Athearn H.O. Coca-Cola

[Salidoor]

Hi to all the the modellers. I wonder if anybody coud give me any information on the Coca-Cola models of Athearn? I would like to know if their are real boxcars in the "Coca-Cola" colors? Iam bussy collecting theses cars from Athearn.

I hope to hear from your people!

Salie Henrico from Pretoria in South-Africa.

[Javern]

I recall seeing a old boxcar onetime , red and was Coca-Cola, very faded. Not sure if they actually hauled cola or not

[leighant]

I don't know for absolute sure. I am going to be very doubtful about the Coca Cola boxcars-- unless some were done full size for a TV commercial. This has to do not only with the boxcars themselves but also with shipping patterns. I know in 1940s through 1960s, there were lot and lots of LOCAL Coca Cola bottlers who bought "secret formula" mix from national company but mixed and bottled for a regional trade area, such as within 100-200 miles. Coke (TM) product probably not shipped long distances by rail, but lots and lots of Coca Cola delivery trucks in regional trade area. In latter part of 20th Century, a lot of larger plants-- one plant specializing in cans, another in plastic bottles, etc. So one local distributors stock might come from several different distant plants.

Just my guesstimate understanding. Now that I have stuck my neck out, that will inspire some modeler who has worked for Coca Cola company for 50 years to set me straight.

Very small near left end of picture, unbranded soft drink truck making delivery to Richardson's Supermarket in Johnston, Texas.

[orsonroy]

I've never run across a single reference to ANY freight cars lettered for Coca Cola. Certain large companies, most noticeably Hershey and Heinz, did have their own fleets of cars. Before the Feds eliminated the use of billboard advertising on freight cars in the 1930s, many bottling companies DID slap advertising onto cars, but the cars rarely carried what was advertised inside (which is why the Feds stepped in; truth in advertising, and all that).

Coke really wasn't a very large company before the won a WWII government contract to supply troops overseas with cola. Once the boys got home and started looking for Coke, it was being transported as syrup in tank cars, shipped to regional bottlers, and delivered to stores in trucks. Coke had no NEED for a fleet of freight cars.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy

But the cars rarely carried what was advertised inside (which is why the Feds stepped in; truth in advertising, and all that).

We would not want to mislead thieves who had ideas of pilfering some beer.