Please click on the images at right for pricing, SKUs, high resolution photos, prototype photos, car number options, and/or to order these HO scale replicas!
Tangent Scale Models is pleased to announce the availability today of our fourth all-new freight car release for 2024: the HO Scale Thrall 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car System! This is the first Thrall box car product in our line HO scale freight car replicas that introduce market-leading design and tooling practices.
The 1960s freight car building boom was fueled by specialty car types. 60’ box cars designed for dense auto parts such as engines, bumpers, axles, and glass were an emerging car type. Thrall Car Manufacturing Incorporated, based in Chicago Heights IL, was a new carbuilder in the 1960s who had a strong market offering of specialty auto parts box cars. Thrall built its first 60’ auto parts cars in 1963 and utilized welded construction. In 1969, Thrall constructed this modernized Plate C 5880cf design for Ford service with centered, double plug doors, distinctive “double weld” side construction, and “X-Panel” roofs. Twelve railroads initially bought these cars, and these workhorses remained in service into the 2000s, including service in the conspicuity stripe era.
More than 500 Thrall 5880cf box cars were built in 1969, and production included two different underframe/EOC Cushioning variations:
- CN, LN, MILW, NW, SLSF, SN and WP orders were built with Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning and Stanray Coupler Centering devices.
- ATSF, CP, MP, SP and UP opted for Keystone End-Of-Car Cushioning, larger underframe I-beam caps at the large cross bearers and a more offset underframe brake equipment layout toward the B-End of the car.
The Tangent Scale Models Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car is a dimensionally-accurate replica of the real car, designed from actual blueprints. Our Thrall 5880 60’ system includes multiple underframe and cushioning configurations, plug door details and end brake appliance configurations appropriate for the era of the model. Additionally, we include a beautifully-rendered Stanray “X-Panel” roof, accurate Stanray ends and the signature Thrall “double welds” walking down the sides of the model. Underneath, the car includes full prototypical brake piping, appliances, and our “near-scale” draft gear box including side cushioning/centering device detail. These cars are ready to roll with Tangent-accurate Barber 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks and 36 inch wheels. Our ready-to-operate replica is finished with coupler lift bars, accompanying Kadee® scale couplers, sufficient hidden weights, and CNC-machined wheels to ensure the model operates as good as it looks.
Our June 2024 introductory production of our Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car System includes FOUR all-new RTR paint schemes plus TWO undecorated options. Check them out now at www.tangentscalemodels.com
And as usual, all our offerings below feature photos on our website showing the actual model and the prototype cars! Here are our schemes:
– Burlington Northern BN “Repaint 1985” shows a distinctive repaint offering. Frisco’s Thrall box cars became part of the BN freight car fleet with BN’s acquisition of the SLSF in late 1980. The Frisco’s Springfield, Missouri car shops stayed busy well into the BN era, including repainting cars BN green. These mid-1980s BN green repaints feature a distinctive graphic style with condensed reporting marks and stencil data. If you look closely, you will also see the red and white BN Springfield shop sticker in the bottom left of the carbody. It’s little details like this that make this scheme pop! This model features Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning, but the Stanray coupler centering device equipment has been removed. Yes, this matches the prototype photos. The model has Ajax brake equipment on the B End along with a modern brake wheel and later-era replacement coupler lift bars. The double plug doors are equipped with era-appropriate double-pairs of Auxiliary Top Crank arms. This replica is equipped with 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken caps. There are four numbers available, with SKUs 01 and 02 featuring a left-oriented “Burlington Northern” and data, while SKUs 03 and 04 featuring a more center-oriented “Burlington Northern” and data on the car side. Check out the prototype photos on our website to compare the prototypes’ variety! SKU 34010
– Norfolk and Western NW “Original Blue 4-1969” replicates a critical delivery paint scheme for this Thrall 5880 box car system. The NW’s huge order for 269 cars was painted in a beautiful dark blue with white graphics. These cars are truly distinctive, with their large left-side “hamburger” logo and “Norfolk and Western” roadname centered vertically on the right side of the car. The models are equipped with Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning, a Stanray coupler centering device (see those handles flanking the draft gear!) and NW’s signature Equipco 3750 handbrake. Underneath, you can spot those gorgeous Tangent 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken caps. Assigned to Melvindale, Michigan (i.e. Detroit), these B-120 Class cars were hauling auto parts across Ford’s pool routes. From New York to California, and even into Canada, these N&W cars were everywhere. Stunning, sharp and accurate – oh, and available in eight numbers! SKU 34011
