# USA Trains or CrackerJack Box



## avlisk (Apr 27, 2012)

I just bought my first freight wagon, a USA Trains 40' box car. I was pleasantly surprised to find a short piece of straight track hidden at the bottom of the box. That was nice. But it's not even long enough to put the box car on it for display. I wonder what the thinking was to include that track. But thanks, USA Trains!
Ken Silva
Phoenix, AZ 
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## RailCat (Apr 10, 2009)

I have four USAT 40' box cars so far. One of them also came with a section of straight track. My assumption is that it was included as a sample in hopes that customers would buy more USAT track. They probably did this for a limited time or maybe they include a few in random boxes. 

Scott


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Ken and Scott:

I'm curious as to which series of USA box cars you have. I have some of each and they are neat cars. 


Did your 40' USA cars (with track) come with plastic or metal wheels? I seem to remember getting a piece of 1' track in some of my USA cars 10 or 15 years ago. I haven't seen the pieces of track in any of my purchases of the newer "Ultimate" series cars. It would be interesting to know if they are putting track into the newer production models. The composition of the wheels and the length of the cars in inches will tell the tale.


The older cars with plastic wheels are 14.5 inches long and have a brake wheel that sticks above the roof of the car. The newer ones are 17 inches long, with metal wheels, and the brake wheel is on the end of the car and parallel with the car en, not parallel with the roof. 


Chuck


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## RailCat (Apr 10, 2009)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); In my case, I believe it was R19229C - Great Northern although it could have R19213A - CB&Q. I purchased them both in the same order but only one came with a piece of track. They are the true 1:29 scale PS-1 40' box cars with metal wheels. 

The older cars are a free lance 1:22.5 scale narrow gauge car. I do not believe a prototype actually existed but they certainly add color to an LGB narrow gauge collection. 


My other 40' PS-1 box cars are R19201B - Union Pacific and R19234C - Soo Line. 

Scott


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks:

I know that the original "40'" were steel cars used the 30' Narrow gauge foot print, which matches nothing in the real world. I was just curious as to whether they were putting track into their current production.


I guess that I've missed out on the free track.

Chuck


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Chuck, 

I picked up a used 50' box car from some one on this site last fall, CP Rail job, which has metal wheels, and a "cracker jack" surprise inside also! 

Box says metal wheels included in the gold star on the front, but no indication of a piece of track - inside - packed on the foam top surface. 

Seems like I also got a car off flea bay, with track, but don't ask what it was - long time ago... 

How are Ya? Dirk


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Ken, 

Did you pick out a loco yet? 

Dirk


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

checked my latest 50' box, .... no track 

a WP unit with a feather on the side...


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Dirk:

Got back to Virginia about a month ago.  I was just watching the Memorial Day Concert on the west lawn of the Capitol when I heard an announcement for the audience to vacate the mall. A severe storm was approaching. Shortly after the announcement we had a heavy rain squall pass over. No thunder and lightening here, hope they just had rain down on the mall.

Whoops, I just heard some thunder.

Speaking of Thunder, this morning we were having coffee on the deck and we heard a lot of motorcycles. The rolling thunder with the bikers here on Memorial Day Weekend is impressive. They were expecting 500,000 bikers. We were on I-66 once when all traffic was stopped for them to enter the interstate heading toward the Pentagon. All I can say is "WHOW"!!

Back to trains, I'm glad they are still putting track in some of the cars. It is a nice surprise.

I hope to get down to the Dragoon/Vail area next winter!!! 

Chuck


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Chuck, 

I hope you can get down here also!! Will work towards having some track down by then tooo!! 

Got My rail and switch order delivered last week, 'nuff for the N.G. loop, and a bit on the mains...!!! 

Bring "Total Wrecker' with ya! 

Dirk


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Dirk, 
I might be ready by then.... just ordered new Li-ion battery packs today. Probably will take the full 4400 mAh just to get around your Empire once! So you'd better get to a layin' track! 
I did some work on the old Vail and Total Wreck RR, shoveling dirt off the right of way that my wildcat miners (cuter than a bug 'round tail' ground squirels) dumped there. 
Repurposed some 8' diameter curves into meandering spurs, 'cause ya never know when yore gonna have to pull into a hole to let the brass hat's special git by..... 

Recovery is going ok, will know more after my CT scan next week and my pet scan (woof?) a couple of weeks later.... was a nice cool 85ish today and I used all the energy I could muster... 

Will be nice to meet you both too. 

Oooops sorry about the derail! 

Happy Rails 
John .... not a Total Wreck after all!


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

John, 

prepare for 300 plus feet of loop, than you can do that a couple laps I think with that battery!! 

OUT digg'n eh - really drain "Your" batteries that way. But I'm sure it felt good to get out and clear your mind in the mine !!! 

take care, Dirk de-rail "Naw - all the cars are still on the track"


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Dirk we derailed the thread, I've never gotten free bits of track.... 
Johnn


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The early "ultimate" line of cars came with metal wheels and were much higher detailed that the old 1:24 line when introduced. They usually came with a free 12" piece of brass track. It was not always marked on the outside of the box. If you get one with track now, it's most likely NOS, not current production. 

Greg


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

I did not get free track ...ha!! 

I "HAD" to buy the car............. 

back on track, THX - Greg!!!! 

Dirk


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## avlisk (Apr 27, 2012)

In response to those asking which box car I have, it's the 17" one with metal wheels. ATSF#272199. I bought it a month ago from RLD Hobbies. And, because the GP7 in B&M was sold out, I settled on a GP38-2 in MEC harvest gold, #254. That's OK, though, as my HO layout is MEC, also harvest gold. Everyone out here in Arizona seems to have Rio Grande and/or SF, and I wanted something different. Also, my roadbed/landscaping is still in progress. Nearly 200 cement blocks so far, (ouch), and no end in sight yet. Trains won't be running for a couple of months at least. 
Ken Silva 
Phoenix, AZ (formerly of Brownfield, Maine)


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

My most recent USA b-car purchase was a 60 fter, but NO track in the box...
Paul R...


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The program of free track ended long ago, so your new 60 footer would definitely not be in that program. 

I can't put my finger on the exact date, but more than 5 years ago... 

Greg


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

So Ken, 

Now you just need a cabeese', and batteries, and your good to go! 

So come on down to the DMS Ry. here some time, when the rest of the MLS troops head this way, and add some color to a new layout!! 

Looks great! BTW 
....Dirk 
....... DMS Ry.


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## avlisk (Apr 27, 2012)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); I bought a transformer and am going to try that ancient form of power, electricity in the rails, at first. The railroad will be a small, folded loop to begin with, with only one turnout to get me to the storage siding, as I realize through roadbed construction that my initial plan was much too optimistically grandiose. The current plan is to run on the small loop for a while with the electr, and, if track power proves too spotty, any expansion to the other half of the yard will be with aluminum rails and I'll swap the transformer for batteries at that time. That's the plan. Can't wait to get down to Ace Hardware in Tucson and check them out. I've heard good things. And there's not much in 45mm gauge for sale here in Phoenix. 
Ken S.


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