TT 89' Runner Packs from MT

[sirenwerks]

I'm with Sean. Now if we could just get them to come out of the closet and actively seek our advice...

[asarge]

I hate these cars! 

I find the ends constantly come loose,  causing coupler/body hangups. I suspect it's not to scale "vertically" - since they don't look right - and MS decals don't fit properly. On top of that the lettering is too small  and they are missing the deck antiskid paint. Oh and they have the inflexible hitch arrangement for a 45/40 car.

I'll pass - and wait for something better from Atlas, as well as the spine cars from Deluxe.

Seriously, I can't believe you guys are getting excited over this!

WwwAAaaaHHHhhhh!

It is very likely this will be the only choice you have for an 80+ ft flat in the foreseeable future unless Atlas pulls a shocker and does their HO ones in N. So cross your fingers because you could be an old man who can't even see N scale before you see them.

[Mark5]

MT 89' flats in brown. Hmmmm.

Maybe if I ever saw a picture of a brown TTAX car in service I could at least justify the three I bought before I knew any better.

Jason

It's very hard to find any pix of TT flat cars in that era. Very frustrating. MT has released these in brown (TTX) before - maybe we'll get them by 2020.

Mark

[TiVoPrince]

Sign me up
for a set.  May not need them, but chances of ever seeing them produced again seem somewhere between slim and none...

[ljudice]

I'm just hoping my wife lets me have a basement when we retire!  I don't see why Atlas won't do these, since there is so much that can be sold along with them - like trailers, trash containers, etc.  I bet they come soon.

And I still hate those MTL 89 footers - I'm right about them being out of scale vertically, am I not?  Of course most buyers won't notice this when they're hauling those Christmas trailers or Circus animal cages.

They are also derailment prone - they constantly pick Peco C55 switches. I think that's because of the underslung and usually loose coupler mount. Somehow R/C cars that have the same mount don't do this.
 
Lou

 ;D

[davefoxx]

And I still hate those MTL 89 footers - I'm right about them being out of scale vertically, am I not?  Of course most buyers won't notice this when they're hauling those Christmas trailers or Circus animal cages.

They are also derailment prone - they constantly pick Peco C55 switches. I think that's because of the underslung and usually loose coupler mount. Somehow R/C cars that have the same mount don't do this.
 
Lou

 ;D

Lou,

I body-mount my couplers on these cars (I need to be able to push a cut of cars in my stub-tracked yard) and avoid all of the problems of truck-mounted couplers.  To body mount, I pop the plastic parts under the body at each end that also includes the stirrups and body mount to this part.  I cut the screw flush on the top, so the part can snap back into the frame.  Works on both these and the auto rack cars.  I run my cars down to about 13" radius on my door layout and have no problems tracking on those sharp curves even if coupled to a short car.  I also replace the wheels with Fox Valley wheelsets.

As far as the cars being out-of-scale vertically, they wouldn't be the first MT cars that rode in the stratosphere.

My main beef with these cars are those unpainted slick (acetal?) plastic parts that paint won't stick to.  It would be nice if MT would at least mold them in the proper color and not just black.

Dave Foxx

[lock4244]

It's very hard to find any pix of TT flat cars in that era. Very frustrating. MT has released these in brown (TTX) before - maybe we'll get them by 2020.

Mark

I have nine of the brown one's and eight yellow. I'm not sure why I stocked up way back when, but I did. Some of the yellow were kits, but the brown were all RTR. Between what dates would one expect to find the brown flats operating?

Lou, I remember the derailing often on Peco switches now that you've jogged my memory. I don't hate them though.

[Mark5]

It's very hard to find any pix of TT flat cars in that era. Very frustrating. MT has released these in brown (TTX) before - maybe we'll get them by 2020.

Mark

I have nine of the brown one's and eight yellow. I'm not sure why I stocked up way back when, but I did. Some of the yellow were kits, but the brown were all RTR. Between what dates would one expect to find the brown flats operating?

Since I model 1974 I need some of the yellow too. But the brown for this particular is good from the build date (1968 IIRC and assuming Kadee/MT applied the right scheme road numbers to them) up into the 1980s.

Mark

[ljudice]

Dave - I've got to give that a try.

The reality is that I have a dozen of them (remember the 3 pack kit).  I'd like to re-do the hitches as twin 45's, maybe with those aftermarket parts that are out there.

Maybe put some Atlas trucks underneath to lower them as well!  

I really would like to see an alternative though.

[tom mann]

Here's a thought:  why don't you write Joe an email stating your appreciation for this release?  Since all MT products sell out, feedback will be a good way for them to gauge interest.

[SkipGear]

The best way I would think to let them know you appreciate it is pre-order them now. These are going to be built to preorder. Dealers will always order some extra but beyond that, there will be no more. This is one of the runner packs that could set a record for the size of the run if everybody that has stated their desire for these cars, actually orders a pack or two. Larger than normal pre-orders will probably do more for the cause than anything.

If these languish on the shelves, expect the deaf ear that everybody claims to continue.

[Ali Kenneth]

So which livery is suitable for which era? I have a feeling that Chuck will get an order regardless.....

Alasdair ??? ???

[wm3798]

Do we have a price yet?  In these nervous economic times I'm reluctant to commit my self to much.  I suppose the one thing that works to MT's advantage is their delivery schedule is at least predictable...

Lee

[wcfn100]

Do we have a price yet?  In these nervous economic times I'm reluctant to commit my self to much.  I suppose the one thing that works to MT's advantage is their delivery schedule is at least predictable...

Lee

$89.95 retail for the four pack.


Jason

[Ian MacMillan]

Crap I'm in for a  set. Chuckles, please order me a set!