Operating Era: 1909-1975. THIS SERIES NOW COMES WITH OUR NEW ONE-PIECE ROOF FRAME. Canadian Pacific Rwy, Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo. The Fowler car design was actually prepared by CPR and Dominion Car & Foundry (later Canadian Car & Foundry) in 1909 and represented the first true single sheathed design. The name Fowler came from the man who patented the method used to prevent grain leakage at the floor/side seam and advertised the cars under his name in the railroad press. Between 1910-15 CPR installed over 33,000 cars of the basic design. For our purposes the box cars may be divided into the following groups: Phase 1, 1910 - 4-brace ends and outside gussets on the sides; Phase 2, 1911 - side gussets recessed; Phase 3A, 1912 - end braces reduced to 2; Phase 3B, 1912-13 - top corner braces eliminated; Phase 3C, 1914 - poling flanges replace poling pockets; Phase 3D, 1914-15 - ladders replace grab irons. Other differences occurred withing these phases, such as radial roofs and hopper-bottoms, plus double door machinery cars. Our original kits cover the general phases. Kit 1501 covers both Phase 3A and 3B by using separate castings for the top corner braces. In the 1920's common upgrades included the addition of bulge plates to the side/floor seam and the used of heavier Camel door rollers. Many cars survived into the 1960's in this configuration. In 1928 CPR began a program to modernize the cars with the addition of Youngstown doors, plain mullion roof and power handbrake. Most cars surviving into the 1980's were of this form. Some cars received AB brakes in the 1940's and '50's. Our 1550 series covers the modernizations.