TT 89' Runner Packs from MT

[sirenwerks]

   I need channel side. @ $21 each from N Scale Kits, I may be thinking about self-construction (pun intended)

[Mark5]

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

These cars ever saw brown... earliest they were built was 1973.  Applies to any of the versions MT may have done (i.e, container, trailer, both)

Foiled again.

[James Costello]

At least they went with the "TT" logo for the TTX reporting mark and not the "TTX" logo of recent releases...makes it a bit more appropriate. I'll probably pick them up for TTWX & RTTX conversions.

[Frank Amato]

These cars ever saw brown... earliest they were built was 1973.  Applies to any of the versions MT may have done (i.e, container, trailer, both)

The MT model is the "all-purpose" 89'4" car, originally lettered TTAX, right?  My '75 ORER shows several groups of cars built by ACF, Bethlehem, and Pullman-Standard.

Dave Casdorph's TTX book (highly recommended) shows ACF cars 970000-970999 delivered 1968 thru 1973, so I would expect many of these to have been brown originally.  Can't tell the players without a program!

The different builders used different hitch types, but that's another post.

  Frank

[Robbman]

Thee were multiple classes of TTAX cars... the cars you speak of are early cars built by ACF, classed ASH10... these cars have notched side sills

The later cars ACF cars, built 1973-1979, are class ASH20 and ASH22)... these are the cars that match the MT car and the Atlas HO car (Dave Casdorph has confirmed that as well)

ASH20 were numbered 974000-974834
ASH22 were numbered 922000-922299

[Mark5]

Dave Casdorph's TTX book (highly recommended)

What's the specific name of this book and is it available?

Mark

[Frank Amato]

Mark, here's the book info:

The Freight Car Data Book
Trailer Train Company, TTX Company

Dave's web site is http://dgcasdorph.com, and try DCasdorph@Atlasrr.com as his email address.

Robbman, thanks for the additional detail.  I know there's a pic of an early ACF car in one of my books --- I'll check the sill detail.

  Frank

[sirenwerks]

So where do the ConCor cars fit into the history of TrailerTrain cars, or intermodal in general? And how about the flush, channel, and Z-sided 89' flats offered by N Scale Kits (formerly Alan Curtis)? Where do they fit in history>

And for those who need earlier equipment, NSK has an F39 75-footer in development.

[Frank Amato]

The MT model is the "flush-deck" car.  As Robbman previously posted, they went thru many rebuilds which changed the hitch types and spacing.  The following articles are excellent for understanding the prototypes and the crazy reporting marks:

Railroad Model Craftsman Dec 1993 - "TTX Company's 89'4" All-Purpose Flat"
Railroad Modle Craftsman Aug 1995 - "TTX Company's F89F"

  Frank

[inkaneer]

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!

I have to admit that I too am perplexed by the excitement but for a different reason.  An 89 foot car looks ridiculous on the tight curves that predominate in 1:160 scale.  I just notice the difference in apperance that 85 foot passenger cars have on three foot corners versus their four foot big brother corners.  Most home layout have curves a lot sharper than the ones on a three foot corner.  Maybe the joy is from those with the large permanent layouts versus the "layout on a door" crowd.  Anyway I won't be getting any, too new for my era, but I am happy for those who wanted  them.

[GaryHinshaw]

Here's a bit more reference material: Eric Neubauer's Car of the Month page [oh, the things we get excited about  ]:

http://eaneubauer.ipower.com/editorial.htm

The Sept. 2008 edition covers the channel-side cars.  The Dec. 2008 - Feb. 2009 editions cover the flush sides (but not these specific TT cars).

[wm3798]

Inkaneer said..."I have to admit that I too am perplexed by the excitement but for a different reason.  An 89 foot car looks ridiculous on the tight curves that predominate in 1:160 scale.  I just notice the difference in apperance that 85 foot passenger cars have on three foot corners versus their four foot big brother corners.  Most home layout have curves a lot sharper than the ones on a three foot corner.  Maybe the joy is from those with the large permanent layouts versus the "layout on a door" crowd.  Anyway I won't be getting any, too new for my era, but I am happy for those who wanted  them."

Well if that's the case, then no one should ever make an HO version of this.  I think you're way off.  Many people choose N scale because it allows them the ability to run broader curves and longer trains.  Not everyone is stuck with a door layout.  And even if they were, an 18" r curve in N scale would handle an 89' car a LOT more gracefully than even a 24" r curve in HO.

Lee

[Mark5]

Mark, here's the book info:

The Freight Car Data Book
Trailer Train Company, TTX Company

Dave's web site is http://dgcasdorph.com, and try DCasdorph@Atlasrr.com as his email address.

  Frank

Thanks - OOP unfortunately.

http://www.amazon.com/Freight-Car-Data-Book-Monograph/dp/B0006FBC2O

I'll try contacting Dave (I stumbled on one of his sites a few years back and asked him some auto rack questions - a really nice guy!)

Mark

[Robbman]

And how about the flush, channel, and Z-sided 89' flats offered by N Scale Kits (formerly Alan Curtis)? Where do they fit in history>

Some of the earliest 89 footers were bowl deck flats (Z-sided is a misnomer)... P-S I know had one in 1961 (and many more thereafter... all of varying design)... most were low-deck cars used for autoracks though, though I believe there was an LTTX series for low-deck bowl flats used in pig service.  The most common standard deck pig car was the F89J, built in 1967-1968, TTX 600910-602536.  Many are still in service today as RTTX, PTTX, MTTX and a scant few JTTX cars.

[Robbman]

As an aside... the number series on the MT runner pack is for a P-S flat... like this one (note the built out jacking pads at the bolsters):



Taken 1976...


Deck is supposed to be an off-white with black rub rails...