I picked up one of these at a meet here in the UK yesterday, and am interested to know something about it. It comes in an Atlas type box with 'Hobbies Emporium Special Run" HOB1003 SP Sky Box #598... on the end of the yellow paper insert (the original last 3 numbers have been blacked out - the actual car number is 598336). The address on the bottom of the paper insert is a PO Box # in Reno Nv. The car itself is very heavy and appears to be a one-piece metal casting and lacks detail, but lettering is good and very sharp. Couplers are body mounted MTs but these could be later additions. As I've never come across this model/shop before I wonder if anyone could shed some light on it!! It'll go in the 'todo' box along with a couple of the LBF(?) sky boxes and some flates and the Revell 737 kits, until I get round to making that Boeing train!! Any suggestions gratefully received David (North Yorkshire, UK)
I don't know a whole lot about them, but what I do know is that they came out in the 90's. Henson's Hobbies Emporeum (now "Trains Emporeum") produced them in very limited numbers and has no plans to re-run them (in fact, they don't even know where the molds are anymore). Cheers, -Mark
Looks to be the LBF car, Huberts is rumored to be doing these again, think I saw an HO version or two recently on ebay. David, being I see BN logo, are you planning on full 737 fuselages or cut up sections? Just an FYI, BN didn't haul the full fuselages as they didn't start until after 1996, so post BNSF merger. But wouldn't be too hard to tweak history to your liking.
It would be nice to see these run again. I saw one go for ~$40 recently. What length flat car is beneath it? 60ft?
The LBF cars are 60ft. I recently sold about 10 I had that were in non TTX or BN roadnames. Would like another two or 3...maybe.
Thanks for that Mark Having checked both they are very different, the LBF cars having plastic removable 'boxes' whereas the Hobbies Emporium car is solid metal. The box is also a slightly different shape - the LBF have a 3 stage roof shape, whereas the other has a 5 stage roof shape. The LBF car works out at approx. 61.4ft and the Hobbies Emporium car approx 59.8ft. I'll have to work out how to post photos... My modelling eras are BN/BNSF/MRl 1994 to 2003 so when I get round to it I'll decide on what will run round the curves on the layout without demolishing anything coming in the opposite direction!! I made a decision to not buy anything after BNSF Heritage 1 paint work (apart from the odd exception - though I had to spray up an SD70ACE for MRL!!). I think that decision has saved me some money over the years (anyway I like SD40-2s and LMX Leasing Dash-8s!!) At present though all these plans are on hold as I'm building a Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee traction layout - a little bit different!! Regards David
I've taken a couple of photos the LBF car is on the right the LBF car is at the bottom I need to try and find the reference material I've accumulated on the 'Boeing' train to see how correct these are any other suggestions/comments very gratefully received David
I only own the LBF models and rom what I've seen on the rails and the web the are just like the real deal. I did a lot of my own chasing for research and eventually the web starting making that easier years ago with images and car databases. It's easy to figure this out now here is what I have currently 7 LBF Skyboxes 1 Custom Tail Car - info http://people.ucalgary.ca/~keay/planedoc.html 1 Custom 737 (1:144) Fuselage and Car w/ Clearance Mount
