint a scheme we have yet to offer. This unpainted kit handles our new 1970 Brownstown Body build version with Center-Of-Car Cushioning. The kit includes the correct Greenville BRO Brownstown COCC body, appropriate truck-mounted brake details, accurate Center-Of-Car Cushion underframe, appropriate details parts and 100-Ton “Low profile” Barber S-2-A trucks, 36” wheels and rotating “Timken” caps. You supply your own favorite couplers. (MP, SOU, SSW) SKU 25009-01
All of these models – and prototype images – can be seen at www.tangentscalemodels.com !
If your favorite railroad is not listed in this run, don’t fear, we have many more schemes planned. Please keep in mind that these were pooled boxcars which means you might consider buying cars in a variety of road names. For example: Our prototype photos collection shows an ATSF car in St. Paul, MN, a DT&I car in Spokane, WA, a BN car in San Bernadino, CA, a SLSF car in Indiana, and SSW cars in Spokane, WA and Denver, CO. These Brownstown parts cars were an important piece of the Ford auto parts puzzle.
The Tangent Greenville 86’ High Cube Double Plug Door Box Car System is a state of the art, dimensionally-accurate scale replica that was tooled to Greenville Steel Car plans and verified with field measurements. Our model comes with highly accurate “true-to-life” colors and “hyper-accurate” lettering including exact stenciling, fonts, and lettering placement. Our Greenville 86’ system of models offers a multitude of detail variations and phases to replicate the many different Greenville Steel Car offerings. We make the best cars money can buy in HO scale. A quick synopsis of our era and railroad-specific detail variations include:
• Dimensional accuracy – designed from actual Greenville blueprints and verified with field measurements
• Highly correct “true to life” colors
• “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement
• Body shells with or without overlapping side panels
• Roofs with running board supports remaining in place (1965+ appearance since the running boards were gone by 1966) and roofs without running board supports (1965+ Greenville production)
• EOCC (end of car cushioning) or COCC (center of car cushioning) “near scale” draft gear variations
• Genuine Kadee® scale couplers
• Separate flexible rubber air hoses
• Under car brake system variations
• “See through” etched metal end crossover platforms in three possible options: Gypsum, Apex, or Morton
• Side tack board types/sizes and locations
• Twelve (!) prototypically-accurate brake stands (Ajax, 2 Universal versions, 2 Equipco versions, 2 Miner versions, Champion-Peacock, 2 Elcon-National versions, Peacock 850, Klasing 1150)
• Two possible handbrake “brake wheel” options
• Optional 3rd door crank arm parts to be configured one of three ways
• Multiple truck options: 70-Ton Barber S-2A Roller Bearing Truck, 70-Ton Barber S-2 “Birdsboro foundry” Roller Bearing Truck or a 100-Ton “Low Profile” Barber S-2-C Roller Bearing Truck
• 33” or 36” wheels, as applicable, with front and back detail and accurate tapered axles
• Two truck brake beam part options, as applicable
• Three “rotating” roller bearing truck cap options
• Recommended age 14 years and older
With accurate roadname and era-specific details, genuine Kadee couplers, and all-metal wheels, we provide you with a high-value model that will provide you with years of enjoyment and curb-appeal. Pricing for all RTR models in this release is $56.95, with quantity discounts for direct purchases from Tangent Scale Models.
That wraps up our update for today, and thank you for supporting the family-owned businesses in our industry!