Micro-Trains - 993 05 220 - Boxed Set, Runner Pack - Albany & Eastern - 4-Pack

Specific Item Information: Graffiti set. Road Numbers: 5053 5136 5149 5108

Model Information: Many times since Micro-Trains/Kadee first started producing cars in 1972, they have sold 'multipacks' of cars in shrink-wrapped bundles. These releases have bundles several different items with the same theme together in a single shrink-wrapped packaged. However, in April of 2007, due to demand for groups of cars with the same paint scheme yet with different road numbers, the "Runner Pack" was born.

Runner pack number one got a special presentation box instead of simple shrink wrap and contained four different Pennsy boxcars with identical paint schemes yet different road numbers. These releases were intended for people who like to "run" their cars yet like each car to have a different road number. The 4-car runner packs have been very successful and were joined later by 8-car packs as well as 3-packs of larger, more expensive cars. Over 100 different box sets in this series have been produced by MTL as of 2017.

Road Name History: This Oregon shortline first appeared as a spinoff from BNSF in 1998, operating the Sweet Home Branch (originally an Oregon Electric line.) Not long after, they began operating the former Southern Pacific Mill City Branch. The two connect at Lebanon, Oregon and the line continues west to Albany, Oregon. Total length is about 58 miles. This is timber country, and there were a number of shippers along the line that hadn't used rail service in many years. The owners of the new railroad gave them an offer they couldn't refuse. In so many words, “Use the railroad or we'll pull it up and you'll lose any pricing leverage you had against the truckers.” After that, there were occasions when you could see a 50-60 car train trundling into the yard at Albany. They later began operating a short, disconnected segment in Corvallis that interchanges with the Portland & Western.

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