Fox Valley - 81909 - Boxcar, 50 Foot, Canstock - CSX Transportation - 504011

Model Information: Fox Valley first announced this model in March of 2013 with a target delivery date of December 2013. The model features offset doors and a simulated Fiberglas roof panel. The Fox Valley model has a one-piece body with a separate roof. The fourth panel from the B end is painted white to simulate the translucent material used on the full-size cars. The model depicts the modified diagonal panel shape of this piece as well. As the cars were rebuilt, the translucent roof panels were replaced with steel panels. The model decorated for CSX has this feature, and new doors.

The tooling has a molded underframe with detail that includes the brake cylinder, reservoir, triple valve, piping, and brake mechanism. The model is within inches of prototype dimensions except for overall length. The full-size cars have cushioned underframes that extend past the end sills, but the model’s draft gear is flush with the end of the car. The body-mounted magnetic couplers are set at the correct height. All grab irons and ladders are molded on, but there are separate etched-metal crossover platforms and a separately applied brake wheel. The free-rolling metal wheelsets are in gauge and operated fine on code 55 track. The car weighs 1.2 ounces, slightly over the National Model Railroad Association recommended weight for a 50-foot car.

Road Name History: CSX Transportation (reporting mark CSXT) is a Class I railroad in the United States. The main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation, the railroad is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns about 21,000 route miles (34,000 km). CSX operates one of the three Class I railroads serving most of the East Coast, the other two being the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and Canadian Pacific Railway. It also serves the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Together CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway have a duopoly over all east-west freight rail traffic east of the Mississippi River. As of October 1, 2014 CSX's total public stock value was slightly over $32 billion.

CSX Transportation was formed on November 1, 1980, by combining the railroads of the former Chessie System with Seaboard Coast Line Industries, and finally with the Seaboard System Railroad in 1986. The originator of the Seaboard System was the former Seaboard Air Line Railroad, which previously merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1967, and later with the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, as well as several smaller subsidiaries such as the Clinchfield Railroad, Atlanta & West Point Railroad, Monon Railroad and the Georgia Railroad. The origin of the Chessie System was the former Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, which had merged with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and the Western Maryland Railway.

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Brand/Importer Information: Fox Valley Models is a small supplier of model railroad and related products. FVM started by finding solutions to different challenges that model railroaders were faced with. Our first products resulted from a need to equip custom built passenger cars with tinted windows made of an ideal material; thin, flexible, easy to cut, simple to install, available in multiple colors and be affordable. We met those needs and even included a frosted version for the car's lavatory windows.

Other challenges inspired additional products including wooden grade crossings, trestles and different lineside structures. As our product line expands, input and requests from friends and customers help shape the product selection further.

Future products, under development, include more parts, structures, details and rolling stock. We strive to offer a good quality product at an affordable price.