The Freight Yard - 2015A - Boxcar, 40 Foot, PS-1 - Los Angeles Pacific - 2403

Specific Item Information: Fantasy paint scheme, as the company disappeared largely before these cars were even built.

Model Information: This tooling was introduced by Atlas in 1976. It replaced the earlier (and very similar) model from Roco of Austria that had been imported by Atlas from 1967 until 1975. Initial production was at the New Jersey factory. Production was later moved to China. As of 2017, this model is now very long in the tooth, so recent releases have been classified as 'Trainman' (budget) product line. Newer versions come equipped with Accumate couplers. This model should not be confused with the much newer 'Master' PS-1 boxcar from Atlas which is a completely different tooling.

Similar to other Atlas models of the 1970s and 1980s, this tooling originally featured Rapido Couplers and deep-flange nickel-silver plated wheels. When production moved to China, they started appearing with plastic low-profile wheels and Accumate couplers.

Sometime after 2005, Atlas created a 'Master' version of this model, and downgraded this tooling to the "Trainman" line. The new tooling was a complete redo of the model and has body mounted couplers, metallic wheels and excellent detailing, especially of the underframe. Since these are also marketed as 'PS-1' boxcars, it can be confusing. That tooling, however is different enough that we associate those cars with a different body style.

Prototype History: The 40' Boxcar is widely known as one of the most popular freight cars used by railroads as they transitioned from steam to diesel. In particular the Pullman Standard or PS-1 design was one of the most popular and was widely used by North American railroads. These boxcars were built beginning in 1947 and share the same basic design, with certain elements such as door size, door style or roof type varying among the different railroads and production years. When production of these cars ceased in 1963, over 100,000 had been produced.

So just what is a PS-1? Well the simple answer is it is any boxcar built by Pullman Standard from 1947 on. The design changed over the years – sometimes subtly, sometimes for customer request, and sometimes in a larger way. In general, most PS-1’s built from 1947 to 1961 share the same dimensions and basic construction techniques. These cars all had a length of 40′, a height of 10’5″ or 10’6″, welded sides and ends and roof of Pullman’s own design. The greatest variation was in the size and style of doors used. Pullman Standard also offered 50′ and later 60′ boxcars – also with the PS-1 designation.

Road Name History: The Los Angeles Pacific Railroad (1896−1911) (LAP) was an electric public transit and freight railway system in Los Angeles County, California. At its peak it had 230 miles (370 km) of track extending from Downtown Los Angeles to the Westside, Santa Monica, and the South Bay towns along Santa Monica Bay.
On September 1, 1911, in what is called “The Great Merger”, the Southern Pacific consolidated seven electric railways into the new “Pacific Electric Railway Company”. The Los Angeles Pacific lines, along with the Glendale–Burbank Line and the soon-to-be-completed San Fernando Valley Line, would become the Pacific Electric’s Western Division.

The Balloon Route Trolley trip was a featured excursion of the Los Angeles Pacific, and opened in 1901.Initially, the line ran from the Hill Street station in downtown Los Angeles, via the Santa Monica Short Line through Hollywood to Santa Monica and Ocean Park, and then back to Los Angeles via Palms and the Venice Short Line. When the LAP was consolidated into the new Pacific Electric Railway Company (PE) in 1911, PE took over the operations and continued the excursion until 1923.

Brand/Importer Information: The Freight Yard was a hobby shop that did custom decoration and special runs of other manufacturers' N Scale products. It sold its custom products under several brands or collections: Premiere Editions, by The Freight Yard and Dreams Design.
It was located in Anaheim, California and then moved to 2006 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Established in the late 1980s, it stopped business under this name by the end of the 2000s.
The Freight Yard was owned and operated by Darren J. Cohen. Darren is now operating North Valley Trains.
The Freight Yard / Premiere Editions runs are usually available in series of two to twelve different numbers (suffixed A to M, with I not used).
The first two digits of the stock number correspond to the release year (9x being 199x, and 2x being 200x).