Modeling SP Automobile Boxcars (Part 1) - SP 64931, A-50-14 by P2K-Walthers 50ft DD

SP 64931, A-50-14, by Proto2000/Walthers.

Life-Like's Proto2000 line (later taken over by Walthers) produced an accurate model of AAR automobile boxcar SP's 1941-built 50ft automobile boxcars of A-50-14 class in the 1990s.  

Left side of SP 64931, A-50-14 by P2K/Walthers

These models, both as kits and RTR, are fairly commonly available.  Also don't think that just because the car has "AUTOMOBILE" stenciled on the side, that they were only used in automobile service.

SP Roster History

SP 64210 unloading autos at Sonoma, CA in 1956 - Troy Marmaduke & Brian Biekofsky collection

Let's look quickly at the SP's progression of 50ft Automobile steel boxcars orders.  We'll start with the pre-war 1936/37 series, which roughly followed the early AAR standard designs of the time.  Note the square corner post in the photo of 64210.  Anthony Thompson's blog post on SP A-50-12 "Modeling pre-war SP 50-foot automobile cars" covers kitbashing an Athearn 50ft DD boxcar.  I may end up doing a kitbash for my own A-50-12 at some point.

A-50-12 - 50'6" Square Corner Posts (5/4 Ends "Dreadnaught" ribs by Union Metal Products)

SP 69530-70029 (500 cars) 10-12/1936
SP 64100-64924 (825 cars) 5-7,9,10/1937

SP 32892 B-50-18 RC Square Post Ends

These cars were built at the same time as SP B-50-18/19 class 40ft boxcars that had square cornerposts ends.  Likewise, they are probably better kitbashed by Athearn 50ft Double-Door Boxcars like Tony Thompson did in his blog post. 

The P2K Model - A-50-14

Left side of SP 64931, A-50-14 by P2K/Walthers

By 1940 the next order of 50ft SP cars had upgraded to the standard W-corner post ends of the modified AAR boxcar design, more in line with the B-50-20,21,23 class cars.

B-end of SP 64931 showing W-corner post construction of the A-50-14 class.

A-50-14 - 50'6" W-Corner Posts (5/5 by Standard Railway Equipment Co.)

SP 64925-65424 (500 cars) Jan/Feb'41

These cars are the ones that P2K produced.

Post-War Auto-Part Cars

A-50-15 - 50'6" - Evans Auto Loader Equipped, Standard Railway Equipment straight-panel roofs (which look like the P2K roofs, not the diagonal panels of later cars), continued use of 4-6 side sheet pattern from pre-war cars, but riveted with ACR pattern, like the B-50-24.  These cars also used the 3-section doors with wide joints - like used on the B-50-24 class 40ft boxcars.  The ends are 4/4 Improved Dreadnaught ends, typical of post-war cars.

SP 65425-66174 (750 cars) 11,12/1946

The A-50-15 will be a tricky car to model with the combination of prototype details, if one has to be modeled, probably best to get a resin model of the class.

Accurail 5200-series 50ft Double Door Riveted Steel Boxcar (converted to B&W) seems to be a good starting point for the SP A-50-17s.

A-50-17 - 50'6" - Standard Railway Equipment Diagonal Panel Roofs (with or without 4 plain panels for Auto Loader racks). 1+3/4 Rib Improved Dreadnaught ends. Returned to single rivet rows and diagonal side-stiffener supports between the trucks.

SP 190000-190499 (500 cars) 9/1950-?/1950 Evans Auto Loader Equipped

SP 192000-192299 (1000 cars) ?/1950-5/1951 - 100 cars equipped with Evans Auto Loaders

Automobile Cars on the Jawbone Branch?

Standing on an SPNG boxcar at the Owenyo Transfer with SP A-50-14 (at right) with what appears to be loaded with rough freight - Rich McCutchan - owensvalleyhistory sp_narrow_g42c_sml

By the early 1950s, newer post-war boxcars were taking over most of the finished automobile loading, and auto-parts loading which were very specialized service assignments.  The prewar cars then joined the single-sheath cars in other services.  These older ex-automobile cars commonly went into finished lumber service out of the Pacific Northwest, many of them did not even have the "AUTOMOBILE" lettering painted over.  

