Posted by admin | Posted in Model Railway | Posted on 08-02-2008
Tags: children, gertrude, island, readtokids, surprise island boxcar children, warner
Looking For Island Boxcar ? Then This is Where You Want to Be
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 HO Bev Bel 40 Boxcar Assembled Rock Island Damage Free RN5984 WEATHERED $12.50 Time Remaining: 9h 31m |
 Rock Island n scale 40 boxcar MTL $12.00 Time Remaining: 11h 42m |
 Group 5 boxcar seals Chicago Rock Island and Pacific $8.50 Time Remaining: 13h 28m Buy It Now for only: $8.50 |
 N scale MICRO TRAINS 50 opening door boxcar ROCK ISLAND road 30156 New $18.99 Time Remaining: 15h 38m |
 N scale MICROTRAIN 40 open door boxcar ROCK ISLAND New $18.99 Time Remaining: 15h 38m |
 N scale MICROTRAINS 40 opening door boxcar ROCK ISLAND New $15.99 Time Remaining: 15h 38m |
 38030 N Kadee MTL Micro Trains RHODE ISLAND Boxcar NGP 1776 NIB Insert End Price $23.95 Time Remaining: 18h 27m Buy It Now for only: $23.95 |
 Rock Island 33805 ACF 60 Auto Parts Boxcar Atlas 1656 1 HO Scale MY18T41 $7.95 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 22h 35m |
 Custom Weathered HO Scale Athearn 40 Boxcar Rock Island $45.00 Time Remaining: 23h 30m |
 Lionel 6 27286 MSTl and Rock Island 2 car set Box Car $132.99 Time Remaining: 1d 1h 24m Buy It Now for only: $132.99 |
 Micro Trains Rock Island Pacific Boxcar $0.99 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 15m |
 N SCALE ATLAS 45252 50 PRECISION DESIGN BOXCAR ROCK ISLAND 36116 $9.55 Time Remaining: 1d 11h 49m |
 ATLAS HO ACF 60 AUTO BOXCAR ROCK ISLAND 33826 $15.99 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 41m Buy It Now for only: $17.99 |
 NIB Premier MTH Toy Train The ROCK ISLAND HOPPER Advertising Box Car New $34.95 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 54m |
 ROCK ISLAND RI 50 DF CUSHION BOX CAR HO SCALE DECALS HB 411 $5.50 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 49m |
 Herald King Decal B 544 Rock Island 50 Boxcar 8 79 $4.35 Time Remaining: 1d 15h 15m Buy It Now for only: $4.35 |
 Athearn Rock Island 50 Plug Door Box Car HO Scale Model Train Car 1 Coupler $16.99 Time Remaining: 1d 16h 18m Buy It Now for only: $16.99 |
 TYCO HO SCALE 363A STATE OF THE UNION COMMEMORATIVE BOX CAR RHODE ISLAND $7.99 Time Remaining: 1d 17h 24m |
 HO Athearn RI Rock Island 40 Express Box car 20061 $24.95 Time Remaining: 1d 18h 32m Buy It Now for only: $24.95 |
 Athearn Special Edition Rock Island RI 40 Express Box Car Set $24.99 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 4m |
 Accurail 40 Steel and Wood Box Car Lot Rock Island RI TAG and FtDDMS $15.00 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 8m |
 Six piece N Scale lot of Rock Island GP 40 Cabooses Box Car and Engine House $49.99 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 1d 20h 10m |
 MODEL POWER ROCK ISLAND BOX CAR N SCALE $7.49 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 33m Buy It Now for only: $7.49 |
 ROCK ISLAND RAILROAD P S 5344 BOX CAR BY EXACTRAIL PLATINUM SERIES V DETAILED $32.49 Time Remaining: 1d 21h Buy It Now for only: $32.49 |
 Walthers Gold Line Rock Island Express Boxcar Product 932 4164 HO Scale $9.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 1d 21h 1m |
 HO Weathered ROUTE ROCK ISLAND 50 Boxcar WARREN and OUACHITA VALLEY 5 MWKC $24.99 Time Remaining: 1d 21h 6m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 Surprise Island The Boxcar Children Mysteries 2 Gertrude Chandler Warner Go $4.99 Time Remaining: 1d 21h 18m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 |
