Micro-Trains - NSE MTL 19-223 - Chicago St.Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha - 230672

Model Information: This is Micro-Trains first body style. It was introduced in 1972. Its is a model of a Pullman-Standard PS-1 boxcar from circa 1957. Micro-Trains does not market it as a PS-1 so as to allow themselves some latitude so they can use this car to model non-PS prototypes. Hundreds of different releases have used this body style in various paint schemes and road names. They are equipped with 6' sliding doors, either Youngstown (4/5/4 rib pattern) or Superior (7 panels). It is not a model of a "modern" steel boxcar as the length (40 foot) and the roofwalk are more typical of the transition era (1939 - 1957).

In 2019, Micro-Trains started releasing this model with new body-mounted couplers attached to a new underframe.

Road Name History: The CStPM&O was the result of the 1880 merger of the Chicago St. Paul & Minneapolis Railway and the North Wisconsin Railway. Two years after the merger, Chicago & North Western bought a controlling interest in the CStPM&O. The Chicago St. Paul Minneapolis & Omaha (known to locals as The Omaha Road) developed into a 1,700 mile system running from Elroy, Wisconsin (C&NW provided the connection from Elroy to Chicago) northwest to Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The mainline then turned southwest to Sioux City, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. In addition there were important branches to Duluth, Minnesota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and several others. CMO was not a paper railroad but a largely independent operation from C&NW for the first 75 years. They had their own management, headquarters, locomotive and freight and passenger car fleets and sales force. There were some joint passenger routes with C&NW but that was also common on railroads that were not directly related. CStPM&O adopted some steam locomotive classes that C&NW did not and vice versa. Locomotive tenders were later adorned with the C&NW System logo but CStPM&O marks on the cab. Diesels received similar treatment. In 1957, C&NW officially leased the CStPM&O – finally turning it into a paper railroad. It was officially merged in 1972.

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: Micro-Trains Line split off from Kadee Quality Products in 1990. 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.

Micro-Trains Line Co. split off from Kadee in 1990 to form a completely independent company. For this reason, products from this company can appear with labels from both enterprises. Due to the nature of production idiosyncrasies and various random factors, the rolling stock from Micro-Trains can have all sorts of interesting variations in both their packaging as well as the products themselves. When acquiring an MTL product it is very important to understand these important production variations that can greatly enhance (or decrease) the value of your purchase.

Please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide