The Annual Member Car Program

This NASG program was started in 2020. The objective is to offer a limited run of never-before-produced cars, manufactured for us by one of S' manufacturers. The cars will be available with either American Flyer-compatible couplers and wheels (a.k.a. "hi-rail"), or "scale" wheels and couplers. These exclusive cars can only be ordered by active NASG members. The purpose of this page is to list all the cars produced under this NASG program.

Contact person: Norman Bos

Be sure to take a look at our Store page for what we currently have for sale.

2020

Prototype

The Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern Railway (reporting mark MNS) was an 87-mile Class I, standard-gauge, shortline that connected Minneapolis, Minnesota and Northfield, Minnesota. The railroad lasted from 1918 until 1986, when it was merged and integrated into the SOO Line. The railroad's nickname was the "The Dan Patch Line", named after the founder's favorite horse, Dan Patch.

Model

The model is a 50-foot ribbed box car manufactured by American Models. It was available with two correct road numbers, #49415 and #49897. The models arrived in July 2020 and the last one sold in November 2021.

2021

Prototype

For 2021 we have the Pullman Standard 4427cuft, low-side, three-bay, covered hopper. These PS-2-design cars have a 4-3-4 exterior rib profile. The cars were introduced in the early 1960s, carrying dry commodities, including grain, corn, wheat, flour, etc. These were designed by Pullman to replace the box cars equipped with grain doors which were so common for this service prior to these. The "PS-2CD 4427" cars were very successful and were seen all over the United States, and can still be found in active service today. This particular car is labeled for the General Electric Railcar Services Corporation's TLDX (formerly Transport Leasing, a Division of Pullman, Inc.), and decorated with "Gold Kist" "Atlanta, Georgia". Gold Kist was started in 1933 as a cooperative to help farmers in Georgia who raised chickens (e.g. providing them with chicken feed). In 2004 it changed to a for-profit corporation listed on the NASDAQ. In 2006 the company was bought out by Pilgrim's Pride Corp.

Model

The model is a 50-foot, 3-bay, covered hopper manufactured for us by American Models. These have the original gold-colored sides and black ends. The cars were available with either of the correct road numbers, #5619 and #5623. The models arrived in July 2021 and sold out in January 2022.

2022

Prototype

The 2022 car is the 40-foot steel box car for the Canadian National Railway (CN). These cars were the 1980 rebuilds of the original 1955 box cars. They have the green maple leaf logo and a yellow wheat sheath emblem, and come with prototype road numbers.

Model

The models were manufactured for us by American Models. This year we offered a single car, a two-car set, and a four-car set. The cars within a set each have unique road numbers. The models arrived in the first week of November 2022, and due to very strong pre-orders, the last one sold in mid-November 2022.

2023

Prototype

The 2023 car is based on the St. Lawrence Starch Company Limited (SLAX) single-dome tank car. The car was used for transporting the company's "Golden Bee Hive" corn syrup. The company was started in 1889 in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, and was a major Canadian manufacturer of corn based starch, glucose, and feed products. Their large factory required rail service. The company owned ten of these unique tank cars, numbered in the series 5021 - 5024, 26101 - 26103, and 49101 - 49104. The company ceased production in 1990, and shortly after that the factory was demolished.

Model

The models were manufactured for us by American Models. This year we offered two road numbers. The models arrived in mid-October 2023, and the last car was sold in April 2024.

2024

Prototype

This year's car is the Mathieson Dry Ice insulated reefer. It has an aluminum body color, brown ends, and black lettering. The car was owned by National Car Company (NX), which was a subsidiary of the Fruit Growers Express Company (FGE), and leased to Mathieson Chemical Company for use in a dedicated dry-ice hauling service.

Model

The model is based on the 2200-series of insulated reefers that American Models has produced. There was only one railroad number produced, #6855. The cars arrived in November 2024. The "scale" version sold out in March 2025, and the "hi-rail" version sold out in May 2025.

2025

Prototype

The 2025 issue of the NASG's Annual Member Car Program is the 40-foot box car lettered for the Monon Railroad (originally the "Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville Railway", reporting mark CIL). The Monon lasted from 1897 to 1971 when it was merged into the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Today, the former Monon track is owned by CSX. For 2025 we feature the legendary Monon box car #1. John W. Barriger III, when he ran the Monon, remembered from his early years as a yard clerk that it was easy to write down the wrong road number for cars with 6-digit road numbers. So, when the Monon ordered 500 40-foot box cars from Pullman-Standard in 1947, he simply had them start with #1. Box car #1 was built in July of that year and used the C.I.L. reporting mark (reference). Road number 1 had 7-panel Superior doors. The second box car is road number 907, which was produced in the early 1950s and has Commonwealth doors.

Model

The model is based on the 1100-series of 40-foot box cars that American Models has produced. However, American Models had never produced them with Superior doors so that was a new commission. The cars sold out in late September 2025, and they arrived from American Models in late October 2025.

2026

Prototype

This year's model is the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (RF&P) 40-foot PS-1 box car. The RF&P was a 113-mile railroad that connected Richmond, Virginia to Washington, D.C. The railroad lasted from 1836 through 1991. Its slogan was "Linking North & South". The railroad carried both passengers and freight, and served as a bridge or through line. The tracks are still in operation today, but are owned by CSX Transportation.

The box car was built in 1952 and features the paint scheme it had through the early 1970s.

Model

The cars will be produced for us by American Models. There will be two road numbers available. Our models will have blue doors, tall ladders, and a roofwalk, as shown in the prototype photos below. A model with this paint scheme has never been commercially produced in S-scale.

References

• Fallen Flags (many photos)
• Wikipedia (general info)
• American Rails (maps, timetables)
• Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Historical Society