Trainworx 85' Flats and Trailers have hit the shelves...

[sizemore]

Looks like the latest run from Trainworx has hit the shelves:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-85-90-Flat-Cars-s/2159.htm
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/N-Scale-Trucks-and-Trailers-s/1534.htm

I'm pretty stoked about this release, as I am a bit partial to Western Maryland! About dang time! Between this and the WM GP-40's that were just released by Atlas, my wallet has had a hurtin'!

As always not affiliated, just reporting they're out there in the wild.

The S.

[sundowner]

Crap, both undecs 53' are already sold out. The Roadways, Yellows and some of the reefers for me.

[GaryHinshaw]

Thanks for the tip Tim!  Great to see the next run of 53 footers.  Lots of Alliance, Clipper, Roadway and Yellow for me.  I understand there are a lot more schemes in the queue, so I need to pace myself - and beat the bushes for more spine sets!

[Mark5]

For those that are interested, the WM flats were sold to Trailer Train in 1963.

Mark

[Ed Kapuscinski]

And the TTX versions, are they different than the past run?

[flight2000]

Anyone have a good resource for trailers and determining when they were in service?  My memory from the 1980's is getting a little fuzzy...

Would the TTX version of the 85' flats be good for service in the 1984-88 time frame?

Cheers,
Brian

[bman]

Anyone have a good resource for trailers and determining when they were in service?  My memory from the 1980's is getting a little fuzzy...

Would the TTX version of the 85' flats be good for service in the 1984-88 time frame?

Cheers,
Brian

According to the Trailer Train Intermodal Flatcars in Service by Year chart in "The Model Railroader's Guide to Intermodal Equipment & Operations" by Jeff Wilson,  in 1985 there were still 6,983 85' TTX cars in use.  in 1990 this number was down to 697, and to 2 in 1995.   45' trailers became the norm in 1981.  And in 1983 trailer width was increased to 8'6", or 102" as they are/were commonly referred to back then.  I would imagine while  a 40' x 96" trailer could still be found in service, it was probably getting very rare. A good many of them were stretched into a 45' trailer from what I've read.  I started working for an LTL company in 1987 and we loaded a few railroad owned and/or lease trailers(Preferred Pool and Extra mostly) to put on the rails and they were  all 45' x 102" boxes.   In re-reading the book, the TTX reporting mark designates a car for 2 40' trailers with retractable hitches.  I'm sure a 45' would have been loaded with the second hitch in the down position much like a 48' or 53' is loaded on an 89' flat.  Hope this helps....

[Mark5]

I think the 45 footers became "legal" for TOFC around 1980. So for a few years after you would have seen a mix.

Trailer Train started converting the hitches on 89 footers to "Twin 45" in 1981 according to TTX:

http://www.ttx.com/corporate-information/history.aspx

[jagged ben]

For the mid eighties it wouldn't be unrealistic to have a nicely weathered Trainworx car in the yellow 'TT' scheme in a pig train.  But I probably wouldn't have two.     And yes those are the same scheme that was released before.

Judging from my photo collection, 40' trailers were still a sizable portion of TOFC traffic in '84 (30-40%?), but were practically gone by '88.    As far as the trainworx 40' schemes released this time around, the WM, Seaboard, and Katy are '60s-'70s stuff, and would be a stretch for '84.  The less sure about the Soo Line ones and the Kroger.   The green Soo Line looks like an earlier marketing era, but the red one looks fairly '80s to me.   

[nkalanaga]

You probably wouldn't see Kroger on a piggyback car, especially if there are no Kroger stores in your area.  In the 40 ft trailer era most grocery chains didn't ship by TOFC.

[davefoxx]

As far as the trainworx 40' schemes released this time around, the WM, Seaboard, and Katy are '60s-'70s stuff, and would be a stretch for '84.  The less sure about the Soo Line ones and the Kroger.   The green Soo Line looks like an earlier marketing era, but the red one looks fairly '80s to me.

Regarding the Seaboard trailers, if you look close, at least one trailer is patched for the Seaboard System with a number that starts with "SBD."  That means it is post-1982.  The prototype for SBD30466 did make it to 1986:

http://espee4ever.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2484802

DFF

[unittrain]

And the TTX versions, are they different than the past run?

The difference is in the body style the first release was the fish belly and this one is the straight.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

The difference is in the body style the first release was the fish belly and this one is the straight.

Ahh, then maybe I will pick one up. I have a couple of the others too. Probably too many, but they are such nice cars...

[GaryHinshaw]

Crap, both undecs 53' are already sold out. The Roadways, Yellows and some of the reefers for me.

Back in stock, but you have to act fast!

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Trainworx-N-45399-01-53-Trailer-Great-Dane-p/twx-45399-01.htm
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Trainworx-N-45399-01-53-Trailer-Great-Dane-p/twx-45399-02.htm

[Mark5]

You probably wouldn't see Kroger on a piggyback car, especially if there are no Kroger stores in your area.  In the 40 ft trailer era most grocery chains didn't ship by TOFC.

Rare, but supposedly one of the Morning Sun books has pics:

http://www.nscale.net/forums/showthread.php?40098-Trainworx-new-TOFC-flats-and-trailers-announced!

Mark