2024 O Scale Premier Steel Sided Stock Car Announced
November 14, 2023 - M.T.H. Electric Trains will be releasing the 2024 O Scale Premier Steel Sided Stock Car in six different liveries late next Spring. Each of these offerings will be available in two car numbers in limited quantities and is expected to begin shipping to M.T.H. Authorized Retailers in June 2024.
PROTOTYPE HISTORY
Railroad stock cars have played a vital role in the development of the United States and other countries around the world. They have transported livestock from farms to markets, helping to feed a growing population. They have also played a role in the expansion of the West, allowing ranchers to move their herds to new grazing lands.
The first stock cars were simply modified boxcars with slatted sides and ends. These early cars were uncomfortable and dangerous for the animals, and they often led to injuries and deaths. In the 1870s, Zadok Street patented a new design for a stock car that featured water troughs and food troughs, as well as a system for ventilation. Street's design was a major improvement over previous stock cars, and it helped to reduce the suffering of livestock during transport.
Over the next few decades, stock cars continued to evolve. They became larger and more comfortable, and they were equipped with features such as adjustable partitions and movable decks. This helped to reduce overcrowding and improve the safety of the animals.
Stock cars reached their peak of importance in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During this time, the railroads were the primary means of transporting livestock to market. In 1907, American railroads transported over 400 million livestock animals before declining in the mid-20th century as truck transportation became more common.
Check out each of the offerings below.
