Handout for “SP freight cars you can model”

This handout is intended to provide the factual background, and information about further sources of information, for my talk with the same title as this post. First, here is an outline of the talk.

Introduction
    Proportions and characteristics of the SP fleet of freight cars

   The following graphs are illustrative; you can click on the image to enlarge it.

  SP’s car classification scheme

Modeling of individual car types
    Gondolas
    Tank cars
    Box and automobile cars
        A simple description of the six body styles among the 15 classes of box cars
        Models of each body style
        The same scheme for automobile cars
    Flat cars, of several types
    Hopper cars
    Stock cars
    Cabooses 

Throughout the talk, I tried to mention primarily currently available models, though noteworthy older ones, such as Sunshine kit, are worth knowing about in case you can acquire examples. Searching eBay from time to time can yield desirable results. Also, a number of the models I showed, though perhaps not available at the moment, are re-issued by their makers from time to time. My understanding is that the very nice Walthers SP wood caboose is among them.

I explained in the talk, and want to list here, the primary sources of information and photographs for both this talk and for my modeling. These are the five volumes I published about SP freight cars.

Thompson, Anthony W., Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 1: Gondolas and Stock Cars, Signature Press, 2002.

Thompson, Anthony W., Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume : Cabooses, Signature Press, 2002.

Thompson, Anthony W., Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 3: Automobile Cars and Flat Cars, Signature Press, 2004.

Thompson, Anthony W., Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 4: Box Cars, Signature Press, 2006, revised edition, 2014.

Thompson, Anthony W., Southern Pacific Freight Cars, Volume 5: Hoppers, Covered Hoppers, Tank Cars, Signature Press, 2008.

Here are some additional sources that may be helpful:

Thompson, Tony, “Modeling SP Flat Cars,” Model Railroad Hobbyist, issue for December 2024.

My blog contains many, many posts about SP freight cars It is found at this address: modelingthesp.blogspot.com , and with the search box at the upper right of each post, you can search for specific freight car types.

Kitbashing the Class A-50-17 automobile car, https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/01/modeling-sp-class-50-17-conclusion.html 

Tony Thompson