Athearn 40 foot Milwaukee Road rib side box car.

Athearn 40 foot Milwaukee Road rib side box car., a photo by Eddie from Chicago on Flickr.

I took this photograph recently, at the Oak Park Society of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club.

Seen here is My Athearn model of a Milwaukee Road 40 foot Rib Side box car.

The former Milwaukee Road, began experimenting with 40 foot horizontal Rib Side box cars during the steam era in the 1940's, and became known for having them. This unique 40 foot box car design had served the cash strapped Milwaukee Road for many years, and many were rebuilt serving to the end of the Milwaukee Road after the merger and acquisition by the Soo Line Railroad in 1985.

Some of these have made it to eventual museum preservation as well across America.