The second generation Mantua (1978-2001) began with mostly steam locomotives, a few diesels, some passenger cars, and only a few freight cars. In the early 1980s, Mantua brought to market a number of HO-scale rolling stock selections to expand its line. These freight cars came from Lindberg’s train line and date to the early 1960s originally. By the time of their early 1980s return as Mantua offerings, these freight cars had been gone from Lindberg’s catalog for a decade.
Among the former Lindberg toolings was a 41-foot steel boxcar model. This car debuted with Mantua in kit form and carried 734-series numbering. The original Mantua 1980s collection of these boxcar models included 10 road names, as well as an undecorated release. This group appears to remain constant during the early-to-mid 1980s and the models sold under the “Mantua Heavies” series. The original kit release carried a $5.50 suggested retail price and Mantua listed it came with a body-mounted “standard NMRA coupler” meaning X2f or “horn hook” coupler, as well as the manufacturer’s then-new plastic “Easy-Op” knuckle coupler. The kit was also listed as coming with two railroad crew figures. These figures were part of Lindberg’s line in the early 1960s. This boxcar model first shows in Mantua’s 1987 catalog as being offered fully assembled. The ready-to-run versions carried 834-series numbers in the 1987 catalog. According the 1987 catalog the original collection of road names, except for Military, makes the jump to ready-to-run release.
By 1989, the kit version of Mantua’s steel boxcar is gone and only ready-to-run 834-series examples appear in catalogs and carried an $8.00 suggested retail price. Though it was a ready-to-run release, the 1992 Frisco boxcar release included 734-series numbers in Mantua’s catalogs. The Frisco release brings in the 1990s 734-series stock numbers for Mantua’s 41-foot steel boxcar models (other than the NYC and Railbox value packs).
Baltimore & Ohio (“Sentinel” scheme blue-and-silver)
No. 734-184 (RTR) -1993 release
No. 734-585 new road number/revised paint -2001 release
Baltimore & Ohio (“Timesaver” scheme blue-and-orange)
No. 734-250 (RTR) -1995 release
No. 734-251 new road number (RTR) -2000 release
Boston & Maine
No. 734-530 (RTR) -1997 release
Canadian National
No. 734-083 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-083 (RTR) -1987 release
Chicago & North Western
No. 734-064 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-064 (RTR) -1987 release
Conrail
No. 734-031 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-031 (RTR) -1987 release
Erie
No. 734-030 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-030 (RTR) -1987 release
Florida East Coast
No. 734-051 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-051 (RTR) -1987 release
Frisco
No. 734-012 (RTR) -1989 release
Great Northern
No. 734-061 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-061 (RTR) -1987 release
Lehigh Valley
No. 734-027 (RTR) -2000 release
No. 734-527 with black ladder (RTR) -2000 release
Linde
No. 734-601 (RTR) -1998 release
Mantua 75th Anniversary Commemorative Car
No. 734-775 (RTR) -2001 release
Military
No. 734-127 (kit) -1983 release
New York Central (“Early Bird Service” scheme)
No. 734-175 (RTR) -1993 release
New York Central (“Oval Herald” Jade Green with black roof and ends 1959 scheme)
No. 734-176 (RTR) -1993 release
New York Central (“Pacemaker” scheme)
No. 834-022 (RTR) -1989 release
No. 734-177 (RTR) -1993 release
New York Central (Pittsburgh & Lake Erie)
No. 734-178 (RTR) -1993 release
New York Central System Boxcars Value Pack
(Boxcar Red Pittsburgh & Lake Erie, red-and-gray NYC “Pacemaker,” Boxcar Red NYC “Early Bird Service” herald, and Jade Green NYC)
No. 632-022 (RTR) -1993 release
Pennsylvania Railroad
No. 734-020 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-020 (RTR) -1987 release
No. 734-020 (RTR) -1993 release
Pennsylvania Railroad (“Merchandise Service” scheme)
No. 734-249 (RTR) -1995 release
No. 734-549 new road number (RTR) -1998 release
Pennsylvania Railroad (“Railway Express Agency”)
No. 734-520 (RTR) -2000 release
Railbox
No. 734-230 (RTR) -1993 release
Railbox Value Pack (four boxcars with different road numbers)
No. 625-056 (RTR) -1992 release
Reading
No. 734-186 (RTR) -1993 release
Rio Grande (silver “Cookie Box”)
No. 734-008 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-008 (RTR) -1987 release
No. 734-008 (RTR) -1998 release
Rutland
No. 834-140 (RTR) -1989 release
Santa Fe
No. 734-001 (kit) -1983 release
No. 834-001 (RTR) -1987 release
Seaboard Air Line (“Silver Meteor”)
No. 734-302 (RTR) -2000 release
Soo Line
No. 734-590 (RTR) -2000 release
Susquehanna
No. 734-305 (RTR) -2001 release
Union Pacific
No. 834-003 (RTR) -1989 release
No. 734-003 (RTR) -1995 release
Western Pacific
No. 734-248 (RTR) -1995 release
No. 734-548 new road number -2001 release
Mantua included a few examples of its 41-foot steel boxcar in train sets. These boxcar offerings are not known to have been sold outside of the train set release. There is a “Santa’s on his way” red-and-green boxcar in the 1996 “Toy Express” Mantua Collectibles set. At least two Matchbox Railroad boxcars are known to exist, one is black with silver bands and there is a holiday Matchbox train set with a red-and-green boxcar offering.