 HO Weathered ROCK ISLAND ROUTE OF THE ROCKETS 40 Boxcar RI 148393 MWKD5 $19.99 Time Remaining: 1d 21h 20m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
 HO Rock Island 50 External Post Box Car Kit 717213 By Accurail NOS $7.95 Time Remaining: 1d 21h 26m |
 WEAVER O 20084 ROCK ISLAND PS 1 3 RAIL 40 BOX CAR 430095 $19.99 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 4m |
 Custom Weathered Ho Scale Exactrail PS 5344 Boxcar Rock Island $55.00 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 4m |
 Rock Island 40 box car light blue ROUNDHOUSE $15.00 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 23m Buy It Now for only: $22.00 |
 LIONEL ROCK ISLAND BOXCAR STDO LNIB $17.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 51m |
 Surprise Island Boxcar Children 2 Gertrude Chandler Warner Paperback $4.20 Time Remaining: 2d 1h 12m Buy It Now for only: $4.20 |
 N scale MICROTRAIN 50 open door boxcar ROCK ISLAND New $17.99 Time Remaining: 2d 5h 53m |
 ROUTE ROCK 50 PLUGDOOR BOXCAR RailRunner kit New In Box ROCK ISLAND $8.00 Time Remaining: 2d 10h 34m |
 TYCO HO STATEHOOD COMMEMORATIVE BOXCAR RHODE ISLAND $14.50 Time Remaining: 2d 11h 32m Buy It Now for only: $14.50 |
 Bachmann N 5079 41 Steel Box Car RI 20065 Rock Island Route of the Rockets Nice $12.16 Time Remaining: 2d 16h 4m Buy It Now for only: $12.16 |
 Bachmann N 5079 41 Steel Box Car RI 20065 Rock Island Route of the Rockets Nice $13.41 Time Remaining: 2d 16h 4m Buy It Now for only: $13.41 |
 HO Bachmann RI Rock Island The Rock Plug Door Box Car $1.99 Time Remaining: 2d 17h |
 Roundhouse Unknown Box Car Rock Island 67789 $4.49 Time Remaining: 2d 18h 41m |
 N Scale 50 AAR Double Door Box Car Rock Island 262852 IMRC 65606 04 $16.95 Time Remaining: 2d 19h 15m Buy It Now for only: $16.95 |
 Sunshine Models Rock Island Head End Box Car $14.50 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 19h 59m |
 LIONEL ROCK ISLAND 3 S SCALE BOX CAR WITH HORN REVERSING E UNIT NICE $30.00 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 21h 2m |
 27293 ROCK ISLAND 6464 PS 1 BOXCAR SPLIT SET $66.95 Time Remaining: 2d 21h 8m Buy It Now for only: $66.95 |
 HO scale Athearn RTR RI Rock Island 40 Single Door Box Car $6.95 Time Remaining: 2d 21h 20m |
 HO scale Athearn Chicago Rock Island Pacific 40 sliding door box car train $3.75 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 21h 40m |
 HO scale Athearn Chicago Rock Island Pacific Route 40 modernized box car train $1.29 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 21h 41m |
 Athearn Rock Island 50 Plug Door Box Car + Wgt 35062 $6.99 Time Remaining: 2d 22h 2m |
 LIONEL 0 GAUGE BOX CAR 6 7613 RHODE ISLAND SPIRIT OF 76 $9.99 (2 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 22h 6m |
 SAGA OF THE 12TH SPECIAL BOXCAR BATTALION SEABEES WWII 1945 SOLOMON ISLANDS $24.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 22h 22m |
 Walthers Silver Streak Rock Island Box Car 2 $19.95 Time Remaining: 2d 22h 36m Buy It Now for only: $19.95 |
 TYCO HO Rolling Stock 50 Boxcar Billboard Rhode Island State Car $3.99 Time Remaining: 2d 22h 46m |
 Lionel Rock Island Box Car No 6464 75 in original box $16.49 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 2d 22h 50m |
 ROCK ISLAND RR STEEL REBUILT BOX CAR BY ATLAS DETAILED $26.89 Time Remaining: 2d 22h 52m Buy It Now for only: $26.89 |
 Herald King Decal B 546 Rock Island 50 Boxcar 1972 $4.35 Time Remaining: 2d 23h 24m Buy It Now for only: $4.35 |
