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Micro-Trains - NSC 03-71 - Boxcar, 50 Foot, Steel - Oregon & Northwestern - 5088

3  of these sold for an average price of: 41.6741.673 of these sold for an average price of: 41.67
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Collectors value this item at an average of 25.0025.00Collectors value this item at an average of 25.00
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N Scale - Micro-Trains - NSC 03-71 - Boxcar, 50 Foot, Steel - Oregon & Northwestern - 5088 Image Courtesy of David Grothe
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Commissioned ByThinking Ventures
Production TypeSpecial Run
Stock NumberNSC 03-71
Original Retail Price$36.00
BrandMicro-Trains
ManufacturerMicro-Trains Line
Body StyleMicro-Trains 030 Boxcar 50 Foot Double Door Rib Side No Roofwalk
Prototype VehicleBoxcar, 50 Foot, Steel (Details)
Road or Company NameOregon & Northwestern (Details)
Reporting MarksONW
Road or Reporting Number5088
Paint Color(s)Yellow
Print Color(s)Black
Coupler TypeMT Magne-Matic Knuckle
Coupler MountTruck-Mount
Wheel TypeInjection Molded Plastic
Wheel ProfileStandard
Series NameOregon Western Lines
Series Release/Issue Number1
Release Date2003-06-01
Item CategoryRolling Stock (Freight)
Model TypeBoxcar
Model Subtype50 Foot
Model VarietySteel Rib, Double Sliding Door, No Roofwalk
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era III: Transition (1939 - 1957)
Scale1/160
Track GaugeN standard



Specific Item Information: O.W.L. OWL #1. Only 400 made. Individually numbered.
Model Information: Introduced in May of 1983, Micro-Trains has produced 57 different versions of this car through March of 2016, making it about 1% (or slightly above average) of their production. The car represents a fairly common prototype: 50 foot, double-door, exterior post box car. Like most sliding door models produced by Micro-Trains, the doors on this model do open.
Prototype History:
While the 40-foot boxcar was a standard design, and it did come in different setups depending on the type of freight being transported, it was not large enough for efficient mass commodity transportation. The 50-foot boxcar made its first appearance in the 1930s and steadily grew in popularity over the years, which further improved redundancies by allowing for even more space within a given car. Today, the 50-footer remains the common boxcar size. After the second world war ended, and steel became once again readily available, steel became the go-to choice for construction of boxcars. Pullman Standard and ACF were some of the most prolific builders of these cars.

These cars came in many variations. For instance, double-doors became practical for large/wide loads, end-doors useful for very large lading such as automobiles, and interior tie-down equipment was helpful in keeping sensitive products from being damaged in-transit. In 1954 the Santa Fe developed its "Shock Control" (and later "Super Shock Control") technology for new boxcars with upgraded suspension systems to further improve the ride-quality and reduce the chance of damaging freight.

In the 1960s, the flush, "plug" style sliding door was introduced as an option that provides a larger door to ease loading and unloading of certain commodities. The tight-fitting doors are better insulated and allow a car's interior to be maintained at a more even temperature.
Road Name History:
The O&NW was born in 1929 when the logging railroad holdings of the Edward Hines Lumber Company were divided with the 50 mile line between Hines and Seneca, Oregon split off from the Malheur Railroad (a private logging line) and declared a common carrier under the name Oregon & Northwestern. Traffic was mostly Ponderosa pine from the Bear Creek Valley. In the diesel era, the line was run with a trio of Baldwin AS616’s (setup like most Baldwin road switchers, with the long hood as the front) and a pair of Alco S3’s. Production from the mill peaked in 1962. The railroad closed in 1984 (about the time the Malheur Railroad logging line was wrecked by flooding) and in 1990 the O&NW was officially abandoned in place.
Brand/Importer Information: Micro-Trains is the brand name used by both Kadee Quality Products and Micro-Trains Line. For a history of the relationship between the brand and the two companies, please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide.
Manufacturer Information:
Micro-Trains Line split off from Kadee Quality Products in 1990. Kadee Quality Products originally got involved in N-Scale by producing a scaled-down version of their successful HO Magne-Matic knuckle coupler system. This coupler was superior to the ubiquitous 'Rapido' style coupler due to two primary factors: superior realistic appearance and the ability to automatically uncouple when stopped over a magnet embedded in a section of track. The success of these couplers in N-Scale quickly translated to the production of trucks, wheels and in 1972 a release of ready-to-run box cars.

Micro-Trains Line Co. split off from Kadee in 1990 to form a completely independent company. For this reason, products from this company can appear with labels from both enterprises. Due to the nature of production idiosyncrasies and various random factors, the rolling stock from Micro-Trains can have all sorts of interesting variations in both their packaging as well as the products themselves. When acquiring an MTL product it is very important to understand these important production variations that can greatly enhance (or decrease) the value of your purchase.

Please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide
Commissioner Information: Thinking Ventures is located at Box 262, Canyon City, Oregon.
Item created by: gdm on 2018-03-03 11:42:16. Last edited by grothe77 on 2023-10-03 10:49:18

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