Uncataloged O Scale Premier 50’ Waffle Box Car Announced

March 27, 2026 - M.T.H. Electric Trains has announced an exclusive Premier O Scale 50' Waffle Box Car in unique Evam livery for M.T.H. Authorized Retailer Berkshire Station. The cars will be produced in two car numbers and different door colors in extremely limited quantities. They will be available for delivery beginning in July 2026.

Item No. 20-99497 Evam 50’ Waffle Box Car
Car No. 1080
Early Order Price: $84.95
Click HERE to email Berkshire Station.

Item No. 20-99498 Evam (Black Door) 50’ Waffle Box Car
Car No. 1088
Early Order Price: $84.95
Click HERE to email Berkshire Station.

ABOUT THE PREMIER O SCALE 50' WAFFLE BOX CAR

In designing a boxcar interior, freight car manufacturers must balance two competing desires. The first is for a smooth interior wall, with nothing to snag, puncture or otherwise damage a load. One modern solution to this was the exterior post car, with its vertical support posts on the outside to allow for an unbroken interior surface. The second desire, however, is for wall-mounted tie-downs or other attachment devices to secure the cargo, to prevent shifting and damage en route. The waffle-side boxcar, introduced in the mid-1970s, successfully satisfied both desires.

The waffle-like bumps on the exterior of the car are actually recesses stamped into the inner wall to accommodate load-restraining devices. Thus the car presents a smooth interior wall for load safety, plus the ability to fasten load restraints almost anywhere in the car. This is especially useful for loads that, as truckers would say, "weigh out before they cube out" — i.e., reach the car’s maximum load weight with space remaining in the car, and need to be restrained so they won’t shift into the empty space and get damaged. Loads commonly handled in waffle-side boxcars include furniture, appliances, auto parts, and rolls of paper for the printing industry.

Like other modern boxcar designs, waffle-side cars lack roof walks and, with roof access no longer needed, have end ladders that run only partway up the sides, to allow crew members to ride the cars during switching moves.

The Southern Railway was one of the early adopters of the waffle-side design, taking its first delivery of 70-ton, 50’ cars from Pullman-Standard in 1974. It eventually rostered nearly 5,000 waffle-side cars, boldly emblazoned "Southern Gives a Green Light to Innovations." Many other carriers followed suit, buying boxcars with various waffling patterns from a variety of builders. Once quite common, waffle-side cars still ply the rails today but, like other boxcars, are less often seen because containerization has taken over many of the cargos once carried in boxcars.

Order directly from:

M.T.H. Electric Trains will be releasing the 2026 Premier O Scale Flat Car w/(2) PUP Trailers in SIX different schemes this Fall. Each of these offerings will be produced in two unique car numbers and is expected to begin shipping to M.T.H. Authorized Retailers in December 2026.

Check out each of these offerings HERE.

These items are available to order from your local M.T.H. Authorized Retailer.

M.T.H. Electric Trains will be releasing a slew of limited-edition North Pole releases beginning this Fall including two Diesel locomotives with matching caboose and passenger cars, Bump-n-Go Trolley, several complementing box cars, Gondolas with Lighted Snowmen, and Flat Car with Santa Sleigh. All are a great way to add to your own holiday collection of past North Pole cars and sets. Each of these offerings is expected to begin shipping to M.T.H. Authorized Retailers in October 2026.

Check out each of these offerings HERE.

These items are available to order from your local M.T.H. Authorized Retailer.

M.T.H. Electric Trains will be releasing several Premier Line O Scale limited-edition Christmas releases beginning this Fall. These colorful locomotives and complementing box cars are a great way to add to create a Premier Line Christmas tradition on your model railroad. Each of these offerings is expected to begin shipping to M.T.H. Authorized Retailers in October 2026.

Check out each of these offerings HERE.

These items are available to order from your local M.T.H. Authorized Retailer.