| We are proud
to announce the Bx-166 boxcar, a 62’ double-door insulated
boxcar that has been a hallmark in the logistics of beer distribution
all throughout North America, and particularly in its service to
breweries in the western United States. The Bx-166 is unique for
its double- door configuration, distinguishing it from its fellow
beer-hauling cousins. The defining characteristic on these cars,
instantly separating them from the pack, are the diagonal braces
on either side of the doors. No matter where you live or have railfanned
in North America, chances are you’ve seen this car mixed into
general merchandise freights - both individually or in cuts of several
beer cars.
Custom-built
by the ATSF in 1974, a total of 300 Bx-166 boxcars were built
at the Santa Fe’s car shops in Topeka, KS. Measuring 61’
6” in length (66’ ½” over strikers), this
icon of beer transportation has proven invaluable to the Santa
Fe and, later, BNSF. Boasting two 8’ insulated doors on each
side, the Bx-166 provides a total of 16’ door opening width
for crews to load and unload pallets and kegs of beer – one
of the most delicious beverages known to man. Originally built
with interior load dividers, the boxcars prominently feature a
“Holland Load Snugger” sticker above the Plate C stencil.
With a much
storied history, the Bx-166 was first unveiled in the Santa Fe’s
famous “Indian Red” paint scheme, bearing a large white
cross herald and “Shock Control” lettering. Later, the
cars were repainted into a more minimalist scheme: plain mineral
brown paint with a small Santa Fe herald affixed to the upper
left corner of the car. Many cars in the fleet never received
the small herald, and feature only the reporting marks and necessary
dimensional data. These two schemes alone account for much of
what the Bx-166 fleet looks like today. Given ongoing re-shopping,
paint schemes became many and varied over the years. To date,
the Bx-166 has been identified in 13 different paint schemes,
ranging from the original “Shock Control” cars all the
way to BNSF’s modern “Powerbar” logo.
Roughly 40
years in service and still going strong, many Bx-166 boxcars have
now been relegated to non-beer service, such as the hauling of
bundled corrugated and paper recyclables. Some cars have also
been retired altogether, but a large number of these boxcars are
still living up to their original mission: serving major breweries
with pride. The Bx-166 remains a major beer hauler to date, and
can be found at western breweries and beer distribution centers
all across North America. All you have to do is keep an eye out
for that double-door boxcar with its distinctive diagonal ribs
on either side of the doors, and you’ve found yourself a
Bx-166.
|
