# Looking for Info on specific early (1988 or so) USA Trains box cars



## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Hi -

I'm looking for photographs and/or a short description of a number of specific USA Trains box cars with the product numbers listed below.

These were introduced by USA Trains, or Ro Trains as they were known then, around 1988.

R1904

R1905
R1912
R1913
R1914
R1915
R1916
R1917
R1919
R1920
R1921
R1923
R1925
R1927
R1929
R1930
R1931
R1948

If anyone has any of these cars I would appreciate a brief reply here.

Thanks, 

Knut


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## tmtrainz (Feb 9, 2010)

Join the Yahoo Users Group "USA Trains Registry". Lists, photos, lots of info for USA Trains enthusiasts. Included are photos of the 1988 catalog.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

I have been a member there since day one. 
The product IDs I listed are not in any USA Trains catalogue or on that Yahoo site - that's why I made a request here in case someone has one of these cars.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Knut, 
Don't know exactly what Ur looking for, but I have 20-30 of those old USA b-cars squirreled away in a shipping
container... Charlie donated a bunch of them to the club about 15 years ago, and we no longer use them, so 
they've been in the container for several years now... Send me a PM if Ur interested, and we'll take it from there...
Paul R...


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I was looking at some USA stuff and don't see any such numbers on the cars. I do see numbers on boxes, but never kept them and often didn't get one.

For example, I have a complete set of the six limited edition, Charles Ro, _Bear Whiz Beer_ reefers that were drawn in 1987 by Jim Ferry (sp?), and are probably on your list, but I see no numbers on them (other than road numbers).

If you follow the link and go to my railroad in pictures DSC03697 to DSC03738, you will see several shots of the white _Bear Whiz Beer_ reefers. (The shots can be blown up by clicking on them too.) Though very collectable, mine actually get used and abused servicing the Bear Whiz Beer Brewery on the Tortoise & Lizard Bash.
See shots DSC03697 to DSC03738


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

OOOPS, I guess it's not the _Bear Whiz Beer_ cars. I found a couple boxes and Angler's Ale (Don't Eat the Worm) is labled FRC-908.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Todd, 

The product numbers for the USA Trains cars were only on the boxes themselves, not on the cars. 
As you said, many people either don't keep the boxes or never got the cars in boxes in the first place - that's where the database comes in handy if you want to know something about a specific item since it will do a full text search. 
So you can just put in the road number that is on the car itself and if that car/loco is in the data base it will bring it up. 

Over the years, USA Trains also manufactured custom runs for a number of retailers, these didn't get any product numbers assigned by USA TRains and the retailer didn't assign any product IDs either (other than a SKU number) 

The Bear Whiz cars were made for Feather River Canyon Loco Works, only they sold them and their own dealers. 

The ones I know of are the following five reefers and a Christmas car: 

Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Beer 906 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Light 907 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Angler's Ale 908 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Ms. Bear Whiz 909 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Fool's Gold 910 
Beary Whizmas Christmas Car 1994 

Does that agree with what you have? 

I don't think any of those are in the data base yet because I don't have a good 1200 pixel or larger picture of any of them. 

There was also a 0-4-0 Beer Whiz Locomotive that was suppose to be made for these reefers but I don't know if that ever happened.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By krs on 22 Apr 2011 01:18 PM 
Todd, 

The product numbers for the USA Trains cars were only on the boxes themselves, not on the cars. 
As you said, many people either don't keep the boxes or never got the cars in boxes in the first place - that's where the database comes in handy if you want to know something about a specific item since it will do a full text search. 
So you can just put in the road number that is on the car itself and if that car/loco is in the data base it will bring it up. 

Over the years, USA Trains also manufactured custom runs for a number of retailers, these didn't get any product numbers assigned by USA TRains and the retailer didn't assign any product IDs either (other than a SKU number) 

The Bear Whiz cars were made for Feather River Canyon Loco Works, only they sold them and their own dealers. 

The ones I know of are the following five reefers and a Christmas car: 

Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Beer 906 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Light 907 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Angler's Ale 908 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Ms. Bear Whiz 909 
Bear Whiz Brewing Company - Bear Whiz Fool's Gold 910 
Beary Whizmas Christmas Car 1994 

Does that agree with what you have? 

I don't think any of those are in the data base yet because I don't have a good 1200 pixel or larger picture of any of them. 

There was also a 0-4-0 Beer Whiz Locomotive that was suppose to be made for these reefers but I don't know if that ever happened. 



This is correct that those were the only six made. The run was to include an additional six, but my understanding is that licensing got in the way.

No engine was made to my knowledge. However, Jim did cast several of the bears "peeing" (with that big sheepish grin on his face and a piece of fishing line attached...) and I know a few people that have these, though none will part with them.

There is one gentleman in our club, who as I understand was a friend of Jim's, and he has a _Bear Whiz Beer_ *caboose*, which may be the only one.


Charlie came out with some interesting road names that were very tongue in cheek in their day such as the _Scandal Cigars _reefer based on the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky fiasco sold though San Val. I think I still have one of those in the box unused.


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

I have all six but not the caboose. I had heard there was a caboose but I also heard that it was not from USA Trains, someone made it. As I found each car I put body mount KD's on them and threw out the boxes, I'm not a collector but a runner. I would like a caboose though.


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I have a USAT first anniversary car 88-89 does that count?


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## SLemcke (Jun 3, 2008)

Not sure of the date for this but saw it on ebay once and really liked it, but not what it went for.
Steve


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