The 2280 series consisted of only three cars, but all of them have two major versions. You'll note that the group doesn't start with "2281" because the series is shared with the A1G Bulkhead Flat Cars.

These cars were made in Austria by Roco. Many years later, Roco would market this same style car in a number of steam era box car red paint schemes including New Haven and Baltimore and Ohio. Still later, Walthers would pick up the body style and market more road names including Burlington and Santa Fe. (See below for these in "Life After A1G.") So far, though, no one else has tried the distinctive Toledo, Peoria and Western paint scheme that is the standout of this short series.

Key spotting features for this car are:
- underframe stamped "Atlas Austria"
- two six foot "narrow rib" doors
- original trucks with wheels pressed on seperate axles and Rapido couplers, attached with "foldover" metal strips

Of the three 2280 catalog numbers, the "brown" 2287a Illinois Central is the most scarce. Like its two "cousins" which carry the same road number, the 2286 Pennsylvania is among the most common A1G cars. Wingard noted in his description of the 2286 PRR in "The Collector's Guide to N Scale" that "small" and "large" lettering versions exist. Courtesy of Don Dautel, we have a comparison shot of the two variations (see below). It turns out that the one originally displayed here is the "Small Lettering" version.

See the "2200 Series" for grading explanations and caveats.

Only the 2287b Illinois Central brown paint version has an approximate value as a "runner," which I would estimate at 10% to 35% of the As Manufactured value based on condition. Other 2280's have no significant value as "runners".

Catalog #	Popup Image	Reporting Marks	Description	AV AM	AV MIB
2286a	Image	PRR 83247	Box Car Red / White, Keystone Herald L, Small Lettering	4-6	5-8
2286b	Image	PRR 83247	Box Car Red / White, Keystone Herald L, Large Lettering	6-9	7-10
2287a	Image	IC 41677	Orange / Black and White, Split Rail Herald R	5-7	5-8
2287b	Image	IC 41677 IC 41877	Brown / Black, White, Split Rail Herald R	10-12	15-25
2288a	Image	TP&W 5032	Green, Yellow / Green, Yellow, Without Roadname Below Rep Mks	7-9	9-12
2288b	Image	TP&W 5032	Green, Yellow / Green, Yellow, With Roadname Below Rep Mks	7-9	9-12

AV = Approximate Value (US$ range)
AM = As Manufactured (see above)
MIB = Mint In Box (see above)
Abbreviations: Hld=Herald, R/N=Roadname, L/R=Left/Right Side of Car

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Here is a comparison shot of the two 2286 Pennsylvania variations (Courtesy Don Dautel). The "large" lettering is also "taller" than the smaller lettering version, which appears to be more "square"; and note the somewhat misshapen keystone herald on the large lettering version. This same keystone also appears on the 2331 Pennsylvania 50 foot double door boxcar, leading to my speculation that the "large lettering" is at least partially a duplicate of what was used there, and could be an example of a mismatch of car with lettering. (However, my copy of the 2331 also has fairly clear lettering otherwise.)