– Union Pacific UP “Red Repaint BF-90-3 2005+” provides a contemporary “conspicuity era” paint example for the modern guys. The UP’s fleet of 54 cars served long lives that included repaint schemes. This Tangent model features UP’s oxide red freight car color and conspicuity striping for 2005+ era accuracy. The UP cars are equipped with Keystone End-Of-Car Cushioning and related coupler centering devices. For those who are paying attention, this also translates to a completely different underframe appliances and hardware layout. The doors feature single Auxiliary Top Crank arms, correct for this era. These cars are lettered with lots of little data including the familiar yellow conspicuity striping for grade crossing visibility. Check out that accurate Ajax brake stand and modern brake wheel! These beauties roll on Tangent 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks and are equipped with rotating Timken caps, just like the prototype. Available in four numbers, SKUs -01 and -02 are different from SKUs -03 and -04, with differing placement of UP reporting marks, data, and yellow delineators. Variety is a wonderful thing! SKU 34012
Click here for a prototype image taken in 2005
Click here for a prototype image taken in 2006
– Western Pacific WP “Original Red 2-1969” replicates the as-delivered scheme applied by Thrall to the WP’s order of nine cars. The WP logo is big and bold, filling up the right side of the car. The WP’s cars were delivered with Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning, Stanray coupler centering devices (see those handles flanking the draft gear!) and an Ajax handbrake with a modern wheel. Top to bottom, this is a sharp looking car, with the large “Western Pacific” road name properly executed. The ACI label is mounted on a stand-off plate, just like the prototype. The box car is equipped on Tangent 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks and are equipped with rotating Timken caps. The “CODE 65” lettering above the reporting marks means the box car is in Ford parts service and returns to the N&W Railway Melvindale, MI (Detroit). This is another great example of an auto parts car that roams the Ford pool lanes, carrying parts to assembly plants or distribution centers nationwide. This popular scheme is available in eight numbers! Do not miss out. SKU 34013
We also have TWO undecorated kit options available, continuing our dedication to modelers. We know that sometimes you just want to build and paint your own car. We are modelers too, and we understand the need to continue to offer undecorated products.
– Undecorated KIT with Freightmaster End-Of-Car Cushioning provides an unpainted KIT, ready for assembly and painting. This kit builds the Thrall 5880 box car with the Freightmaster draft gear and underframe setup. This kit includes 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken caps and CNC-machined 36” wheels. This phase is a match for CN, LN, MILW, NW, SLSF, SN and WP. You supply your own favorite couplers. SKU 34000-01
– Undecorated KIT with Keystone End-Of-Car Cushioning provides an unpainted KIT, ready for assembly and painting. This kit builds the Thrall 5880 box car with the Keystone draft gear and underframe setup. This kit includes 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken caps and CNC-machined 36” wheels. This phase is a match for ATSF, CP, MP, SP and UP. You supply your own favorite couplers. SKU 34001-01
The Tangent Scale Models Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Cars are shipping NOW.
Features for our Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car replicas include:
- Dimensional accuracy – designed from Thrall Company plans
- Highly correct “true to life” colors
- “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement
- Multiple road numbers for each scheme where appropriate
- Multiple Thrall Underframe and Draft Gear assemblies to handle end and underframe phase/era feature combinations 1969-2000s
- Separately applied door rods, handles, tackboards.
- Separately applied door track details.
- “See through” Apex, Gypsum or Morton end crossover platforms where appropriate
- Genuine Kadee® scale couplers
- EOCC (End Of Car Cushioning) “near scale” draft gear with “Keystone” and “Freightmaster” variations
- Underframe detail and brake system variations
- Separate flexible rubber air hoses
- Beautiful details – metal stirrup steps, metal coupler lift bars and “Tangent-Thin” ladders – no thick “chunky” plastic details anywhere!
- Three coupler lift bar variations
- Two Ajax and two Equipco 3750 prototypically-accurate brake stands
- Two different Auxiliary Top Crank arm parts to be configured in multiple ways
- Precision Tangent Scale Models 100-Ton Barber S-2 trucks with roadname-specific rotating bearing caps and separate brake beam parts
- Four “rotating” roller bearing truck cap options for 100-Ton Barber S-2 Roller Bearing truck
- CNC-machined 36” wheels with accurate front and back profile detail
- Replacement 36” semi-scale wheels for our “rotating bearing cap” trucks are available separately from Tangent in either blackened or nickel-silver finish
- Genuine Kadee® scale “scale-head” couplers
- Recommended age 14 years and older
Do not miss out on the Tangent Scale Models Thrall Car Manufacturing Company 5880cf 60’ Double Plug Door Box Car, a highly requested and relevant Thrall box car prototype. Pricing for these RTR models is $58.95.
Please click on the images at right for pricing, SKUs, high resolution photos, prototype photos, car number options, and/or to order!
