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The Arkansas Louisiana & Mississippi was one of those short-distance railroads from the American South whose freight cars ended up rolling across the entire country during the seventies and eighties. Athearn captures that slice of North American railroad history in this PS-5344 Box Car numbered 1527, a Ready-To-Run model that is ready to hit the track from the moment you open the box.
A shortline car at the heart of a freight consist
Cars from short lines like the ALM were a common sight in the long freight trains of the era, mixed in with equipment from the major national railroads. On a layout, that detail carries real weight: slipping this Box Car between wagons from larger operators gives the consist a more authentic, less uniform look exactly as it happened on the real railroads of those years.
Applied detail, not mass-moulded
What sets this model apart within Athearn's Ready-To-Run range is the way the details are handled. The metal wire grab irons are installed separately, giving them genuine relief rather than the flat appearance typical of entry-level models. The end platforms are photo-etched, with the open pattern of prototype steel grating. The brake gear, hand wheel and rear ladder are also presented as separate components. Machined metal wheels reduce rolling resistance and improve the car's performance on longer layouts.
Ready to join any North American HO layout
The factory-fitted McHenry magnetic couplers are compatible with the Kadee system, making it straightforward to add this car to an existing consist without any modifications. Whether used in active service or set aside to complete a freight yard scene or a siding, the ALM #1527 fits effortlessly into any North American-themed model railway layout covering the seventies and eighties.