 Herald King Decal B 547 Rock Island 50 Boxcar 1966 $4.35 Time Remaining: 2d 23h 24m Buy It Now for only: $4.35 |
 The Boxcar Children Mysteries The Boxcar Children Surprise Island the $14.96 Time Remaining: 3d 3h 42m Buy It Now for only: $14.96 |
 Lionel 19258 ROCK ISLAND 6464 SERIES BOXCAR NEW in O B 1994 Production $31.95 Time Remaining: 3d 4h 52m Buy It Now for only: $31.95 |
 TRAIN MINIATURE 40 WOOD BOXCAR RHODE ISLAND 10113 LITTLE RHODY $11.99 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 40m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 |
 Miller Herald King Decals HO B 545 Rock Island Boxcar red 50 1969 HH $6.00 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 52m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 Miller Herald King Decals HO B 546 Rock Island Red Boxcar 50 1972 HH $6.00 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 52m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 Miller Herald King Decals HO B 547 Rock Island Red Boxcar 50 1966 HH $6.00 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 52m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 VINTAGE WOOD TRAIN ROCK ISLAND BOX CAR COAL CAR TANKER ENGINE CO NW CBQ $39.99 Time Remaining: 3d 10h 31m Buy It Now for only: $39.99 |
 N scale ATHEARN 50 foot boxcar ROUTE ROCK ROCK ISLAND New $19.99 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 6m |
 Athearn Rock Island 50 D D Box Car + Wgt 262953 $8.24 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 49m Buy It Now for only: $8.24 |
 6 27293 6464 175 Rock Island Scale 0 size Boxcar $74.99 Time Remaining: 3d 14h 11m Buy It Now for only: $74.99 |
 HO Scale 50 PS1 Boxcar Kit Rock Island 33217 Branchline 12603 $13.50 Time Remaining: 3d 16h 2m Buy It Now for only: $13.50 |
 Marx Trains Rock Island Lines Red Box Car RI147815 Working Doors Not Common $30.59 Time Remaining: 3d 17h 44m Buy It Now for only: $30.59 |
 Two Tyco statehood boxcars North carolina and Rhode Island $7.99 Time Remaining: 3d 18h 18m |
 Exact Rail Rock Island Berwick 7327 Box Car New no 532566 $18.50 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 3d 18h 36m |
 Exact Rail Rock Island Berwick 7327 Box Car New no 532570 $18.50 Time Remaining: 3d 18h 37m |
Christmas in a Box Car
The year was 1960. I’d just moved to Chicago and I would have to spend Christmas alone, the first one ever away from my family. I’d bought gifts for everyone and packed them carefully into two big cartons and then dropped them off at the Railway Express office. I knew shipping by rail was slow, but since I was sending everything early, I knew it would all get there before Christmas.
I don’t remember now what the gifts were, but I do recall that each one was extra special that year. As it turned out, I was able to get away after all, so I decided to drive home to Peoria and just show up at my parent’s front door and surprise everyone on Christmas Eve.
And they were surprised, but not as surprised as I was, or should I say, as stunned as I was to discover that the gifts had never arrived. My reactions kept ricocheting between disbelief and disappointment, and then . . I got mad, and the more I thought about it, the more unhinged I became until I was on the verge of a wild-eyed fit. My mother tried to calm me down. She didn’t care that the packages hadn’t arrived; she was just happy that I was home. That was more than enough for her. She kept saying, “Aw, don’t worry about it. They’ll probably deliver them in a couple days. Come on, let’s have some hot eggnog.” My dad agreed.
