Model Review Squeak N Products™ 40' Foot Box Car - New York, Susquehanna & Western

[Earle Baldwin]

[float=right][/float]Presented today for your consideration is an Atlas N scale model of New York, Susquehanna and Western 40 foot box car 526. It is marketed as a special production item by Squeak N Products, a firm which specializes in limited run releases of equipment decorated for Northeast railroads.

 

During the late 1940's, NYS&W management determined its existing fleet of box cars was nearing the end of its useful service life. As a result, a group of new PS-1 40 foot cars were ordered from Pullman-Standard. When delivered, they were painted box car red with black ends and numbered in the 400 series. One of the primary roles of these cars was to serve as express cars on Susquehanna passenger trains and they performed very well in this capacity. Eventually, the entire fleet with the exception of the 401 and 402 was sold to the Monon with a few cars going to the Lehigh and New England. In 1976, the NYS&W repainted the 402 in an attractive black and yellow paint scheme making it very easy to spot in freight consists. In fact, I once saw this car in a Conrail freight during a day of train watching at Elizabeth. The car was later renumbered as the 526 as is now preserved in the collection of the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey.

 

Decorated with the prototype's final road number of 526, the N scale model is beautifully executed. The paint is applied flawlessly and all lettering is crisp and sharp with even the smallest print legible with the aid of adequate magnification. Details are molded directly on the plastic body and are quite satisfactory. The car features blackened wheels and is equipped with truck mounted Accumate couplers. It rolls well with minimal drag.

 

Squeak N Products' offerings are quite popular with hobbyists and tend to sell out. I believe the NYS&W 526 is one of the most recent releases and I was very fortunate to find it available at Railroad Warehouse in Point Pleasant Beach this past weekend. I paid $16.99 for it and I am very pleased with my purchase. Squeak N Products has released a number of other highly desirable items including an NYS&W ALCo RS1. The website is http://www.squeaknproducts.com.

 

Happy railroading,

 

Earle