CN 52’ – 8” Combination Door Boxcar

Keith's kitbash is in the foreground while the Rapido car is at the rear. Peter MacCauley photo

by Keith MacCauley. 

Keith put together this article on some modelling he did some 30+ years ago. Apparently he had a lot more time on my hands back then. Keith's son Peter took the model photos while he shot the prototype (Peter was only a one year old back then!).

I have long been a devoted Canadian National modeler and over the years tried to replicate some of the equipment unique to the railway. My model era is confined to the 1980’s and a common sight in my area from that period were CN’s 557000 series combination door boxcars. Built by National Steel Car (NSC) in the early 1970’s, CN rostered several hundred, employed predominantly in lumber transport.

Unfortunately, at the time there was no accurate ‘ready to run’ model available. The alternatives were to either accept a so called ‘foobie’, or kit-bash a correct version from available models. I chose the latter. To begin the process, I first sought out an actual CN557000 series car to measure. Fortunately, a nearby lumber distributor received deliveries by such cars on an ongoing basis. With camera and a one-hundred-foot tape measure in hand I spent a couple of weekend afternoons documenting the real thing.   

Next step was to sort out the needed model components. Key to the accuracy was correct roof geometry and end design. NSC employed raised panel roof segments with a single central rib, also used by Pullman Standard. Model wise the roof style was available on a fifty-foot boxcar produced by Robins Rails. The characteristic NSC rolled rib ends were a bit more of challenge. At the time small, cottage type industries were beginning to pop up and I was able to secure custom made resin ends from a fellow modeler. The unique length meant that two fifty-foot shells were required; with the appropriate roof splice. The combination door geometry (ten-foot sliding/eight-foot plug) was relatively straight forward, although the plug door had to be cut down from an available ten-foot version. Paint and lettering was accomplished with Floquil boxcar red and CDS dry transfers. Kadee couplers and 33” diameter Kadee wheel pairs rounded out the construction.

The outcome was very rewarding. Not only did I have an accurate CN boxcar, but I also won the Railroad Model Craftsman Magazine January 1993 Kit-bashing Award. I cannot recall the award monetary amount, but I still have and use the Dremel Flex Shaft Rotary tool.

As a follow up to the story, last year Rapido Trains produced a highly detailed version of the very same car. Known as the ‘NSC 5304 Boxcar’, their version of the uniquely CN boxcar is of the quality and excellence current modeler have come to expect. The Rapido creation features dozens of separately applied detailed parts with door hardware and full underbody mounted brake piping/rigging. Nevertheless, I believe my version holds up very well by comparison. Besides, the differences are really only noticeable, if you run the cars upside down!

Keith's kitbash

Rapido model