Athearn N Scale Announcements - June 2020

[Mark5]

N F89F Long Runner Flat Car:

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/062620/10-N_F89_Long%20_Runners_062620.pdf

N 40’ Woodchip Hopper

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/062620/12-N_40_Wood%20Chip%20Hopper_062620.pdf

N 50’ Ice Bunker Reefer (ATSF & foobs)

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/062620/11-N_50_Ice_Bunker_Reefer_062620.pdf

[MetroRedLine]

N F89F Long Runner Flat Car:

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/062620/10-N_F89_Long%20_Runners_062620.pdf

Wow, interesting. Even though I model modern era and these cars are generally obsolete now, I've always wanted these and will get a pair.
Does anyone know the minimum radius?

[Ike the BN Freak]

Anyone know if the Long Runners will be the bulge decks or standard flats drawbarred?  The pdf states they have the ability to do different styles, but hard to tell with what they show.  Looking at their HO runs, looks like they did the bulge decks then.

[tehachapifan]

I've always been fascinated by these cars, with the trailer spanning both decks, and I've built a few from kits or from other 89' flats. I'll definitely be getting a few of these as well!

Wow, interesting. Even though I model modern era and these cars are generally obsolete now, I've always wanted these and will get a pair.
Does anyone know the minimum radius?

Difficult to say without seeing or running them, but my guess is that curves will need to be fairly wide. On the ones I've built, the issue is the spanning trailer and how freely it articulates, especially if there are inboard rub-rails in addition to the raised car sides. If the curve is too tight, the spanning trailer's bogies can end up climbing the rub-rails or, worst case, bind against the rub-rails. That said, IIRC, some prototype 161XXX series Long Runner flats had inboard rub-rails and some did not. Don't know what Athearn's will be like.

Anyone know if the Long Runners will be the bulge decks or standard flats drawbarred?  The pdf states they have the ability to do different styles, but hard to tell with what they show.  Looking at their HO runs, looks like they did the bulge decks then.

It appears they're going to be in the 161XXX number series, which is the number series that has the bulge deck on the prototype.

[thomasjmdavis]

On the reefers, I am grumpy on 2 counts.  1) Unless someone has photos that demonstrate otherwise, or there is updated info on the RR30 cars in a more recent edition than mine (I have 2, the more recent being the 1998 "with all updates" according to the cover) , the Santa Fe Painting and Lettering Guide lists (p56, table 5.4.3) the RR30s as all carrying the "Super Chief" lettering- no "Scout" or "Grand Canyon". I already have a "Chief" from the first run that I was hoping to replace.  I sympathize with the desire to get as many sales as possible, and understand that folks will buy any car with a Santa Fe map on it, but would be nice to have the option to get one that is accurate, in addition to the foobies.

2) They skipped the 1947 version of the "Ship and Travel" lettering - although I don't have any photos of those, it seems unlikely that the cars went from 1940 until 1963 (per the reporting marks on the "big circle" version) without a repaint.

 A review of the original release of the HO version is online: https://sfrhms.org/Reviews/HO/Freight/AthReef/Index.htm

The Athearn flyer says the new release ATSF cars will have "special designed trucks"- which is clear as mud, if what they actually mean is "National B1".  In the early release that I have, the trucks are the usual N scale 50 ton "Bettendorf".  The HO versions had B1.  The graphic shows the map side of  one car with B1s, and the other 3 with their standard Bettendorf truck.  But given the habit manufacturers have of using their HO graphics on N scale literature, I am always a little leery of buying based on the artwork. 

[Englewood]

I've been wanting Long Runners for a long time! I'm in for at least four sets.
Which means I'll need 12 more trailers.....

[tehachapifan]

I'm starting to wonder if the Long Runners are really an N scale release or if that was an error. The reason being are some of the features listed in the announcement, including....

* 70-Ton roller bearing trucks with animated rotating bearing caps installed (jeez, do they have animated rotating caps in HO scale now?)
* Wheels with RP25 contours operate on Code 55, 70, 75, 80, 83, and 100 rail
* Body mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers (McHenry's are HO, right?) (nevermind, brain f*** on my part)
* Minimum radius: 22”—Recommended radius: 24”+ (this is what I have for radii but that's probably uncommon for N)

Either that or they accidentally kept the features from an HO announcement in this announcement. Also, these features were from a different announcement cited on another forum that I don't see on the announcement above, so maybe they are indeed N.

