OTHER ROAD FREIGHT CARS
This page illustrates the various revenue freight car models for other railways and private owners which I have built or purchased for use on the layout.
In comparison with other railways, the British Columbia Railway saw a lower percentage of freight cars from other roads. I consulted photographs and switch lists to determine which visiting revenue freight cars might have been seen in 1977 and would therefore be appropriate for use on the layout.
CN & CP BOX CARS CN 474927, CN 521992, CN 521995, CP 51022, CP 51029, 51059, 51096, CP 55947
CN and CP forty foot boxcars were seen occasionally in grain service on the British Columbia Railway, either leaving the system with grain after arriving with other goods, or being conveyed between the NAR in Dawson Creek and Prince Rupert via CN. I purchased several Micro-Trains ready-to-run boxcars with six foot doors to represent this traffic. They have been re-equipped with body mount couplers and Fox Valley wheels, and given appropriate weathering.
CN & NAR BOX CARS CN 550235, CN 557688, NAR 050148
I also chose to model several fifty foot boxcars belonging to other Canadian railways which may have been seen on the British Columbia Railway. The two CN cars are ready-to-run cars from Micro-Trains with body mount couplers, Fox Valley wheels and appropriate weathering. The NAR car was assembled from a Briggs Models kit and finished with Highball Graphics decals. The NAR cars were delivered in 1979, a little after my modelling date of 1977, but given the proximity of my railway to the NAR and the availability of an accurate kit, I wanted to have one.
U.S. ROAD BOX CARS CBQ 47425, GN 17833, MILW 12125, NP 7813, UP 300305
These cars are typical of those from U.S. railroads which may have visited the BCR in the 1970s. They would have likely brought manufactured goods from factories in the United States, and returned to the U.S. with lumber from mills on the BCR. They were selected from available ready-to-run models similar to those seen in photographs, and were equipped with appropriate Micro-Trains trucks, Fox Valley metal wheels, and body mount couplers. The Burlington car is from Athearn; the others are from Micro-Trains. The GN car received black ends and roof to match what was seen in photographs. These cars will be occasional visitors during operating sessions.
PER DIEM BOXCARS NSL 101601, RBOX 14010
These ready-to-run models from NARC represent the Pullman-Standard boxcars built for Railbox in 1975 and St. Lawrence Railroad in 1977. These cars were seen all over North America during the 1970s and 1980s. The purchase of the St. Lawrence car was inspired by a photograph of a similar car at Fort St. John in 1978. THe models received additional weight and light weathering. These cars will be occasional visitors during operating sessions.
CANFOR ALL DOOR CARS CFPX 4542, CFPX 4555, CFPX 4564, CFPX 4581, TCAX 20178, TCAX 20231
During the 1970s, all door boxcars were a regular sight on the British Columbia Railway. They belonged to private lumber companies and were painted in colourful schemes with corporate logos. Red Caboose offered their Thrall all door car in three different Canfor schemes and I purchased several to serve the Canfor mill at Chetwynd on my layout. These are ready-to-run models which have been re-equipped with Fox Valley metal wheels and finished with light weathering.
CN FLAT CARS CN 663379, 667327
CN 663379 is a NSC 52'-6" standard flatcar assembled from a Briggs Models kit and completed with acrylic paints and custom decals. It will be used to deliver loads from eastern Canada such as farm equipment, machinery, and structural materials.
CN 667327 is a 60'-0" flatcar which was released as a ready-to-run model by Intermountain. It has had its deck painted and moderate weathering applied. The BCR would borrow CN 60'-0" flatcars for picking up locomotives or cars which had derailed.
CN DEPRESSED FLAT CAR CN 672007
During the 1970s various hydro-electric developments in northern British Columbia saw numerous large dimensional loads of transformers and other equipment arriving in Chetwynd and Dawson Creek. These were typically conveyed from eastern Canada on CN or CP depressed centre flat cars. Micro-Trains acted on my suggestion to offer their car in CN colours. I lowered the car and added body mount couplers and metal wheels, and moderate weathering was applied.
CN BULKHEAD FLATCARS 603063, 603092
These CN bulkhead flatcars were seen in photographs at the Northwest Wood Preservers mill in Dawson Creek so would likely have in to town via the Northern Alberta Railways. The mill shipped preserved wood products such as bridge timbers, poles and ties. The decks of these cars were painted for a more realistic appearance and they received some weathering, but are otherwise stock ready-to-run cars from Prairie Shadows.
PROCOR ROTARY GONDOLAS UNPX 100501, 100623, 100658, 102347, 102461, 102486, 102559, 102580
By 1975, sulphur was being shipped south from Taylor to North Vancouver, and new 100 ton rotary gondolas were leased from Procor Ltd. for this traffic. These movements passed through Septimus and Chetwynd and I wanted to capture them on my layout. This batch of eight cars was built from the Kaslo Shops resin and etched metal kit which is still available. They ride on BLMA Models 100 ton trucks and were finished with acrylic paints and custom decals. Six cars were decorated in the Flying 'P' scheme, and two in the later scheme with the PROCOR name spelled out. I am using powdered yellow chalk for the sulphur loads which is very close in colour to the real thing.
