Story and photos by Gareth Bayer
The 200-strong fleet of CN Transcona Shops 6,286 cu. ft. high-cube boxcars is the subject of the latest HO scale model from Aurora Miniatures. Two 100-car batches of the Plate F boxcars were constructed at Canadian National’s workshops just east of Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2003 and 2004, numbered CN aaadaaa405750-405849 and CN 405850-405949 respectively. With their single 10’ wide plug door they are perfect for their primary task of moving high quality paper products.
This first production run from Aurora comprises 18 SKUs in three different paint scheme variations. The first two represent the initial pair of cars to roll off the Transcona Shops production line and were the only examples to carry Canadian National / Canadien National lettering on the upper left body on opposing sides. Aurora is also offering seven cars from the 2003 batch with white conspicuity dots and nine cars from the 2004 batch with yellow FRA-mandated conspicuity stripes.
The prototype cars are based on certain Gunderson boxcar designs that were built in Portland, Oregon, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, however the combination of features is unique to the Transcona Shops-built cars, so it makes sense that Aurora have also based this model on their 6,276cu.ft. boxcar.
CN 405859 in Kansas City on May 26, 2006. Photo by Gareth Bayer.
The overall definition of the body and ends is excellent, although the lower door track would have benefited from being a separate part. Otherwise, the specification matches previous releases from this company with extremely fine ladders, handrails, door rods and locking handles. The tack boards are also separate as is a tiny etched metal bracket on the thick side post at the right hand end of each side.
The quality feel extends to the separate roof, which comes in two versions. The first batch features nine X-panels with a pair of half-width plain panels at each end, while the second and final group of 100 cars has nine panels each with three longitudinal pressings with similar half width panels at each end. This makes the two types instantly stand out in trains.
Since their first releases, Aurora has put a lot of effort into the car ends, with near-scale size draft gear boxes that are designed to replicate the appearance of the real thing. As well as the excellent hand brake wheel and trip lever, the model includes etched metal crossover platforms and stirrups, coupler-cut levers and air hoses. The latter in particular are nicely detailed and painted with intermediate crimped sections and the gladhands picked out in silver. AuroraJanney plastic couplers, with no trip pins, come as standard and are mounted at the correct height. While these have a scale-sized head, could there be an opportunity to incorporate the missing lower ‘shelf’ on future releases?
Turning the model over and the shared heritage with Aurora’s Gunderson high cube boxcar really becomes obvious with a complement of well-defined braking equipment with metal wire and fine plastic rigging that also includes metal safety loops. In fact the only difference I can find between the Transcona and Gunderson cars are the etched brake cylinder release rods. Oddly, the former tips the scales at 6.5 oz, which is 2.0 oz heavier than recommended by the NMRA RP20.1 specification, and a similar amount heavier than the previously released boxcar…
