ATSF BX-40 and FE-25 50` Rebuilds

ATSF BX-40 and FE-25 50’ Rebuilds
The Santa Fe, perhaps the country’s most prolific rebuilder
of freight rolling stock, converted all of its surviving Fe-Q and
-R 50’ sectional sheathed boxcars to either Bx-40 or Fe-25 steel
rebuilds during 1942-43. Out of the Topeka Shops came cars
resembling the AAR 10’6” IH straight panel roof 50’ boxcar
design, but with the telltale recessed side sills of a narrower
car, 1/7/5/5 Murphy ends and a fishbelly underframe.
In 1942, the Santa Fe rebuilt 492 sectional sheathed cars
into 50’ steel boxcars with an 8’ Youngstown door. During the
winter of 1942-43, the Topeka Shop rebuilt 294 Fe-Qs to a 15’
wide double door version of the Bx-40, designated the Fe-25.
The Fe-25 and Bx-40 used the same steel sides as the recently
purchased Fe-24s with a closer spacing of vertical posts
adjacent to the door. The Fe-25 was a comparable car to the Fe24 and served the same autocar function, while the Bx-40
handled general merchandise and auto parts.
The Fe-25s had a 78000 lb capacity since they retained
their Andrews U section trucks. The Bx-40s had a 100000 lb
capacity, since they retained their ASF cast side frame trucks.
Both classes received AB brakes, Ajax hand brakes and wood
running boards.
The Bx-40 class was placed in the 150601-151091 series,
while the Fe-25 was numbered 10500-10793 and 10800-10999.
In 1947 the ATSF equipped the 10500 series Fe-25s with
racks and renumbered them to 9200-9455, with 36 cars
remaining in the 10509-10788 series and equipped with auto
parts racks. With the auto racks, tubes for storage of the tiedown chains and springs were installed under the floor. By
the early ‘50s, the 9200 and 108000 series were in auto rack
service, but the parts cars became the 9960-9994 series and a
few cars in general merchandise service were numbered 94009496. More renumbering took place in the mid-to late 1950s.
When the ATSF began equipping the Bx-40s with auto
parts racks in 1946, the cars were renumbered into the 37000
series. The renumbering was done in small to mid-sized
blocks for specific parts and shippers. When the cars lost their
assignment to parts service, they went back to the 150601 series
or the 40500-40755 (after 1952).
Sunshine kits are vacuum cast in gray urethane. Decals
include maps or Ship and Travel lettering with several train
slogans for 50’ cars and the auto parts rack symbol, “return
to…” stenciling and appropriate car numbers. Kits include all
detailing parts (except trucks and couplers). Full instructions
and a Prototype Data Sheet are included.
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____Kit#100.1 ATSF Bx-40 50’ Steel Rebuilt Boxcar, Map/El Capitan decals, wood running board (1942-50s), $43
____Kit#100.2 ATSF Bx-40 50’ Steel Rebuilt Boxcar, Map/Scout decals, wood running board (1942-50s), $43
____Kit#100.3 ATSF Bx-40 50’ Steel Rebuilt Boxcar, Map/Super Chief decals, wood running board (1942-50s), $43
____Kit#100.4 ATSF Bx-40 50’ Steel Rebuilt Boxcar, S&T/Grand Canyon decals, wood running board (1947-60s), $43
____Kit#100.5 ATSF Bx-40 50’ Steel Rebuilt Boxcar, S&T/Super Chief decals, wood running board (1947-60s), $43
____Kit#100.6 ATSF Bx-40 50’ Steel Rebuilt Boxcar, S&T/S.F. Chief decals, wood running board (1947-60s), $43
____Kit#100.7 ATSF Fe-25 50’ Steel Rebuilt Autocar, Map/Grand Canyon decals, wood running board (1942-50s), $43
____Kit#100.8 ATSF Fe-25 50’ Steel Rebuilt Autocar, Map/Super Chief decals, wood running board (1942-50s), $43
____Kit#100.9 ATSF Fe-25 50’ Steel Rebuilt Autocar, Map/Scout decals, wood running board (1942-50s), $43
____Kit#100.10 ATSF Fe-25 50’ Steel Rebuilt Autocar, S&T/Super Chief decals, wood running board (1947-60s), $43
____Kit#100.11 ATSF Fe-25 50’ Steel Rebuilt Autocar, S&T/El Capitan, wood running board (1947-60s), $43
____Kit#100.12 ATSF Fe-25 50’ Steel Rebuilt Autocar, S&T/Chief decals, wood running board (1947-60s), $43
____Trucks TP 40 ARA Cast Sideframe black plastic, non-sprung trucks with non-magnetic metal wheelsets for Bx-40, $5
____Trucks TP 51 Andrews black plastic, non-sprung trucks with non-magnetic metal wheelsets for Fe-25, $5
____E.28 Western Chalkmarks in light gray from period photos, approximately 70 per set, $4
____E.29 Western Large Chalkmarks in light gray from period photos, approximately 70 per set, $4
____E.31 New Santa Fe Chalkmarks II in light gray from period photos, approximately 100 per set, $4
Name_________________________________________Street_________________________________
City______________________________________________State___________ZIP________________
Add $4.00 for shipping per five kits in U.S. ( MO residents add 7.6% ), Canada $15.88 for six kits
Sunshine Models
Box 4997
Springfield MO 65808-4997