PROCOR ROTARY GONDOLAS UNPX 102012, 102037, 102109, 102131, 102164, 102190, 102215, 102278
This batch of Procor rotary gondolas was purchased as ready-to-run models from North American Railcar Corporation and are finished in the Flying 'P' scheme. I served as a consultant on this model project and was very pleased with the way they turned out.
CYLINDRICAL HOPPER CARS CNWX 100130, 100251, 100321, CNWX 106039, 106601, 107449
The British Columbia Railway did not join the Western Grain Transportation Act until 1985, so government-owned cylindrical hoppers were not common on the line in 1977. I have purchased three cars of each of the two CNWX schemes suitable for use on the BCR in 1977. These are Intermountain models produced as special run cars for Pacific Western Rail Systems. They received Micro-Trains trucks and couplers, and moderate weathering.
CYLINDRICAL HOPPER CARS CN 371626, 371650, 371730, 371913
CYLINDRICAL HOPPER CARS CN 377008, 377249, 377524, 377880
These four cars represent visiting 4550 cu. ft. cylindrical hopper cars (round hatch versions) used in lime service. Lime was conveyed to Fort St. John for the manufacture of cement used to make oil well casings. These cars from Intermountain were re-equipped with Micro-Trains trucks and couplers, and light weathering.
CYLINDRICAL HOPPER CARS NAHX 455057, 455283
These two cars represent visiting 4550 cu. ft. cylindrical hopper cars with round hatches used in lime service. Lime was conveyed to Fort St. John for the manufacture of cement used to make oil well casings. These cars from Intermountain were re-equipped with Micro-Trains trucks and couplers, and received light weathering.
CHEMICAL TANK CARS CGTX 55090, 55172
These two 11,000 gallon tank cars were purchased as ready-to-run models from Atlas and have received BLMA trucks, Micro-Trains couplers, and light weathering. The Canadian Liquid Air tank car carries compressed flammable gases such as butane and is typical of cars used to ship these products north to Fort St. John and Fort Nelson. The Superior car carries propane to dealerships up and down the line.
CHEMICAL TANK CARS HCPX 1258, 1264, 1265
These three 17,360 gallon tank cars were also purchased as ready-to-run models from Atlas and have received BLMA trucks, Micro-Trains couplers, and light weathering. The Hooker Chemicals tank car carried chlorine from the Hooker plant in North Vancouver to Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.
CHEMICAL TANK CAR UTLX 96266, 96269, 96272
These 11,000 gallon tank cars were purchased as ready-to-run models from Atlas and have received BLMA trucks, Micro-Trains couplers, and light weathering. The manway was changed from white to black. These cars are typical of those used to ship chemical products north to Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.
LPG TANK CARS ACFX 17431, 17439, 17440, 17444
Also from Atlas are these 33,000 gallon LPG tank cars. They have been fitted with Micro-Trains couplers and BLMA 36" wheels. Cars of this size began to appear in the late 1960s and these were used to ship LPG products such as butane and propane north to Fort St. John and Fort Nelson. These products were used primarily as heating fuels.
GATX TANK CAR GATX 11763
This model was released by Atlas and represents a modern non-insulated 20,700 gallon tank car of welded construction. It is refitted with BLMA 100-Ton trucks and Micro-Trains body mount couplers. Tank cars such as this were used to ship diesel fuel and gasoline to northern communities.
NCTX TANK CARS NCTX 23025, 23034, 23048
These models from Rapido Trains represent the GP20 tank cars built by Procor Ltd. during the 1960s and 1970s. I have applied some safety placard decals and retrofitted them with Athearn 36" low profile metal wheels. Tank cars such as these were used to ship petroleum products from the plant at Taylor, B.C. on the Fort St. John Subdivision.
PROCOR TANK CARS PROX 47312, 47334, 47386, 47393
Tank cars were a common sight on the north end of the British Columbia Railway, delivering fuel to distributors and chemicals to various industries. These general service tank cars are typical of those used to deliver gasoline and diesel fuel to distributors such as Imperial Oil. The models are MDC tank cars with the Gold Medal Models etched brass upgrade kit, and are finished with acrylic paints and mainline decals.
PROCOR TANK CARS UTLX 47904, 47907, 47908, 47912, 47914, 47915, 47917, 47918, 47919
CN CABOOSE 78190
This model was assembled from an Athabasca Scale Models etched brass kit and finished with custom paint and Microscale Industries decals. It is numbered for one of several CN Point St. Charles cabooses which were sold to the British Columbia Railway and used in unit coal train service between Tumbler Ridge and Prince Rupert. This model is on my unit coal train at shows, and also occasionally on the NAR transfer job into Dawson Creek.
NAR CABOOSE 13006
This beautiful model of a Northern Alberta Railways half bay window caboose comes ready-to-run from Bluford Shops and is an excellent addition to my NAR transfer job into Dawson Creek. While not an exact replica of the prototype, the model is a very good representation of the NAR's distinctive cabooses. It runs with its stock trucks, wheels and couplers, and only very light weathering was applied.