HO 40' PS-1 Box, SP #97684

The SP started overnight service between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the late 1930s, and offered LCL (less than car load) service with it. These schedules were abandoned in WWII in deference to the movement of troops and war materials like armored vehicles. Service returned in 1946. So that the train could keep to schedule the traffic was blocked in reverse order and at stops at designated points according to destination a switch engine would take the cars off the rear end. There were two; one the CME #374 (Coast Merchandiser East) and the other #373, CMW. I model SP so I built both consists in different eras. The CMW is in the steam era with a Genesis Mt-4 road engine and an Mt-4 helper engine on the point. On these schedules was run the first TOFC traffic. Eventually the overnight boxcars were gone but the trailers stayed. It has occurred to me that although not often said, is that some manufacturers obviously do more extensive research on the equipment to be modeled. MTH does their homework, starting with car side data. This car shows built in 1946, exactly correct. In this era the cars were all black with the overnight yellow arrow through the orange background and the SP lines logo in yellow and black, again exactly correct. Southern Pacific was written out rather than just the initials SP under a solid bar with the same under the car number. The car was on top of high speed trucks, also correct. The grab irons, ladders and roof detail is cast on the body but well done, keeping the car more affordable which explains why there are no cutting levers or air hoses. Both can be added. The Superior doors are operative but if open the car weight is visible, but a little paint takes care of that. Under car details include full brake rigging; air reservoir, control valve, brake cylinder, fulcrums, brake rods and all piping. The couplers are metal, knuckle spring type with a scale head, probably Kadee. Metal wheels spin freely so the car rolls well. At 108g it is 4g short of NMRA standards but not a big deal unless there are tracking problems that develop. So having done their homework MTH passes with flying colors and this is a nice car to add to your fleet at a reasonable price.