S-Helper S Scale USRA 40’ Rebuilt Steel Boxcar, Chicago & NorthWestern/Route of the 400

During World War I, the United States Railroad Administration (USRA) ordered 50,000 boxcars divided equally with 25,000 40-ton double-sheathed boxcars, and 25,000 50-ton single-sheathed cars being built. Steel use was limited, so these cars were built with steel underframes, ends and roofs. The basic car body was constructed of wood.

After the war, these cars were well used and the wood bodies were starting to deteriorate. A number of railroad refurbished some of these cars, but since steel was more plentiful, another option was available. 

The Youngstown Steel Door and the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing companies developed a “kit” with pre-fabricated steel sides and doors that could be placed on the still useful steel underframes. When these wooden cars were rebuilt into full steel cars, the useful lifespan was greatly extended at a cost of about half what a new steel car would be.

The first steel conversion was completed in 1933. After that, thousands of cars were rebuilt with the new steel sides and doors. These rebuilt steel sided boxcars continued to serve railroads across the country well into the 1960s.