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Micro-Trains - 27090 - Boxcar, 50 Foot, Steel - Pacific Fruit Express - 457524

One of these are for sale right now on marketplaces, with a low price of: $34.95$34.95 (1)One of these are for sale right now on marketplaces, with a low price of: $34.95
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3  of these sold for an average price of: 11.0011.003 of these sold for an average price of: 11.00
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Collectors value this item at an average of 10.1710.17Collectors value this item at an average of 10.17
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N Scale - Micro-Trains - 27090 - Boxcar, 50 Foot, Steel - Pacific Fruit Express - 457524 Copyright held by TroveStar
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Stock Number27090
Secondary Stock Number027 00 090
Original Retail Price$9.00
BrandMicro-Trains
ManufacturerKadee Quality Products
Body StyleMicro-Trains 027 Boxcar 50 Foot Rib Side Plug Door No Roofwalk
Prototype VehicleBoxcar, 50 Foot, Steel (Details)
Road or Company NamePacific Fruit Express (Details)
Reporting MarksPFE
Road or Reporting Number457524
Paint Color(s)Orange
Print Color(s)Black
Coupler TypeMT Magne-Matic Knuckle
Coupler MountTruck-Mount
Wheel TypePlastic Wheels With Steel Axle
Wheel ProfileStandard
Release Date1985-02-01
Item CategoryRolling Stock (Freight)
Model TypeBoxcar
Model Subtype50 Foot
Model VarietySteel, Rib-Side, Plug Door Without Roofwalk
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era III: Transition (1939 - 1957)
Scale1/160
Track GaugeN standard



Specific Item Information: with Southern Pacific & Union Pacific Logos
Model Information: Introduced in September of 1983 with ATSF 151900 and 151951, Micro-Trains has produced 83 different versions of this car (as of March, 2016). Body style 027 represents a 50 foot prototype "Plug" single-door Box Car. Unlike the "Sliding" door, the plug door system closes with a final inward movement (similar to most van sliding doors) that seals the door flush with the interior of the boxcar. This provides a much better seal than the sliding door boxcar. A rotating lever on the door activates a gear system to "plug" and "unplug" the door.

Unfortunately for collectors, this means that in order to accurately portray the prototype, this body style does not feature doors that actually open. All other hallmark features of Micro-Trains quality are present. This includes high quality tooling, crisp printing and the ubiquitous knuckle coupler.
Prototype History:
While the 40-foot boxcar was a standard design, and it did come in different setups depending on the type of freight being transported, it was not large enough for efficient mass commodity transportation. The 50-foot boxcar made its first appearance in the 1930s and steadily grew in popularity over the years, which further improved redundancies by allowing for even more space within a given car. Today, the 50-footer remains the common boxcar size. After the second world war ended, and steel became once again readily available, steel became the go-to choice for construction of boxcars. Pullman Standard and ACF were some of the most prolific builders of these cars.

These cars came in many variations. For instance, double-doors became practical for large/wide loads, end-doors useful for very large lading such as automobiles, and interior tie-down equipment was helpful in keeping sensitive products from being damaged in-transit. In 1954 the Santa Fe developed its "Shock Control" (and later "Super Shock Control") technology for new boxcars with upgraded suspension systems to further improve the ride-quality and reduce the chance of damaging freight.

In the 1960s, the flush, "plug" style sliding door was introduced as an option that provides a larger door to ease loading and unloading of certain commodities. The tight-fitting doors are better insulated and allow a car's interior to be maintained at a more even temperature.
Road Name History:
Pacific Fruit Express (reporting mark PFE) was an American railroad refrigerator car leasing company that at one point was the largest refrigerator car operator in the world. The company was founded on December 7, 1906 as a joint venture between the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. It began operation on October 1, 1907, with a fleet of 6,600 refrigerator cars built by the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF).

In 1923, the Western Pacific Railroad joined the venture by leasing its own, brand new fleet of 2775 reefers to PFE. They were painted in standard PFE colors with only WP heralds on the cars instead of the paired UP-SP markings. The WP cars were all retired by the late 1950s, among the last wooden reefers in PFE's fleet. WP ended its partnership with PFE in late 1967 and joined Fruit Growers Express instead.

PFE's assets were divided between the UP and SP when the company was split on April 1, 1978. It is now a UP subsidiary.
Brand/Importer Information: Micro-Trains is the brand name used by both Kadee Quality Products and Micro-Trains Line. For a history of the relationship between the brand and the two companies, please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide.
Manufacturer Information:
Kadee Quality Products originally got involved in N-Scale by producing a scaled-down version of their successful HO Magne-Matic knuckle coupler system. This coupler was superior to the ubiquitous 'Rapido' style coupler due to two primary factors: superior realistic appearance and the ability to automatically uncouple when stopped over a magnet embedded in a section of track. The success of these couplers in N-Scale quickly translated to the production of trucks, wheels and in 1972 a release of ready-to-run box cars.
In October 1990 Kadee separated in two companies, with the newly created Micro-TrainsĀ® Line Co. continuing the Z, Nn3, and N Scale product ranges, with Kadee retaining the HO range.
Item created by: nscalemodeler160 on 2016-04-07 15:25:57. Last edited by gdm on 2021-02-12 17:46:56

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