Bicentennial Box Car

Brown Box Era HO-Scale Trains

Bicentennial Box Car

Early Bicentennial Box Cars

The Early Production Bicentennial Box Cars.

There are at least three distinct paint variations for each of the three Bicentennial Box Car offerings. Seen above is the original scheme used by TYCO for this series, found only in the 1974-75 catalog. The initial examples included the Washington's Crossing car with white sides and red roof and ends; Paul Revere's Ride car in solid blue with white lettering; and The Minutemen car in solid red with white lettering. All these early examples included the logo and slogan American Revolution Bicentennial 1776-1976.

Below is a close up view of the first version of TYCO's Washington's Crossing Bicentennial Box Car. Notice that this original design included not only the Bicentennial logo, but also had full data for the car. The car's ownership is credited to GATX. The Washington's Crossing car carried the number 85761, this number carried over to all three known variations for the car.

Below is the second known variation to TYCO's Bicentennial Box Car line. This second example, also the Washington's Crossing, is similar to the third version. Both carry a band of three red stipes on the car's right side. Topping the red stripes is a blue band containing five white stars with Spirit of '76 riding above the design in blue letters. The difference between the second and third versions is the length of the red stripes. The second version cars have stripes which run down to the edge of the car, as seen in the picture below.

The third known example is shown below of TYCO's Minuteman Bicentennial Box Car. The Mintueman also carries the GATX ownership reporting mark and the car's number is 85760. As mentioned, the third example features red stripes that differ from the second variation. This third type of decoration has the three red stripes stopping short of the car's edge. The stripes end just above the height of the slot in the car's side that holds the underframe. These third variation cars are known to exist with the filled-in stirrup steps, while the other two versions are known to have open stiurrup steps.

Bicentennial Box Car Minuteman

The Minuteman

(No.362A)

TYCO's The Minuteman Bicentennail Box Car offering is numerically first both by catalog number, 362A, and by its car number 85760. The first group of three Minuteman figures are solid white, while the later two versions of the car offer patriotic red, white and blue figures. Like the other two cars in this series, The Minuteman car is cataloged from 1974-1976.

Bicentennial Box Car Paul Revere

Paul Revere's Ride

(No.362C)

TYCO provided the Paul Revere's Ride Bicentennial Box Car with the number 85762 for all of its three production variations. The car, like all the other two is cataloged by TYCO from 1974-1976. The color changes from the first car's solid blue with all white lettering and logos, switches in the second and third examples. The later Paul Revere is given a blue figure and horse with a red cape.

Bicentennial Box Car Washington

Washington's Crossing

(No.362B)

TYCO's Washington's Crossing Bicentennial Box Car is GATX 85761 is all three variations known to have been produced. The car is cataloged from 1974-1976, as all three were in TYCO's catalogs. Seen above are examples of the first and second variations of this car. Notice the image of Washington and company making their famed crossing with flag flying is solid blue in the original, while the flag is broken out with red and white stripes for the second version.

Bicentennial Box Car Set

3-pack Bicentennial Freight Cars

(No.47)
(1975 and 1976)

TYCO offered multi-freight car packages over the years, though generally they are not found pictured or listed in many catalogs. This set of Bicentennial Box Cars is a typical example of how such packaging appeared. Each car is in a complete and typical brown box with all three resting in a tray with topper section describing the set. These sets were then shrink wrapped together. Exampled found for this set offering generally appear to be the second versions of the Bicentennial Box Cars.