# Who makes this boxcar?



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

This boxcar is the best rolling car that I have ever had. It has metal wheels with plastic axles and plastic trucks and rolls like it's on Timken roller bearings.
I would try and convert all my rolling stock to whatever type wheels this boxcar has. It's terrific. Anybody know who makes it? It has no markings whatsoever on it. Hope some of our experts can id this thing. Pete


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## lears2005 (Feb 26, 2010)

Should have a name on the under side of it.


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## redlinetrefitty (Jul 30, 2012)

metal wheels = lionel ??? all my lionel 85" amtrak passenger car have metal wheels and plastic axle like you said... and the same no marking wear found anywhere....but i can tell they are lionel because they have a special easier to connect coupler then bachmann and other


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

That car is altererd with metal wheels, it is just a simple cheap car with a nice set of wheels on it.
You can buy the metal wheel sets for cheap enough to alter any car.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

yea, I agree and conquer with NIMT....cheap car (love them tho) but easy to convert to metal wheels, just be sure to buy a bulk bag from NIMT or brylerjunction, (either should be able to get them) and convert more of your fleet over, whats what im going to be doing my self shortly once I have moved (uuug) either should be able to get you a good deal on the metal wheels, just be sure to get what you need


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## Guest (Aug 6, 2012)

The car is most likely a cheap life like car (non proto version),. I have 3 of them, and what gave it away to me was the 2 spots on the side where the lugs from the base snap into the side. Also, do the coupler pockets look like they were cast with the car, or maybe kaydee boxes?
If you'll look on the bottom of the car, near the center beam, it should say life like, made in china in horrifically small print lol. As the others said, it has been upgraded with better wheel sets, probably protos or kadee as from the description you gave of them, both will pop right in and work great in those trucks.


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## redlinetrefitty (Jul 30, 2012)

rhere certain car that seem heavier then other ???


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

It doesn't say anything on the bottom but 'Made in slobovia'. The car isn't overly heavy and the couplers are just the usual but the wheels spin like crazy. You can blow on it and it moves on down the track. I have to have these wheels on all my cars. pete


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## redlinetrefitty (Jul 30, 2012)

Well search up metal ho scale wheels.... Btw......it move freely because the axle.holder it wasnt tight enough... Noy because of the wheel


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## Lee_R (May 30, 2012)

Pete, are you sure that's not "slovakia"? There's no such (real) country as "slobovia".


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## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

> There's no such (real) country as "*slob*ovia"


Yes there is, although its borders seem to be my front and back door.

Craig


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

It looks like a Thrall 56' All-door Boxcar. It's a Lifelike....

This is actually from shaygetz website.....apparently he's got one too 

http://misterbobsmodelworksemporium.blogspot.com/2009/04/life-like-ho-scale-thrall-door-boxcar.html


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Interesting, it's a different road number, maybe there's a set.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Nice to see I have at least one reader....


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

yup, Shay I love that Ford tractor looks almost like the one at the in-laws place except ours is more beaten up from useage!! would love to get my hands on yours or one like it LOL!!!


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Lee_R said:


> Pete, are you sure that's not "slovakia"? There's no such (real) country as "slobovia".


Heh Heh! There is now.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

dablaze said:


> Yes there is, although its borders seem to be my front and back door.
> 
> Craig


hmm and I thought my place was called that...oh well....


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## Lee_R (May 30, 2012)

Fortunately (or unfortunately, as the case may be!), I can't make such a claim. On the other hand, my little corner of the computer room is occasionally referred to as "Slobsville"! More often than not though, it's "The Black Hole", so I suppose I could relate to "Slobovia". :laugh:

(side-note: there "is" a "Slobbovia", for those of you who remember Li'l Abner..... :thumbsup


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

It is an old Life-Like Proto1000 series model of the Thrall-door boxcar.

Life-Like was bought out by Walthers several years ago, and Walthers also has their own model of this same car which is better detailed.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Think I'll go to the LHS and see what he has for wheels. That way I won't make a big mistake buying the wrong thing. Thanks for all the help. Pete


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

NIMT said:


> That car is altererd with metal wheels, it is just a simple cheap car with a nice set of wheels on it.
> You can buy the metal wheel sets for cheap enough to alter any car.





thoroughbreed said:


> The car is most likely a cheap life like car (non proto version),. I have 3 of them, and what gave it away to me was the 2 spots on the side where the lugs from the base snap into the side


The car was later upgraded into the "Proto 1000" line, and while branded as such, it was available with metal wheels.

Proto 2000 series was Life-Like's actual high end, nicely detailed and prototype accurate cars. Proto 1000 series was less detailed, but generally accurately decorated. Some of the cars in the Proto 1000 series, like the Thrall-door boxcar, started out as original cheap Life-Like trainset car tooling, but upgraded with metal wheels and no fantasy paint schemes.

As thoroughbred mentions, those two mounting tabs attaching the floor to the body sides are a dead giveaway of the design and maker of this car. It's also one of the reasons I don't really like these cars, because those mounting tabs are too obvious. The end detail is also pretty shallow, although that might not bother some of the members here. It's really just outdated tooling that's had new trucks and wheels and probably a modified underframe for body mounting the couplers in order to upgrade it.

In terms of replacement metal wheels for other cars, you can still look for Proto2000 wheelsets; also Intermountain and Reboxx makes replacement wheelsets in various sizes (33" is standard, 36" on passenger cars and modern 100+ ton capacity freight cars), and Kadee also offers wheels and trucks.


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