To obtain and build one of these unique HO kits, contact Pat Durand at:

17817 Malaspina

Eagle River, Alaska  99577

e-mail   sewtrain@att.net

Alaska Railroad Troop Sleeper Convertions in HO from Cannonball Car Shop and Modifications by Pat Durand

You can build these HO car kits for your Railroad.

Return to Model Railroading In Alaska.

Pictured on the left and below are pictures of some of the Alaska Railroads rebuilt Box Cars which were made from WWII Troop Sleeper Cars.  Watch for more information to be released on this web-page in March on the entire fleet of these unique Alaska Railroad cars.

In 1948 The Alaska Railroad directed over 800 war surplus Troop Sleepers and Troop Kitchen cars to Chicago Car and Foundry with instruction to send half back to Alaska as Box Cars and Refrigerator/heater cars. The railroad rostered a large inventory of these cars in MW and Engineering service where some still serve. Until introduction of rail barge service these cars were used just in Alaska. Once interchange was possible, changes were required. The Allied Full Cushion Trucks could not be used in interchange, so brakes and trucks were changes out. Special uses also resulted in modifications which were done in the Anchorage Shops. Modified into Double Door Box Cars, HyCube Cars, Stock Cars and Ventilated Produce Cars as examples. The Refrigerator / Heater cars were unique in that many had an 8ft plug door on one side and a double door 4Ft reefer door on the opposite side. Some Express Cars were heated in one end and iced in the other. Here are some example of these cars as used on the Alaska Railroad. Special instructions and parts lists for making these cars are available on request with a large self addressed stamped envelope.

Shown below are some of Pat's HO Scale Troop Sleeper conversion, Alaska Railroad  Models.  Please watch for more information on how you can model these cars in HO Scale.