"Annual" Christmas cars To the best of my knowledge, the following are the model numbers, car types, identifying marks and notes related to the "annual" cars. They are presented in chronologic order. Unless otherwise noted, all have USAT boxes. Model# / Car Type / Identification / Notes unknown / Box / "I Believe in Santa Claus - 1988" R-1969 / Box / "Dear Santa I Want it All! - 1989" / has Charles Ro box R-1620 / Reefer / "Peace and Freedom for All - Christmas 1990" / part of "1600" series R-1300 / Reefer / "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Merry Christmas 1991" R-1301 / Reefer / "Are You on My List? - Christmas 1992" R-13011 / Reefer / "Rudolph Won't You Guide My Sleigh Tonight? - Seasons Greetings 1993" / Rudolph's nose will blink if batteries are installed R-13012 / Reefer / "Here Comes Santa Claus - Merry Christmas 1994" R-13013 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas 1995" R-13014 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas 1996" R-13015 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas 1997" R-13016 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas Happy and Healthy New Year to All - Merry Christmas 1998" R-13017 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas 1999 - Happy Holidays 1999" R-13018 / Reefer / "All Toys Delivered Job Well Done! - Happy Holidays 2000"/ cars has sound if batteries are installed R-13019 / Box / "Merry Christmas from USA Trains - 2001" R-13020 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas to All - Merry Christmas 2002" R-13021 / Reefer / "The Santa Train is Here Again! - Merry Christmas 2003" R-13022 / Reefer / "Santa Is Coming to Town - 2004" R-13023 / Reefer / "Santa's Express Delivers Presents to all the Little Boys and Girls - Merry Christmas 2005" R-13024 / Reefer / "Santa's List - 2006" R-13025 / Reefer / "Santa Express Railway Co 2007 - Merry Christmas" R-13026 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas 2008" R-13027 / Reefer / "Merry Christmas 2009"
Hey EMD Trainman, I own the "entire collection" of USA Christmas Series Reefer cars from year 1988 thru year 2009. I have taken pictures of each car for insurance purposes. I also own both the #12 White/Red S4 and the #25 Green S4 Christmas Locomotives. I recently purchased the three Christmas Passenger Series #33, #34 and #35 cars as well. The ore cars are a little too pricey for such small cars. I have yet to purchase any syrup tankers or 3-bay coal hopper cars as they are still over priced.... What years are you missing? I can send you a copy of my pictures. Here are pictures of 91, 92, 93, 99 and 88 Your picture of the 1999 reefer is incorrect.
bolkid73, do you happen to have model numbers for 1988 and/or 1991? If you could send that information I will update the list of models. Thanks
Thanx for the update, I'm glad to see others interested in keeping a registry. Do you have the stock part numers also?
Non-"Annual" Christmas Cars Here are model numbers, descriptions and notes related to the non-annual Christmas items. The list is not inclusive Model / Car Type / Description / Notes R-12014 / Caboose / Merry Christmas NPRR 1997 / Woodside has Christmas phrases in multiple languages on side R-12114 / Caboose / Merry Christmas 1999 / Extended Vision R-14025 / Hopper / Red car - "Are you Naughty or Nice?" R-14218 A / Ore / White - "Santa Express Railway Co." R-14218 B / Ore / Red - "Santa Express Railway Co." R-14218 C / Ore / Green - "Santa Express Railway Co." R-14C337 / Hopper / White - "Are you Naughty or Nice?" / white "coal" load R-17033 / Flat / 2008 Piggyback R-1940 C / building / Christmas workshop / has smoke generator which can be hooked up to powerpack R-22104 / Locomotive / GP7 R-22567 / Locomotive / White S4, RN#12 R-30204 / Passenger / Combine - 1997 / Overton style car R-30206 / Passenger / Combine / Overton style car R-30304 / Passenger / Passenger - 1997 / Overton style car R-30504 / Passenger / Observation - 1997 / Overton style care R-16X13 / Reefer / Woodside - "Happy Hanukkah - 1994"
According to the seller on eBay (PM me for the link) this C&NW Woodside Reefer is listed as a custom run. Here's the picture, can anyone confirm this description?
I found this auction on my own thru a search and it is listed as a box car, you made a little ooopppsss, but anyway, this vendor has a good reputation of knowing what they are talking about, but I have not done any research on the R1900 series box cars yet, that is my next goal when I have the R1600 reefers documented which is just about there.
It said reefer when I looked last night, they must have fixed the error. I haven't been able to find anything else on this. Custom Run is all they said.
