Old-Time 50-foot Box Car -No.374

TYCO Trains Collector's Resource

Old-Time 50-foot Box Car -No.374

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Old-Time 50-foot Box Car -No.374

Found only in 1979's catalog, the Old-Time 50' Box Car carried model number 374. The car is the same 50' plug-door box car that TYCO had offered for years. This car in its most general form is model number 339. Labeled a Billboard Box, it becomes model number 365. It is also model number 362 for Bicenntenial Box Cars; 363 for Commemorative State Box Cars; and even further divided into the 364 series for one entry, the TYCO 50th Anniversary Box Car.

This set of four cars remains fairly popular from my experience. Naturally, the Coca-Cola car commands some attention and the Mail Pouch Tobacco car is also popular with collectors.

Mail Pouch Old-Time Box Car

Mail Pouch -No.374A
1979

Jack Frost Old-Time Box Car

Jack Frost -No.374C
1979

Coca-Cola Old-Time Box Car

Coca-Cola -No.374B
1979

Maxwell House Old-Time Box Car

Maxwell House -No.374D
1979

Would It Be Done Today?

One has to wonder how many cars in this set would be produced, if done today. A line of toy trains aimed at children with a set of cars that feature Mail Pouch Tobacco; Maxwell House Coffee; Coca-Cola; and Jack Frost Pure Cane Sugar. Okay, only the most strict parent would likely complain about the Sugar, Coke, and maybe even the Coffee car, but try getting that Tobacco car routed through to little-Timmy's pike in 2000 and see if the response differs from what it got back in 1979.

Though it does go for a good sum generally on eBay, the Mail Pouch Tobacco car was not limited in production. Besides being offered separately in this set, it also was included in a Chattanooga train set around this same time.