Joe Fugate's HO Siskiyou Line Model Railroad

During the 1980s, this basic type of outside braced box car was extremely common on the SP in Oregon.

Somewhere between 50% and 80% of most trains consisted of this car style. Several minor variations could be seen, where the differences included things like varying numbers of ribs, different sidesills, different ends, or different doors.

This ubiquitous car was most often used to haul lumber and wood products, giving the Siskiyou Line the nickname of the "boxcar route".

Water cars are a big deal for railroads in Oregon during the warm months (May - September). The Forest Service requires all trains running over any significant grades to run with a water car behind the head-end power. They are to have the "spicket" running while on the grade, dowsing the roadbed to put out any sparks emitted by the loco exhaust or brakes.

The water cars run by the SP on the Siskiyou Line in the late 1980s look like they almost don't need a "spicket" -- all you have to do is fill them with water and they will leak all over the roadbed! The water cars in use by the SP on the Cascade Line in 1990s look like they are in much better shape, as you can tell in these photos taken by Jeff Pape.

Along with the Southern Pacific and Cotton Belt outside braced boxcars shown above, the other common boxcar on the Siskiyou Line is the good old RailBox car.

In almost any photo of the line from the 1980s, you will find several RailBox cars. As with the other boxcars mentioned above, the most common commodity is forest products.