1950 ORER Research

The ORER is really the best way to see which cars were still in auto service vs. cars downgraded to XM classification as standard boxcar service.  So I'll look briefly at the July 1950 ORER entry notes:

Notes: 

N = XMR 250 cars - Equipped with Evans Auto Loading Devices. Automobile position Interior Height 10'6" Loading Racks stored against roof Interior Height 9'8" (These cars were convertible from Automobile Loading Racks to plain XM-general service boxcar.)

(A-50-14-series) - (N1) 64925, 64926, 64929, 64930, 64932, 64933, 64935, 64936, 64938, 64940, 64941, 64944, 64947-64950, 64952, 64954, 64958-64961, 64963, 65966, 65967, 64971, 64972, 64973, 64975, 64977-64980, 64982, 64984-64988, 64992, 64993, 64999, 65002, 65004, 65005, 65014, 65015, 65017, 65019, 65022, 65027, 65028, 65030, 65033, 65035, 65036, 65037, 65040, 65044 ,65045, 65050-65053, 65057, 65058, 65062, 65064-65068, 65071, 65072, 65074, 65075, 65077, 65078, 65083, 65085, 65080-65093, 65097, 65099, 65101, 65106, 65107, 65109, 65115, 65117, 65120-65124, 65126, 65127, 65129, 65131, 65132, 65134-65138, 65145, 65149, 65150, 65151, 65158, 65162, 65164, 65165, 65169, 65171, 65173, 65174, 65179, 65182, 65184, 65185, 65188, 65189, 65193, 65196, 65197, 65198, 65200, 65202, 65203, 65204, 65207, 65209, 65210, 65215-65218, 65222, 65223, 65225, 65230, 65232-65235, 65237, 65239-65242, 65245, 65247, 65248, 65250, 65253, 65254, 65256, 65258, 65259, 65260, 65262, 65263, 65264, 65269, 65271, 65272, 65273, 65276, 65278, 65283, 65284, 65286, 65287, 65293-65296, 65298, 65302, 65304, 65305, 65310, 65312, 65314, 65315, 65318, 65320-65323, 65325, 65326, 65328, 65329, 65330, 65332, 65334, 65341, 65347-65355, 65357, 65358, 65359, 65362, 65363, 65364, 65366-65369, 65371, 65373, 65375, 65378, 65379, 65381-65386, 65388, 65389, 65390, 65392, 65394, 65400-65405-65411, 65412, 65414, 65415, 65418, 65421, 65424. 

O = Individual cars equipped for Auto Parts XAP 105 cars(3)
(A-50-12-series) - (O1) 64565, 64567, 64568, 64570, 64572, 64573, 64582,64587, 64589, 64593,64597, 64598, 64613, 64616-64620.
(O2) 64801, 64802, 64808, 64815, 64815, 64831, 64837, 64838, 64840, 64842, 64843, 64846, 64847, 64851, 64854, 64856, 64859, 64866, 64871, 64875, 64876, 64883, 64884, 64889, 64893-64896, 64900, 64901, 64903, 64906, 64912, 64922, 64924.
(A-50-14-series) - (O3) 64931, 64937, 64942, 64943, 64951, 64953, 64956, 64962, 64965, 64974, 65976, 64981, 64989, 64991, 64994, 64997, 65008, 65102, 65104, 65108, 65112, 65114, 65119, 65125, 65130, 65133, 65139, 65143, 65147, 65152, 65154, 65160, 65177, 65181, 65183, 65187, 65194, 65201, 65211, 65212, 65213, 65221, 65224, 65229, 65231, 65236, 65252, 65255, 65257, 66261, 65266, 65267, 65270, 65274, 65275, 65277, 65281, 65340, 65343, 65344, 65345, 65361, 65380, 65380, 65387, 65399, 65407, 65409, 65410, 65413, 65416, 65419/
(A-50-12-series) - (O4) 69840, 69855, 69860, 69865, 69878, 69880, 69883, 69885, 69890, 69902, 69907, 69909, 69911, 69914, 69916, 69923, 69925, 69931, 69933, 69936, 69937, 69939, 69942, 69943, 69948, 69949, 69951, 69952, 69956, 69968, 69973, 69976, 69998, 70002, 70003, 70006, 70011.