[C855B]

I'm starting to wonder if the Long Runners are really an N scale release or if that was an error. The reason being are some of the features listed in the announcement, including...

Cut-and-paste from HO, probably. It's happened before with Athearn, and others.

Yes, rotating RB caps exist in HO. Considering the longstanding runability problems with the through-axle trucks on the Athearn Bombardier cars, I surmise that this won't be a feature in N. I guess that'll be verified when we see them in the flesh.

[sundowner]

The PDF says first time in N-scale. They are kind out of my era but I will get two because they are cool

[nkalanaga]

Rotating end caps have been available, although not common, in HO for many years, possibly as far back as the late 70s.

[Cajonpassfan]

On the reefers, I am grumpy on 2 counts.  1) Unless someone has photos that demonstrate otherwise, or there is updated info on the RR30 cars in a more recent edition than mine (I have 2, the more recent being the 1998 "with all updates" according to the cover) , the Santa Fe Painting and Lettering Guide lists (p56, table 5.4.3) the RR30s as all carrying the "Super Chief" lettering- no "Scout" or "Grand Canyon". I already have a "Chief" from the first run that I was hoping to replace.  I sympathize with the desire to get as many sales as possible, and understand that folks will buy any car with a Santa Fe map on it, but would be nice to have the option to get one that is accurate, in addition to the foobies.

2) They skipped the 1947 version of the "Ship and Travel" lettering - although I don't have any photos of those, it seems unlikely that the cars went from 1940 until 1963 (per the reporting marks on the "big circle" version) without a repaint.

 A review of the original release of the HO version is online: https://sfrhms.org/Reviews/HO/Freight/AthReef/Index.htm

The Athearn flyer says the new release ATSF cars will have "special designed trucks"- which is clear as mud, if what they actually mean is "National B1".  In the early release that I have, the trucks are the usual N scale 50 ton "Bettendorf".  The HO versions had B1.  The graphic shows the map side of  one car with B1s, and the other 3 with their standard Bettendorf truck.  But given the habit manufacturers have of using their HO graphics on N scale literature, I am always a little leery of buying based on the artwork.

My sentiments exactly. I already have the Super/map version from the previous release (and suspect other transition era modelers do too) ; a Ship and Travel scheme featuring multiple train names would have been a better and more accurate choice. Still, I applaud Athearn for bringing out transition era equipment and the B1 trucks would be great to have, especially if available separately.
Otto K.

[Mark5]

The Athearn flyer says the new release ATSF cars will have "special designed trucks"- which is clear as mud, if what they actually mean is "National B1".  In the early release that I have, the trucks are the usual N scale 50 ton "Bettendorf".  The HO versions had B1.  The graphic shows the map side of  one car with B1s, and the other 3 with their standard Bettendorf truck.  But given the habit manufacturers have of using their HO graphics on N scale literature, I am always a little leery of buying based on the artwork.

Athearn probably goofed and posted this info from the HO flyer. They have done this sort of thing repeatedly in the past.

I predict this is what they will ship with:



Mark

[thomasjmdavis]

My sentiments exactly. I already have the Super/map version from the previous release (and suspect other transition era modelers do too) ; a Ship and Travel scheme featuring multiple train names would have been a better and more accurate choice. Still, I applaud Athearn for bringing out transition era equipment and the B1 trucks would be great to have, especially if available separately.
Otto K.

MT makes B1 trucks.  003 02 151  (1195)  Unfortunately truck mounted coupler versions only, as far as I know.  And prepare for sticker shock  if you haven't bought trucks in the last couple years. 

[James Costello]

Anyone know if the Long Runners will be the bulge decks or standard flats drawbarred?  The pdf states they have the ability to do different styles, but hard to tell with what they show.  Looking at their HO runs, looks like they did the bulge decks then.

Athearn confirmed today on their live chat that the N release will have the bulged end of the deck like the proto.