EMD Trainman I came across your letter to Garden Railways December issue regarding the production of 1/24 scale railroad items by USA Trains and was wondering if you had any information on USA Trains White Pass and Yukon Railroad Centennial series of box cars and reefers. I have come across some listed on ebay with numbers R1922B, R1922D and R1922E as well as R1622A, R1622D and 1622C. How many in this series were produced and were they a limited run? As I live in Western Australia access to large g scale retail outlets is limited and information on or the purchase of USA Trains items is dependent on the internet. Regards John Francis
USAT had a series of White Pass Reefers and a set of White Pass Box cars. The reefers were: R1622 A #101 (White & Tuscan) R1622 B #105 (Yellow & Tuscan) R1622 C #108 (White & Tuscan) R1622 D #110 (Yellow & Tuscan) The box cars were R1922 A #106 (Tuscan) R1922 B #102 (Tuscan) R1922 C #103 (Yellow & Tuscan) R1922 D #104 (White & Tuscan) R1922 E #107 (Yellow & Tuscan) R1922 F #109 (Tuscan & Black) R1922G #1086 (Yellow & Tuscan) - this was in a 1993 USAT advertisement but I have not been able to verify if it was produced Note: if 2 colors are listed the second is the color of the car ends. These cars were issued in the 1991/1992 time frame. These were regular production items but I do not know how many of each were produced.
This appears to be R1959. I don't know if this was a USAT custom but it appears to be a regular production run. The picture of the C&NW car was in several USAT advertisements in 1993 with the R1959 number. pcd-20091229
I've noticed that USAT has produced a number of cars for the various national large scale shows. Perhaps there needs to be a separate group for these cars.
AN_K_ is the eBay name for AL_K_ who was the owner of S_V_ before it closed about 18 months ago. Al still sells some items on eBay. Al did commission several private runs of cars (including reefers) when he was running S_V_ He has in the past sold some of the prototype cars on eBay.
Dear EDM Trainman, I am new to G scale and have only recently become a "fan" of USA Trains American Series. They "play" well with my LGB and Bachmann items. This is also my first time to see this thread and (after reading every entry) I am very impressed with your effort to document this company. I have taken the liberty to copy your lists and started adding photos with each entry as I find them. Which brings me to my question(s). How can I stay up to date with your lists other than checking here every day? (I'm new to the whole forum thing too.) Have you ever thought of writing a book about USA Trains (USAT)? Sort of a photo catalog of all their items? Do you document other USAT rolling stock? If I find an item not on your list, what is the best way to forward that info or photo to you? Do you have photos of all USAT items you list? Do you have all this in PDF format? I think that's enough questions for now. I'm sure I'll have more. Thanks again for your great work, GovB
Hi and let me first welcome you to Train Board and it's great to hear you are a USA Trains fan now. The USA American Series was and really still is the back bone of USA Trains with the reefer cars being the most popular at well over 400 cars produced since thier first introduction in 1988. It is my actual dream to write a book something along the lines like a Greenburg Guide to Lionel Trains only I haven't though of a offical name yet but was thinking along the lines like "The Collection Guide of USA Trains". I have documented the American series Box cars, but still working on finishing that up, it's not complete yet, then with the help of my lost friend Solase we documented All but 3 of the USA Trains regular run reefer cars, then I documented the special and prototype reefer cars. I have documented alot of the USA Trains American series flat type cars which would include piggyback flats, pipe load flats, any any flat type car with or without loads. What is nice is that I include both the Charles Ro and USA Trains in my registry since how they ae both really the same company, but just the name changed. I have collected alot of photos, I would say I have 90% of the photos to go with my listings and would share with anyone who asked for them. Again he photos include both the Charles Ro and the USA Trains rolling stock. Solase actually made a PDF document before his passing on the USA Trains American Series reefer, but thier were people who didn't like that type of file, so I converted it back to a standard document which then could be pasted and easily read on Train Board., but still have his original PDF file saved. I have not made any PDF files myself, but do own the dobe program to do it with and I'm not sure how much work at this time it would take to make a PDF file for over 400 reefers and to paste pictures with that. Right now I have my USA Trains rolling stock pictures very organized, I have for example a USA Trains R1600 folder which is for the reefer car, a R1900 folder which is for the American series box cars and a R1700 folder for the American series flat cars. Thatnx for your interest and nice comments and again welcome aboard At the top of this thread you will see a block that says "Thread Tools" click on that and you can subscribe to my thread, any time there is a addition to this thread you should get a email. I always wondered if LGB and USA Trains used the same mold for the woodside box cars as they do look that much alike. Although LGB was suppose to be 1:22.5 scale ratio, their woodside series was dead on for being actually 1:24 scale ratio, the Bachman is really close also to the size of LGB and USA woodside rolling stock. Aristocraft has whats called the Delton series which also features 1:24 series rolling stock but they really don't have much to pick from.
Thanks for that kind welcome. I'm looking forward to participating and learning as much as I can. My interests are in narrow gauge RRs and have started gathering different type Locos from LGB, Bachmann & USAT. All steamers. Growing up I gained a fondness for railroading and remember going with my Dad to watch the City of New Orleans rumble by on her way south and the different trains as they came and went from the two stations in town. I noticed from photos in your albums you also have a few steamers. To me, that's railroading..... Thanks again, GovB
Welcome aboard! If you want, dig through my indoor layout photo, I have an LGB Staiz Steamer you may drool over. Actually don't drool over it. I need her dry so I can modify her with detail parts as soon as my tender comes in. As for your book idea, I'm going to talk with my cousin next time she's home from college and see if we can't come up with a format idea for a collectors guide. We will of course name you as the author. I just like to build and write stuff in general.
