Many household appliance brands rode the rails: Admiral, Whirlpool, or Roper, to name a few. Nicknamed “baby hi-cubes” by shippers, railfans, and rail employees alike, the PS-1 40’ “Mini-Hy Cube” boxcars were early examples of purpose-built boxcars, built by Pullman-Standard in Bessemer, AL. At 4900 cubic foot capacity, most of these distinctively small yet tall cars were purchased for appliance loading out of origins in U.S. Midwestern states. Five railroads bought these cars in 1967-1968, and they were sent to destinations all over North America delivering appliances to warehouse receivers and team tracks. Because some of the cars were pooled, any roadname could be consigned to literally any destination, making these cars “nationwide roamers,” meaning you can justify any roadname anywhere. Later in their service lives, most cars were repurposed for paper loading, and by the 1990s many remaining cars were utilized in MOW and other company service roles.
The Tangent Scale Models HO scale PS-1 “Mini-Hy Cube” Boxcar replica features a prototypical “slight peak” roof, separate underframe brake components with wire piping, narrow ladders and sill steps, and “see-through” crossover platforms. These replicas include the “near-scale” draft gear that has been standard on all recent Tangent releases, which includes the “side key” detail with Kadee all-metal couplers. Detailed “trombone style” coupler lift bars are also present on our replicas with one of two styles to match the prototype. Finally, the models are equipped with the correct Tangent Barber S-2-A 70-ton roller bearing trucks and 33” CNC-machined wheelsets, so our models look as good as they operate. These small yet tall models are sure to be stunners on your layout!
Our August 2017 release includes the following 6 RTR paint schemes, mostly focused on repaint paint schemes.
– DRGW “Original Brown 1967 DF” in the classic original freight car brown scheme from November 1967, with the iconic DRGW logo and spelled out “The Action Road.” These cars have black ends with white paint at the top to denote the excess height, and include a large “DF” on the car side advertising the car’s cushioning capabilities. All this means that there is a lot of graphics on these small yet tall cars! This series of DRGW cars all have a return to NYC, Evansville IN route stencil and were originally assigned to Whirlpool. Keep in mind the real cars were pooled, so any roadname can work on your layout because they were assigned to service from that specific appliance factory! These beautiful cars are available in 3 road numbers. SKU 18016-01 through 18016-03.
– BN “Cascade Green 1973” continues our BN repaint series started last year (now sold out). This BN repaint variant from February 1973 is applied to a former CBQ car. This car has a stunning repaint with a large BN logo painted high on the car side, “Exceeds Plate C” logo, ACI label, and other standard BN touches like white delineators (yesterday’s “conspicuity stripes”). Check out our stellar BN green! At some point during the 1980s, BN began to shift some of these cars from appliance service to paper service. Don’t miss out! This cool repaint scheme is available with road number 281465 in order to accurately reproduce the prototype car (pictured on our website), but don’t despair, we have another BN number available below! SKU 18019-01.
– BN “Cascade Green 1975” represents a different BN repaint variant, this time from May 1975. This car is a stunning repaint with a large BN logo that is lower on the car, “Exceeds Plate C” logo, ACI label, and other standard BN touches like white delineators (yesterday’s “conspicuity stripes”). Check out our stellar BN green! At some point during the 1980s, BN began to shift some of these cars from appliance service to paper service. This car has “BN” and the car number stenciled on the truck, just like the prototype! This unique repaint scheme is available with road number 281474 in order to accurately reproduce the prototype car (pictured on our website). SKU 18020-01. Pair your purchase with our 1973 BN variant listed above!
– CB&Q “Havelock Repaint 1970” in a unique Havelock-applied green, applied in June 1970 and is a great and unique car for 1970s/1980s modelers. Like the prototype car, this model is stenciled with a return route stencil to ATSF Galesburg IL and has Havelock-style lettering on the car side. With its large spelled-out “Burlington” graphic against the green, this car is a stunner and is a great compliment to our CB&Q red cars, as well as our new BN variants released above (assuming you model early BN). SKU 18021-01.
– ICG “1972 Repaint” w/ Skinny Letters in the classic orange from IC heritage, however this car is an ICG repaint with “skinny” lettering applied by Centralia (IL) shops in November 1972 and is typical for cars repainted in that era. These IC repaints include many common stenciling options seen on freight cars from that era, including yellow boxes with “this car excess height” notation, “Exceeds Plate C” logo, ACI label, single COTS box, and “Return to ICGRR…” return route stencils. Like the original IC cars delivered from Pullman-Standard in 1967, these cars retain the “Cushion Underframe” and “slash” lettering in the upper left corner, as well as the “Service With Safety” slogans above the side ladders. This car is modeled from prototype car number ICG 480050 (a new series following the IC-GM&O merger), and is available in this road number only (although see the SKU number below for another ICG variant). SKU 18022-01.
– ICG “1977 Repaint” w/ Wide Letters in the classic orange from IC heritage, however this car is an ICG repaint with “wide” lettering applied by Centralia (IL) shops in 1977. These IC repaints include yellow boxes with “this car excess height” notation, double COTS box, and “Return to ICGRR…” return route stencils. Like the original IC cars delivered from Pullman-Standard in 1967, these cars retain the “Cushion Underframe” and “slash” lettering in the upper left corner, as well as the “Service With Safety” slogans above the side ladders. This car is modeled from prototype car number ICG 480070, and is available in this road number only. SKU 18023-01.
These awesome Tangent Scale Models replicas are shipping now. Features for our RTR replicas include:
– Dimensional accuracy – designed from actual Pullman-Standard blueprints
– Designed, tooled, and plastic parts produced in USA!
– Highly correct “true to life” colors
– “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement
– Genuine Kadee® scale couplers
– “Near-scale” draft gear box with beautifully-rendered side “key” detail
– 2 different draft gear and trombone-style coupler lift bar variations that represent those pesky prototypical details Tangent is known for
– Lacy details – wire grab irons, coupler lift bars, and stand-off ladders and stirrup steps, brake system piping
– “See through” crossover end platforms
– Separate air hoses
– CNC-machined 33” wheels in high quality Tangent Scale Models 70-ton Barber S-2-A Roller Bearing trucks (with semi-scale replacement wheels available separately) with separate brake hangar parts for extra realism
– Recommended age 14 years and older
Even if you do not model one of these roadnames, you should consider the Tangent PS-1 appliance and paper haulers for your layout. Any roadname(s) would be perfect in a through freight or spotted at a local team tack or appliance distributor industry. Don’t miss out on the Tangent Scale Models Pullman-Standard PS-1 “Mini-Hy Cube” Boxcar, a necessary cog in the unique 1960s box car boom. Pricing for RTR models is $44.95, 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!
David Lehlbach