Con-Cor - 1235 - Log Car, Skeleton

Specific Item Information: These unpainted soft metal skeleton log cars were sold by Con-Cor in the early 1970s in a kit with 2 Ea per box. The kit included two car spines, four log holders, four trucks and was packaged in a typical Con-Cor rolling stock box. They were inexpensive, fun to build, looked good and had a nice weight to them.

Model Information: These white metal kit cars came out in the late 1970s. Originally manufactured by Gloor Craft and marketed by Con-Cor, they were sold in two-packs (trucks and couplers included). Circa 2013, the old Gloor Craft tooling was acquired by Wiseman Model Services (with the kits sold through their eBay store). The Wiseman kits come in three-packs, less trucks and couplers.

Prototype History: The skeleton car has been a staple in the logging industry since the early part of the century and has appeared on nearly every logging road in the country. Such cars came in standard and narrow gauge versions and probably everything in between. Shay, Climax, and Heisler geared locomotives often pulled long strings of skeleton cars through the mountains and forests of California and the Pacific Northwest.

Road Name History: No applicable company.

Brand/Importer Information: Con-Cor has been in business since 1962. Many things have changed over time as originally they were a complete manufacturing operation in the USA and at one time had upwards of 45 employees. They not only designed the models,but they also built their own molds, did injection molding, painting, printing and packaging on their models.

Currently, most of their manufacturing has been moved overseas and now they import 90% of their products as totally finished goods, or in finished components. They only do some incidental manufacturing today within the USA.

Important Note: The Con-Cor product numbering can be very confusing. Please see here in the article how to properly enter Con-Cor stock numbers in the TroveStar database.