In the early 1960s, Southern Pacific faced a boxcar shortage from one of their most important customer constituencies: online lumber shippers. These shippers demanded a larger car supply plus improved cars with wider doors to ease the loading process using forklifts. In 1963, Southern Pacific’s Sacramento Shops embarked on an ambitious program to rebuild existing 40-foot boxcars with 7’ doors to cars with larger 10’” door openings. The program continued until 1970, and by the end of the program Sacramento Shops had amassed a fleet of more than 7000 rebuilt cars. Additionally, another 200 cars were rebuilt for copper bar service. These Sacramento rebuild cars were very distinctive due to the combination of a 10’0” height boxcar with a 10’ door, plus the 7” tall, angled reinforced sill that SP shop forces welded to the side of the car. Finally, a large yellow stripe was painted on the door, diagonally. These cars were affectionately called “Yellow Stripers,” where the yellow stripe denoted “lumber loading” and was introduced to help speed their return to SP lumber loading origins. No layout is complete without these unique SP box cars, including railroads far from SP lines.

Never-before produced in HO model form, the Tangent Scale Models “Yellow Stripers” come in two different assembly versions, and both lasted into the 1980s. The first version replicates the cars rebuilt during the 1963-1966 program, which includes original ends and running boards, and brake appliances and ladders mounted in their original 1950s location. The second version replicates the cars rebuilt after 1967, where the running board was removed and features lowered brake appliances, ladders and replacement “banana-tapered” dreadnaught ends. Tangent Scale Models boxcars include “near-scale” draft sill with beautifully-rendered side “key” detail, plus correct ASF 50-ton ASF A-3 Ride Control trucks. Finally, Tangent Scale Models scale replicas operate as well as they look, equipped with free-rolling CNC-machined wheels and Kadee scale couplers, meaning their models are truly ready-to-run.

Tangent Scale Models make the best cars money can buy in HO scale.

A quick synopsis of their era and railroad-specific detail variations include:

• Dimensional accuracy – designed from actual Pullman-Standard blueprints and verified with field measurements

• Highly correct “true to life” colors

• “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement

• Two specific and differently-tooled bodies!

• Extremely realistic “bracket grab irons” and ladder assemblies

• 7 or 8 rung side and end ladders

• Beautiful diagonal panel roofs

• “See through” running boards and crossover platforms (in both Apex and Morton combinations)

• “Near scale” draft gear

• Genuine Kadee scale couplers

• Separate flexible rubber air hoses

• Two different accurate stand-off door track options

• Side tack board types/sizes and locations

• Eleven prototypically-accurate brake stands (Ajax High/Low, Universal High/Low, 2 Equipco High versions, Equipco Low, Miner High/Low, National/Peacock High/Low)

• Six possible handbrake “brake wheel” options (Ajax, Universal, Equipco, Miner, Peacock, Modern) National/Peacock)

• New ASF 50-ton A-3 Ride Control trucks

• 33” wheels, with front and back detail and accurate tapered axles

• Separate truck brake beam parts

• Recommended age 14 years and older

– SP Brown RTR Unlettered 1965+ offers a “canvas” for modelers to use decals and weathering to build their own one-of-a-kind models! The model is completely assembled and painted SP brown (including that difficult yellow door stripe!), but unlettered. The details on the car feature the earlier 1963-1966 body with an Apex-style running board and brake step, 8-rung side and end ladders, an accurate Equipco handbrake housing and brake wheel, Tangent 50-Ton ASF A-3 Ride Control trucks, genuine Kadee scale couplers and flexible rubber air hoses. Tangent Scale Models offer these cars in partnership with ICG Decals, who provide SP-appropriate yellow-striper decal sets custom-made for these cars.

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