Micro-Trains 3 Bay ACF Hopper... What era?

[Kisatchie]

I found this on Spookshow's website:

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/mtacf3baycf.html

When were these cars first made? Anyone?


Hmm... I don't ever get
termites when I trick-
or-treat...

[Rossford Yard]

The NYC build date reads as 1964, and I saw other references in a quick search to 1964, so we know you are safe there.  I don't know the exact date these are in production, but I do have a photo of a similar hopper in Toledo dated about 1962, but that date could be wrong.

[spookshow]

If I have the prototype right (ACF CF4650), they were introduced in 1963 and entered service in 1964.

-Mark

[Kisatchie]

Thanks for the info. I have the Pennsylvania car and knew about the '64 build date, but I didn't know if the car was a foobie or not.


Hmm... I just know Kiz's
next question will be,
"where can I get decals
for the 1960's cars?...

[mplsjct]

Pretty sure the Micro-Trains car is post 1971, not positive on this but I think those built before that have the reinforcement rib that runs the length of the car, similar to the Athearn 2 bay car.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Ah... just about to post that. Athearn's 2 bay ACF hopper is good for early pre-71 prototypes. IM, Atlas and MTL 2 bays are all post 71.

The MTL and IM 3 bay ACF hoppers are all post 71, while the Atlas 3560 appears to be a pre 71 prototype due to its short and ladders and side stiffeners. Atlas also had two 5250 models; the early ROCO version was a pre-71 with long grabs on the end and a post 71 version with conventional short ladders and no stiffener. Both Model Power and Bachmann produced early 5250 versions as well but they are not nearly as nice.

[nkalanaga]

I WISH someone would do the early 4650s, as those are most of what I need.  Ever try adding the rib to a MT car?  I did - it was a pain!

[spookshow]

There's an informative writeup on the ACF 4650 here - http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/479/34929/october-1994-page-23

Cheers,
-Mark

[kalbert]

Railmodel Journal is the best thing ever.

[cv_acr]

I WISH someone would do the early 4650s, as those are most of what I need.  Ever try adding the rib to a MT car?  I did - it was a pain!

The lower reinforcement isn't the only difference either.

The angled bit below the eave is smooth on the earlier car, and corrugated on the later car (look at the model photo above to see what I mean).

[Kisatchie]

I've decided to keep the MTL cars I have. Close enough.


Hmm... is Kiz holding a
horseshoe or a hand
grenade...?

[nkalanaga]

Chris:  I left that part alone, as it can barely be seen at a normal distance, and most viewers wouldn't notice it anyway.  But for a stickler, yes, just adding a rib to the MT car does NOT make a prototypical early model.

[mplsjct]

There's an informative writeup on the ACF 4650 here - http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/479/34929/october-1994-page-23

Cheers,
-Mark

I remember that issue, particularly the large N scale layout after the 4650 article, it was the first time I'd ever seen an N scale layout featured in a magazine where the rolling stock was all equipped with rapido couplers.

[sirenwerks]

If I have the prototype right (ACF CF4650), they were introduced in 1963 and entered service in 1964.

-Mark

But the ACF 4650 went through several iterations and the MTL car is not an original production model, so is not suitable for the 60s. I am not sure of the exact year, but the cars with the corrugations at the top of the sides are early or mid-70s.  The original (1964) design did not have the corrugations, but had a metal stiffener running the car's length and situated a short distance below the start of the car body's curve.  The Athearn 2970 is the only N scale example of the early ACF centerflow design with the metal stiffener.  It's a shame Athearn doesn't create larger capacity versions of that design.

[wazzou]

Atlas makes the earlier 4650 in HO Scale but they do not believe (the majority of) N Scale modelers can distinguish between the two models to justify the tooling.