Well, that wasn’t good enough for me. I said, “Get your coats, we’re going to the train station!” My dad said, “What? Why? There won’t be anybody down there on Christmas Eve.” My mother said, “Oh, Sharon, you just got here. Let’s not worry about that now.”
But they both knew what sign I’d been born under and when the bullhead kicks in, there’s no stopping a Taurus. Besides, I could always smell an adventure in the making.
So, everybody bundled up and we headed for the far edge of town. Looking back now, I realize what good sports they’d always been . . especially that night, letting me drag them out of the house on what must have seemed like a crazy wild goose chase.
My dad got into the swing of things right away. While we were driving he started reminiscing about the old same train station story he’d told us so many times—how once, years ago, he’d seen Nat King Cole. It was late at night and Cole and his musicians had just finished playing a gig in town and there they were, about to board the Rock Island Line and ride the rails back to Chicago. He said he remembered how tired they all looked . . . and kinda seedy and . . . smokey, but that Cole had a big smile.
Yeah, they were probably higher than a kite, but I thought it best not to mention that. Why clutter his nice memories with details? Besides, he said that every time he drove by the station after that, which wasn’t very often, he always thought about his one and only celebrity sighting.
I thought about my own memories of the Rock Island Line. They were the classic memories, the faint sound of a train whistle just as I was drifting off to sleep. . . it was a distant sound that seemed to be coming from somewhere way down the dark cinder alley behind our house. On the flat prairie lands of Illinois, you could hear the sound for miles before it finally trailed off. It was the same comforting, but kind of lonely sound that poets and songwriters often write about.
We turned the corner and pulled into the train yard, and in the dim light of the street lamps we could see about a dozen or so freight cars lined up on the tracks…boxcars, they were called back in those days. The place looked pretty dark and deserted, until I noticed a little watchman’s hut on the far corner of the yard. And there was a light on.
Now my dad was really enjoying himself. Any old reason to be around trains. My mother had just come along for the ride and to make me happy, but she certainly didn’t have the slightest thoughts of actually finding the gifts I’d sent.
Somebody poked their head out of the hut. I said, “Hey Look! Let’s go.” We walked toward the hut and the skinny guy with a crewcut turned out to be somebody from my old high school. I didn’t remember his name, but we vaguely recognized each other.
I explained my story, how I’d shipped two cartons from Chicago 10 days ago, and how they had never arrived, and how I’d come all the way down to spend Christmas with my family, and now the presents were missing—and that surely they must be here some place, probably in one of these box cars, so could I please, oh, please look through the cars and see if I could find them?
My mother gasped and looked at me with her mouth open as if it had just dawned on her why we were actually there. Yes, I was asking him to unlock each and every boxcar so I could climb in and dig around in the dark. But it seemed like a perfectly reasonable request to me. My dad just shook his head in disbelief, but he couldn’t stop grinning. And the young man seemed to be excited about the idea!
He got a flashlight and the two of us started going through the first car, stumbling over piles of cartons—cartons that probably contained Christmas presents that also hadn’t gotten delivered on time.
My mother and dad stood outside peering through the sliding doors, breathing vapor into the cold night air. I’m sure she was also sucking air through her teeth at the thought of us inconveniencing this poor young man, the lone night watchman who had to work on Christmas Eve; the one who I could tell was having fun.
We had just started digging through the second car when I spotted our address on one of the cartons, and then on the other. I let out a squeal! It was Christmas miracle. It seemed almost surreal, and yet, something about it seemed like the most natural thing to be happening.
I was so thrilled and so grateful. He helped us put the cartons into the back seat and I handed him a big fat tip and as we pulled away, we were all wearing warm fuzzy smiles. We got home, opened our gifts, laughed our heads off, and finally had that cup of hot eggnog.
My parents are part of my memories now, but if the guy from the boxcar is still around, I hope he can remember the night he became my Christmas hero.
About the Author
Sharon Rockey is a freelance ghostwriter who focuses on numerous subjects including business, finance, culture and personal memoirs. Her online portfolio can be found at www.webspinstudios.com.