Broadway Limited - 7276 - Boxcar, 40 Foot, Steel Single Door - Chicago & North Western - 2-Pack

Specific Item Information: Road numbers: 70224 & 70236

Model Information: Brodway Limited launched this model in January of 2018. It is a full 3rd generation model priced appropriately at $29.99 for singles $99.99 for 4-packs (which makes the 4-packs a bargain). It features metal wheels, body-mount couplers and enough detail parts to make most modelers and collectors feel they are getting their money's worth. Of special note is the fact that these feature opening doors. Operating doors are a bit of a rarity outside of Micro-Trains releases and it is nice to see other manufacturers note that modelers like these! Furthermore, I took my finger and tried to pop out the doors to test the reliability. These doors are in there well. That is not always the case as other manufacturers' operating doors sometimes come off at the least amount of jarring.

The model has a nice heft to it and the wheels run smoothly on Kato Unitrack. These two features can make operators/runners happy that these cars will track well. They feature MTL-lookalike couplers. Never as good as the real thing in my opinion but they cut a couple of dollars off the price and these appear to be relatively well-made clones.

The print quality and rivet placement both look good to my untrained eye. The color looks accurate and the underframe details are awesome. These cars feature a die-cast underframe with a plastic skeleton affixed to it. The result is an underframe that others should be jealous of. I know, I know - who looks at an underframe? I do, and when I see a half-hearted effort, I will call it out.

The features are: Beautifully Detailed and Accurately Modeled; Precision Paint, Color, and Lettering Schemes; Many separately applied details including hand rails; Detailed underbody & brake system; Composition: ABS; Minimum Operating Radius: 9.75 in.

Prototype History: Steel boxcars became a common site in the post-WWII period (also known as the transition era). Steel construction resulted in a lighter, lower-maintenance car that was less expensive to acquire and operate. The economies of scale that happened during the war along with a cessation of orders from the military resulted in a plentiful, inexpensive source of metal and aluminum for the railcar manufacturers which in turn led a complete replacement of the aging wood-sheathed fleets with new steel cars.

Road Name History: The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company (reporting mark CNW) was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over 12,000 miles (19,000 km) of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s.

Until 1972, when the company was sold to its employees, it was named the Chicago and North Western Railway. The C&NW became one of the longest railroads in the United States as a result of mergers with other railroads, such as the Chicago Great Western Railway, Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway and others.

By 1995, track sales and abandonment had reduced the total mileage back to about 5,000. The majority of the abandoned and sold lines were lightly trafficked branches in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Large line sales, such as those that resulted in the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad further helped reduce the railroad to a mainline core with several regional feeders and branches.

The company was purchased by Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in April 1995 and ceased to exist.

Brand/Importer Information: Broadway Limited Imports, LLC defines itself as "the world's foremost producer of top-quality HO and N scale model trains".

The company was founded in 2002 and introduced its first N scale model in 2009.

Broadway Limited Imports is composed of a team of 15 fun loving individuals who are dedicated to creating the most realistic model railroading experience possible, with the best customer service possible.

The Broadway Limited Imports headquarters is located in Ormond Beach, Florida at 9 East Tower Circle. It's just under an hour's drive from Disney World.

About Broadway Limited Imports.