Rapido Trains - 537009A - Boxcar, 50 Foot, Steel, PC&F, B-100-40 - Columbus & Greenville - Random

Specific Item Information: Random Selection From: #260 - #266 - #267 - #269 - #270 - #272

Model Information: Rapido’s N Scale B-100-40 model features:
Separately applied cut levers and end ladders Detailed Hydra-Cushion underframe Full underbody brake rigging Separately applied door latch mechanism Accurate paint and lettering Available in singles or multi-packs. Road number specific paint patches where appropriate

Road Name History: If you've seen a boxcar or gondola with "CAGY" reporting marks, that's Columbus & Greenville. Before 1975, the reporting marks were C&G. In 1894, Southern Railway established the Southern Railway of Mississippi to take over a previous line linking Columbus, Mississippi near the Alabama border with Greenville near the Arkansas border (about 175 miles,) effectively bisecting the Magnolia State. In 1924, Southern dumped the line which was then taken over by local interests under the Columbus & Greenville name. In 1972, C&G was faced with the impending merger of Illinois Central and Gulf Mobile & Ohio. Of C&G's 15 junctions with other lines, 13 were with IC or GM&O. They petitioned to be included in the ICG merger and the government agreed. ICG bought the C&G. The following year, a major washout severed the line. ICG was not enthusiastic about fixing the washout despite local pressure. ICG suggested that local interests buy the line and fix it themselves and in 1975, that's exactly what happened. It was then that the reporting marks were changed to CAGY. In 1985, CAGY purchased some intersecting lines from ICG bringing the total mileage up to 242 (making it a bit larger than Elgin Joliet & Eastern in comparison.)

For years, Columbus & Greenville had been a stronghold for Baldwin diesels with EMD’s and even a Whitcomb switcher in supporting roles. Today, the Baldwins are long gone, replaced by secondhand EMD’s.

Brand/Importer Information: Rapido Trains Inc. is a high-end manufacturer of model trains and accessories in HO, OO and N (North American 1:160 and British 1:148) scales. The firm's mission is to recreate the entire rail travel experience, from fully-detailed interiors and under-frames on models to fully-wired telephone poles for model railroads.

The name RAPIDO was introduced by Canadian National in 1965 to headline the railway's high-speed intercity passenger services. Until the mid-1980s, RAPIDO stood for fast schedules, frequent trains, and superb service.

Today, Rapido Trains continues the RAPIDO concept with state-of-the-art models and attention to fine detail. This company is not related to the venerable (and now defunct) German manufacturer Arnold Rapido, nor the present-day Arnold (which is owned by the United Kingdom's Hornby), Canadian based Rapido Trains was founded in 2003.