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A Short List of Model Interurban Freight Cars [Lesson 6-2]
by George Jones

                                                      July 25, 2002
revised August 15, 2005

In 1998, I joined the Southern California Traction Club, with the idea that I would run HO scale model freight motors pulling strings of HO scale model freight cars. After returning to the States, upon retiring from the Navy, I started buying all the freight cars lettered for Pacific Electric (P. E.) and Los Angeles Pacific (L.A.P.) by Model Die Casting. Wanting to make sure that I had at least one of each road number, I started making a list, which grew into the list that is before you. Along the way, I started adding other Interurban railroad freight cars to my list as I learned about them.

As for the Southern California Traction Club, it was founded in 1995 in a local hobby shop. After the club moved out of the shop in 1997, it began construction on a portable modular layout, using standards from the East Penn Traction Club (EPTC). There were two main purposes for the layout, one was to attend model train shows the other was to give the members a place to run their streetcars and interurbans from live overhead wires.

The club has set up their modules at numerous train shows throughout the Southern California area including trips to San Jose, CA. and Las Vegas, NV. The club has demonstrated to west coast model railroaders and the general public that HO scale traction equipment can and will successfully operate from powered overhead wires.

At first, operation was mainly confined to the ubiquitous Pacific Electric Railway 'Hollywood' and 'Blimp' interurban cars. But, slowly, members of the club began running freight trains using 1619 class P. E. steeple cab locomotives, and/or box motors. One of the club members even installed trolley poles on a SW-1, EMD switcher, so that he could operate it on the layout. The engine is painted and lettered for the Pacific Electric Railway.

These freight trains led other members of the group to wonder about other interurban railroad freight activities, and where they could find rolling stock, painted and lettered for their favorite electric railroad.

In answer to that question, I started distributing copies of the list I had made on the Model Die Casting P. E. cars. Finally, I was talked into  publishing my list on the internet. I then discovered that there have been quite a number of cars released by various manufactures and specialty painters, that were painted and lettered for Interurban Electric Railroads. The information contained on this list, has come from various sources, including magazine ads, Walthers' catalogues, Model Die Casting fact sheets, manufacturers web sites, and from cars and kits in my own and my friends collections. Whenever possible, I've included the box end information from the original box.

The list is broken down into four parts, (1) Wood kits, (2) Zamac kits, (3) Plastic kits and (4) Engines. 

(1) Wood Kits: These cars came with pre-painted and lettered sides, either of wood or printed cardboard. You assembled the body of the car, without the sides. Then you painted the body to match the pre painted car sides. Then you installed the sides and finishing details to finish the car. Manufacturers include; Silver Streak, Cliff Line, Red Ball, Ye Olde Huff-n-Puff, etc. 

(2) Zamac Kits: The body parts were die cast molded, with pre painted sides. Like wood kits, you assembled the body, then painted it to match the sides and then installed them. Manufacturers include; Ulrich,  Varney and early Roundhouse. Walthers later sold Ulrich die cast models under their own name.

(3) Plastic Kits: These were for the most part, 'shake-the-box' type kits. The body came molded in one piece and completely painted and lettered. You needed only to assemble the under frame, attach it to the body and add detail parts, trucks and couplers. Manufacturers include; Model Die Casting /Roundhouse, Athearn, Accurail etc.  However, this has changed somewhat with the latest plastic kit releases. These kits are now much more involved, specifically kits from Red Caboose, Proto 2000, Stewart (now Bowser) , Branchline, etc.

Note 1: Specialty painters, like Bev-Bel, mainly used Athearn, Model Die Casting /Roundhouse 'shake-the-box' kits.

Note 2: Some plastic body cars come from the manufacturer, assembled and Ready-to-Run, (RTR). IE; Kadee, Life-Like, Atlas, Proto 2000, Athearn.

(4) Engines: All the engines have plastic bodies, mounted on Zamac frames, with some assembly required, mainly with the detail parts, and handrails. Manufacturers include Model Die Casting/Roundhouse, Athearn and Stewart.

For a car to be on this list, the body and/or sides have to have been painted and lettered by the manufacturer. Since Brass models almost always come unpainted and unlettered, no Brass equipment is shown on this list. If you can produce a Brass freight car that was painted by the manufacturer for an Interurban Railroad, then it would be added to this list.

No claim is being made to the authenticity or accuracy of the paint schemes and numbers painted on the kits.  Nor is it claimed  that the equipment, or the body style offered is correct for the railroad modeled. This list is only to show the availability or existence of a kit or a car, at some point in time.