What to do with Atlas 50ft flats?

[Mark5]

The trucks on the ones I have all seem to be Atlas's common 40 ton Bettendorf truck with friction bearing journals. (Friction bearings were banned from interchange in '53.  So think late steam to transition era.)

Atlas put friction bearing trucks on All of their models at least through the 1970s, possibly the 1980s.

Friction bearing trucks were banned from new construction in 1963, and from interchange in 1995.

[GimpLizard]

Throw 'em in a box, stick a label on it, an' ship 'em off to me. (I'm not that much of a stickler for prototypical fidelity.) 

[JMaurer1]

Throw 'em in a box, stick a label on it, an' ship 'em off to me. (I'm not that much of a stickler for prototypical fidelity.) 

Stole my idea. I've replaced the decks and made better looking flats, TOFC's, and cut them down to 40' flats as well. I've also used them for bridges (wish I could find a REAL 40 or 50' flat for our property for a bridge).

Personally, I would split them up and send some to Gimplizard and the rest to me...

[SandyEggoJake]

BTW, the Atlas 50' flat (at least the ones I have) sports a three component AB brake rigging.  The fishbelly completely hides this detail when on the track, so really it doesn't bother me. 

But while geeking out on the other aspects, understand that cars built after September 1933 had AB brakes.   Cars with K-type brakes were banned from interchange around 1953.

If you care of such things, and are attempting to shorten some, one can do both with two cuts, getting a closer to the USRA 12 pocket flat and sort of back date it to K brake.  To do such, remove a 6mm section the includes the AB brake reservoir and control valve.    If one is looking to preserve the AB brake, select a 6mm section of the fishbelly bottom that only has a bit of the  in nearest the cylinder lever.   

Places to start on getting familiar with brake types might include the NMRA data sheet: http://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/d9o.pdf

It's figure 5b would seem one of the closest to the the Atlas 50'.... which suggests that Atlas erroneously located the brake staff on the A end, not the B end in line with the cylinder. 

(Also, while looking at several of my 50' 13 stake flat cars, I discovered one stood out as noticeably poorer casting and actually turned out to be a Bachmann China.  Seem to be a clone of the Atlas model as it has the same dimensions, rivets and fishbelly.  Even the same AB brakes w/ staff located on the wrong end.)

[Jesse6669]

(wish I could find a REAL 40 or 50' flat for our property for a bridge).

http://www.prsx.com/about.html

[SandyEggoJake]

Friction bearing trucks were banned from new construction in 1963, and from interchange in 1995.

What I meant to write is that the Bettendorf U truck (ARA type Y) were banned in interchange around '53.

Thx for the correction Mark5!  Sorry for creating confusion and delay!     That's what I get for posting my unpolished notes.

As for the ban on friction bearings, too be more precise....



From the Central Indiana Division Rusty Spike
 Vol 31 # 3

 Quote
 Friction Bearings Banned
 Q) When were friction bearing (solid journal) trucks banned from interchange service?

 A) Friction bearing trucks were banned from interchange service on 1/1/91 for cars carrying hazardous materials. All other non-hazardous carrying cars equipped with friction bearings were banned from interchange on 1/1/94. Cars with converted friction to roller bearing side-frames were banned from interchange on 1/1/95.

 There were some instances of exemptions granted for shippers in "hardship circumstances" who could not comply with these dates. So, some cars did linger a little longer in interchange after the actual deadline dates.

 Basic information for this article was supplied courtesy of Ed Kaminski, ACF Industries
 End Quote

[thomasjmdavis]

I see that I have more work to do, as this conversation convinces me I have more "Bettendorf" trucks than I should in my 1956 era.  Is there a handy chart anywhere showing time spans for particular truck types?

[GimpLizard]

Stole my idea. I've replaced the decks and made better looking flats, TOFC's, and cut them down to 40' flats as well. I've also used them for bridges (wish I could find a REAL 40 or 50' flat for our property for a bridge).

Personally, I would split them up and send some to Gimplizard and the rest to me...

Aw, what the heck. I ain't greedy. I'll share.

[BruceStikkers]

A contractor near my house has 2 old Rock Island flats that he uses to store plastic drain tile on. You can put enough "stuff" on them to keep your eye from being drawn to the details that bother you.

Bruce Stikkers
St. Joseph, IL

[CBQ Fan]

http://www.rits.org/www/mjdomo.archives/archived-rits/msg08193.html

Thank you!  I would have guessed IC or a Rock Island.

[Midniteflyer]

Build a water car. The "Grande" built this car to support the MOW train,.......

[VonRyan]

Take the plastic deck off, get some Northeastern Scale Lumber HO 2x4s and some Hunterline "driftwood" stain and re-deck it, but just make the edge of the planks even with the sides of the car.

For bonus points, add a nifty load.

[chessie system fan]

Okay so I stumbled across this tonight.  Looks like we have a winner!  And if this is the actual prototype this certainly explains why the stake pockets look like blobs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nickel-Plate-Road-ex-WLE-NKP-1910-TOFC-trailer-on-flat-car-5x7-photo-/121768419804?hash=item1c59f6a1dc

Stake pocket count is off by one, but who cares.

[wcfn100]

That's only a 46' flat.

Jason

[chessie system fan]

Ah, you're right.  Still, it's an easy kitbash.