Walthers announcements this month include another offering for our steam and early diesel modelers. This is another offering from the Mainline category (One single model with different paint schemes applied. This time around it is the 40' Double Sheathed Wood Boxcar, as opposed to last month's Single Sheath version. I don't know if they saw the request from @Karl or not, but the logo on this car has a black background unlike the other car. Per usual, 4 road numbers are available. MSRP is $34.98, street price should be $28-29. Again, IMO these Mainline level cars are good relative to their price (in 2025 dollars of course) https://www.walthers.com/catalog/product/view/id/499899
I’ll start the rivet-counting. 8^) If you’re modeling 1943 or later, this car number was one of the double-sheathed rebuilds with steel sides, per the January ORER. The rebuild program started as early as 1935 (see https://www.frisco.org/shipit/index.php?threads/rebuilding-a-usra-ds-boxcar-in-springfield.1363/); I really wish I had a listing of specific rebuildings for year and car number. In any event, if you’re a stickler, it should be easy enough to renumber if one so wished. All in all, it looks decent enough model and if one needed to round out a large steam-era roster of rolling stock, I think it’ll do if the price is right for the individual. I think I’d find myself futzing over the molded grabs and ladders and lack of door stops on the car siding, which could be easily added . For my tastes, I’d just as soon as find a Westerfield resin kit secondhand and have the added detail.
