State Cars

[mecmt]

I was think about more collections within collecting, i.e. the beer cars..  How about state box cars.  France gave each state a box car as thanks for helping after WWI.  They were French built and designed cars, there is one in Maine at the Boothbay railroad. That's were I got the idea.  Your standard on30 box car will work.  Produce either 5-10 a year, that's a 5 or 10 year production run.  Model the cars in the states colors, with motto, the seal, with any other state landmark, and number them the year the state entered the union.  The U.S. Mint was successful and many quarters where collected.  U-Haul even has State inspired trucks.  I many not put fifty State boxcars on my model train set at one time, however I would be purchasing 5-10 boxcars a year for the duration of the production run.  I would imagine others would also follow.  I only need so many cars for my layout, only so  many will fit i.e. box cars flat cars etc. etc.  Most of the narrow gauge railroads modeled never interchanged cars so a varied rolling stock does not exist real or imagined.  However I have lots of wall space to display and for the average person viewing my layout would may find the state cars interesting.  Just an Idea.
Thanks
Erik

[Joe Satnik]

Hi, Erik.

I remember that K-Line did a series of state cars in (3 rail) O gauge,

releasing them about the same time as the US mint released the state quarters.  

They incorporated the state quarter design into the cars.

They had boxcars, tank cars, gondolas and quad-hoppers,

plus a single (overall) state quarters caboose.  

I just found a 2008 Alaska boxcar with a Lionel part number on an auction website,

so I'm pretty sure Lionel finished the series after taking over K-Line.    

I know that my family's interest in collecting the state quarters waned

after about the first 20 or so were released.

Hope this helps.  

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Spelling   

[BIG BEAR]

Hey Erik,

    I just seen a complete state set in HO at a train show in the Wisconsin area.
  Just a quick look at E-bay I find at least 4 different Manufacturers in HO who have done a State sets. Most are older guessing 60's & 70's sets. I think one Co did it around the Bi-Centennial 1976. Some of the Companies who did these do not exist anymore.

  I too would love to see this in On30.
I think the B-Man could call these extended anticipation.

Enjoy,
  Barry