Athearn HO 50' Youngstown Plug Door Box Car, BN #747872 Overview
Insulated box cars were first used in the early 1950's. Many of these were 50 feet long with plug doors that opened on tracks. These doors formed a tight seal when slid back into place. These box cars kept cargo within a few degrees of the original temperature over several days. The insulated cars were popular with shippers with cargo that needed protection from extreme cold or heat, such as canned foods and other perishables.