THOMAS & FRIENDS™ - BOX VAN - EXPLOSIVES - HO Scale. Box Vans, commonly referred to as Boxcars in the United States, are used for transporting goods and other merchandise around the Island of Sodor. These vans are also sometimes called covered wagons. Bachmann Thomas and Friends Box Vans come in a variety of colors and paint schemes. Bachmann carefully reproduces your favorite Thomas & Friends™ characters in HO scale. All rolling stock features highly detailed realistic plastic body shells, all-metal wheels, and international-style hook-and-loop couplers.