V = XAP 10 cars 

(A-50-14-series) - (V3) 64998, 65089, 65146, 65163, 65175, 65227, 65289, 65317, 65339, 65406. 

(A-50- 40ft cars) - (V4) 66194, 66196, 66199, 66202, 66209, 66216, 66219, 66225, 66226, 66238, 66246, 66258, 66262, 66263, 66269, 66279, 66287, 66296, 66304, 66307, 66308, 66322, 66324, 66326, 66334, 66346, 66347, 66348, 66382, 66388, 66404, 66407, 66408, 66411, 66426, 66428, 66429, 66571, 66579, 66586, 66587, 66595, 66599, 66612, 66526, 66629, 66651, 66660, 6665, 66669, 66673. (A-50- 40ft cars)

Y = (10 cars) - XM - not usable for automobile service.

(Y1) 63426, 63443, 63463, (A-50-12-series) - (Y2) 69695, 69714, 69789, 69803, 69967, 70021.

DD = Equipped for movable parts and suitable for handling auto parts, XML

(A-50-12-series) - 64525-64548, 64550-64564, 64625-64647, 64649-64713 (62 cars), 64715-64793, 63 cars in series 64927-65422.

JJ = XAP equipped for auto-parts loading (A-50-12) 64566-64924 series, 64800-64923 series

(A-50-12) - (JJ1) 64566, 64569, 64571, 54581, 64583, 64584, 64599, 64601, 64615, 64624.
(A-50-12) - (JJ2) 64800, 64809, 64827, 64830, 64832, 64833, 64835, 64853, 64855, 64861, 64864, 64867, 64869, 64881, 64888, 64891, 64896, 64907, 64910, 64923.

HH = Automobile Loading Devices, in Auto rack configuration 10'6".  When racks stored along roofs, lowered internal height to 9'8" 

* New cars being delivered. A-50-17 SP 190000-190499.

So this note applies to the whole class of A-50-17 as they were delivered.

DDD (A-50-12) - XMR except cars in series 69555-70029 and listed in Notes O, Y, FFF, & ZZZ.  Equipped with Auto Loading Devices. Automobile position Interior Height 10'4" Loading Racks stored against roof Interior Height 9'6" (These cars were convertible from Automobile Loading Racks to plain XM-general service boxcar.)

FFF = XAP Equipped for Auto-parts loading:

(A-50-12-series) - 64614, 64621, 64814-64911 (7), 69779-69997 (5), (B-50-22, 50ft SD boxes) 81529-81892 (10), (B-50-23, 40ft boxcars) 82323-82426 (3)

RRR = XMP equipped for truck loading devices

(A-50-12-series) - 64100-64524, (except 64329) and (A-50-12-series) - 69530-69554 for Truck Loading Devices, lowered IH 10'4", rasied collapsed against roof IH 9'6".

YYY = 750 cars XMR 65425-66174 (A-50-15) Equipped with Auto Loading Devices. Automobile position Interior Height 10'6" Loading Racks stored against roof Interior Height 9'8" (These cars were convertible from Automobile Loading Racks to plain XM-general service boxcar.)

ZZZ = Individual cars XM class in (A-50-12-series) - 69855-70025 series NOT equipped with Auto Loading Devices.

69855, 69856, 69857, 69858, 69860, 69861, 69862, 69863, 69865, 69867, 69868, 69872, 69873, 69875, 69877, 69878, 69896-69899, 69901-69904, 69907, 69909, 69911, 69912, 69914, 69916, 69917, 69923, 69925, 69930, 69931, 69933, 69934, 69936-69939, 69942, 69943, 69948, 69949, 69951-69953, 69976, 69977, 69983, 69984, 69987, 69988, 69990, 69993, 69996, 69998, 69999, 70002, 70006, 70007, 70011, 70014, 70018, 70022, 70023, 70025.

Special Service by Customer/Service

SP 3696 leads AW-7 with auto-parts block departing Bakersfield on January 7, 1953. - Note the Automobile cars unloading on the ramp in the right side of the picture too.

