CNR Manifest #402

The relationship between CNR and the Wabash was clearly one of longstanding cooperation and goodwill. Take the case of CNR manifest freight #402. Scheduled as an eastbound between Windsor and Fort Erie, and returning west as an extra. It's job was to drop and collect cuts of cars in places like Glencoe, St Thomas and the interchanges at Tillsonberg and Canfield.
During WWII, CNR was somewhat overwhelmed by the major increases in traffic created by the war effort. So much so that the CNR asked the Wabash to assume the duties of hauling #402 across the province. Remember that Canada was at war with Nazi Germany for more than 2 years before the US entered the conflict.
This arrangement stayed in place after the war ended and as a result needs to be reflected in my train consists. So I will require 2 trains, one for each direction, that have a preponderance of CNR equipment, unlike the Wabash trains that have crossed the border from the US.
This works for me on many levels. I get to build more of some of my favorite cars. The Speedwitch Media and Westerfield 36' Fowler boxcars, also referred to as the "Dominion" car. Even into 1951, my modeling year, there were large numbers of these cars in service. According to some data I have from well known CNR historian, Ian Wilson, 1/4 to a 1/3rd of the boxcar fleet was the Fowler boxcar.
I just completed 4 of the Speedwitch offering. A kit that I reviewed for RMC when it first came out and remains a standout in my mind.

The other project that I'll have to do more of is the conversion of the '37 AAR boxcar to Canadian standards. 8 rung ladders with integral stirrups, specific ends like the NSC-1 and NSC-2 and a few other details. These were written about many years ago in Railroad Model Craftsman by Stafford Swain and remain some of my favorite modeling projects.
I could use the TrueLine trains cars, but I don't find that they have the level of detail I'm after. Good thing I kept a few Red Caboose kits when I switched prototypes.