New Athearn Airslides in Stores (?)

[Mark5]

These are popping up in places (like Chuck's joint) - anybody have one yet?



IIRC, Body mount couplers?

Mark

[ljudice]

I looked at them on Saturday - very, very nicely done, but I didn't need any...

[asarge]

VERY NICE Cars!!! I see a PC or two in my future. WEll weightewd and nice detail. The Bay Windows are sharp.

Next monthly announcements should be next week.

[Dave Schneider]

I am pretty sure that these cars do not have body mounted couplers. It just looks that way in the picture due to the color of the coupler pocket. Can anyone say for sure?

Best wishes, Dave

[wcfn100]

I am pretty sure that these cars do not have body mounted couplers. It just looks that way in the picture due to the color of the coupler pocket. Can anyone say for sure?

Best wishes, Dave

I don't know for sure, but two things...

There is a little hanger that comes down from the car that would interfer if the coupler were to swing.  Also, the coupler box is a different color (ATSF) than the truck.


Not definitive but could be.


Jason

[bbussey]

The samples I saw at the Springfield show in January and the Portland N scale convention in June had body mounts.

[Dave Schneider]

Thanks guys for the info. I am surprised that they don't mention body mounted couplers in any of their list of features, but the evidence seems pretty overwhelming that this is the case. What a nice looking car.

Best wishes, Dave

[bbussey]

Here are links to the pics of the airslides from my Google album of the Portland Convention.  Click on the magnifying glass icon to get a close-up, and you will see the couplers are body-mounted.

ATSF
GATX
PC
RI
SSW
WP

[Dave Schneider]

Thanks Brian. I had already done that on the Athearn site, and of course I believed you when you said that you had seen the preproduction models.  A shift to body mounts is great news (in my opinion), and I suspect you would agree!

Thanks again for the info.
Best wishes, Dave