By April 30, 1956, the A-50-15/17s were assigned to Auto-Parts loading as follows (see Tony Thompson's SP Freight Cars Vol3 Table 7-3 on page 140 for individual car numbers).  I'm not going supply the number of cars assigned to each service.  Some cars were already renumbered to special assignment series.  Notice that the newest cars were assigned to the premier parts traffic and completed automobile shipments.

XAP -Body Decks-
Ford - Buffalo to Milpitas, Califorina - 60 cars assigned to Wabash (All A-50-17)
Cleveland - 118 cars (All A-50-17)
Lansing - 114 cars (All A-50-17)
St. Louis -39 cars (All A-50-17)
Ionia - 32 cars (All A-50-17)

Plymouth - 30 cars (All A-50-15)
Flint -27 cars (All A-50-15)

Note: Some cars were fitted with raised roofs and noted by car number in the 7-3 Table by 1956.

XAP -Engine Racks-

Chevrolet - 94 cars (most A-50-15)

GMC - 2 cars (both A-50-17)

GMC/Ford Machinery - 3 cars (most A-50-17)

Buick - 48 cars (most A-50-17)

GM - 4 cars (All A-50-15)

Pontiac - 44 cars (All A-50-17)

XAP -Other-

Top Container, Fisher - 34 cars (A-50-17, plus 9 B-50-36)

Steering Gear, Saginaw - 8 cars (A-50-15)

Transmission - 51 cars, as follows
Buick - 16 cars (mix of A-50-15/17s)

Chevrolet - 9 cars (A-50-15, plus renumbers?)

Detroit - 26 cars (all renumbered series)

To Stripe or Not To Stripe?

Technically the SP 64931 is an XAP car, and should be used for the specialized autoparts loading.  Most of the Proto2000 chosen car numbers for these cars appear to be XM (general service boxcar) assigned in 1950.

I may do some minor changes of this car number to make this car more correct to line up with the 1950 AAR car classification, to use this car as a convertible Automobile car with collapsible automobile loading racks as an XMR type car, and not make it an autoparts car.  The XMR would be more useful for the Jawbone Branch, both 64930 and 64932 were XMRs in 1950. 

X31F, PRR 81348, with door stripe for "AUTO RACKS" & assigned service stencil between reporting marks and AUTOMOBILES stencil.

The XMR cars, like PRR 81348 have the door stripe with tab and the stenciling for the Auto Racks, which my SP A-50-14 should have when I change number.  The stock P2K car is correct as an XAP class car, that would be for autoparts (body panels, etc), without a door stripe.

In Closing

I'm not planning to model any of the post-war SP Automobile cars any time soon, as I'm not modeling any section of the auto-parts/automobile pool routes between manufacturing centers and the assembly plants on the west coast.  I'll probably finish the cars that will be used in general service and lumber service, which would mostly be the general service A-50-12 and earlier class composite cars and the A-50-14s that were not in auto-service, or that were XMR equipped for dual service. - These cars were made available if extra automobile rack cars were needed, but otherwise would fill in SP's general freight needs, especially in the seasonal lumber trade, often moving finished lumber.

SP 64931, A-50-14 P2K model, note the chalk marks for SP AE-ATSF APE/ATSF 59-SP AW loading cycle for autoparts.

The Jawbone Branch really will only use the odd 50 foot double door car in XM service, aka, general service or lumber service, although the only cars seen at Owenyo when lumber was on the transfer decks were B-50-series single door 40ft cars.  So I'll probably only have one or two 50ft DD cars in the staging yard when the Jawbone Branch gets into service.

Jason Hill

Related Articles:

"Modeling pre-war SP 50-foot automobile cars" - Anthony Thompson's blog post on SP A-50-12.

Freight Car Overview Index - One page with links to all my modeling blogs on freight cars.

PRR Automobile & Parts Boxcars

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 2) - PRR X32As from Boswer - Double Door 50ft Automobile cars.

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 3) - PRR X31F "Turtle Roofs" from Boswer - Double Door Automobile cars.

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 4) - PRR X31A from Bowser & Rapido - Single Door (incld. Auto Parts cars)

X31 & X32 Boxcar (Part 5) - PRR X31B & C from Boswer - Double-Door Automobile Cars.