February 2018 Micro-Trains

[Point353]

https://www.micro-trains.com/publicfiles/monthly/MN1802.pdf

[pmpexpress]

With the exception of the included interior load, the stock number 020 00 157 appears to be a re-run of a car that was originally released as part of the NSC 00-95 Union Pacific and Southern Pacific "Impact Cars" set that commissioned by the N Scale Collector in 2000.

The first Micro-Trains Line models to incorporate clear bodies, at the time, an extremely difficult project to produce, production difficulties limited the original run of cars to ninety sets.

[Point353]

With the exception of the included interior load, the stock number 020 00 157 appears to be a re-run of a car that was originally released as part of the NSC 00-95 Union Pacific and Southern Pacific "Impact Cars" set that commissioned by the N Scale Collector in 2000.

The first Micro-Trains Line models to incorporate clear bodies, at the time, an extremely difficult project to produce, production difficulties limited the original run of cars to ninety sets.

Either MTL has recently made a successful test run and gained confidence in the ability to mold a car in clear plastic with good yield, or the pre-order period buys them time to debug the process.

[pmpexpress]

Either MTL has recently made a successful test run and gained confidence in the ability to mold a car in clear plastic with good yield, or the pre-order period buys them time to debug the process.

Since 2000, Micro-Trains has produced numerous special run, clear bodied cars for the N Scale Collector (e.g., the "Money Cars" and the Gold and Silver "Bullion Cars".

While casting the clear plastic body shells was probably not an issue, the intricate painting and pad printing was extremely challenging.

Very difficult to see in the photo, the clear side of each car has a very fine mesh like look, with additional data, logos, and reporting numbers pad printed over the simulated screening.

For the original run of cars, the factory rejection rate must have been quite high.

Micro-Trains Line's current printing process has likely resolved some of the issues that were encountered during the production of the earlier run products.

Nearly twenty years since this model was first released, I am looking forward to comparing the latest run of this very unique piece of rolling-stock to the original special run release.

[thomasjmdavis]

Maybe some of the Santa Fe "old hands" (I am getting enough gray to almost qualify myself), but I have always thought of a "slogan" car as one that has a "ship and travel" slogan on one side, and a train name on the other, as opposed to a "map" car, which has a map on one side, and a train name on the other.  I darn near ordered the current set, thinking I would be getting Ship and Travel slogan cars.  Am I the only one confused by this?

No offense to map cars, I just already have too many (as a percentage of cars) for my 1956 layout time frame. And my understanding in any case is that the MT car is a model of a PS1- which is to say, a map of any description is likely inaccurate, since the cars were built starting in 1947- as the map scheme was being replaced by the "Ship and Travel" slogan scheme.

The original Kadee-MT release of ATSF map cars was what sealed my decision to take a serious plunge into N scale 40 years ago. I bought the original set of 5 and could not put them on the track for 10 days while waiting for the MT conversion kits to arrive so I could couple a locomotive to them. If only I had the sense to keep that original set in the original packaging.  At this point, I think I have replace the wheels- not for operational reasons, but because they wore out- they have more "mileage" on them than any of my current locomotives.  And, of course, a couple brake wheels.

[jagged ben]

The CSX Husky-Stack road numbers are actually Maxi-IIIs.  5 unit cars. 

MDC did the same thing with theirs.   

[James Costello]

The CSX Husky-Stack road numbers are actually Maxi-IIIs.  5 unit cars. 

MDC did the same thing with theirs.   

Yeah, wait for the SP ones too 

I guess if it helps pays the bills...

[Tom Todd]

For me it will be the Burlington (CB&Q) baggage car.  First MT car in about 6 months.

Tom

[brokemoto]

The Q baggage car can run on my mail trains.

[CBQ Fan]

For me it will be the Burlington (CB&Q) baggage car.  First MT car in about 6 months.

Tom

I would like to see a 3 pack of these!

[Cajonpassfan]

Maybe some of the Santa Fe "old hands" (I am getting enough gray to almost qualify myself), but I have always thought of a "slogan" car as one that has a "ship and travel" slogan on one side, and a train name on the other, as opposed to a "map" car, which has a map on one side, and a train name on the other.  I darn near ordered the current set, thinking I would be getting Ship and Travel slogan cars.  Am I the only one confused by this?

That's how I understood it as well; I'd call these "straight map" cars (as opposed to older "curved map" cars). Also, the Scout train and its advertising was pretty much gone by the time the PS-1's came out...
Otto K.

[nkalanaga]

Nothing for me, which is just as well.  I would have bought the BN GS gon, but it wasn't repainted until 1977, so that's out.  And I still have an extra BN bulkhead flat from many years ago.

[Ngineer]

For me it will be the Burlington (CB&Q) baggage car.  First MT car in about 6 months.

Is that a prototypical or near prototypical model? Or a stand-in?

   Javier

[CBQ Fan]

Is that a prototypical or near prototypical model? Or a stand-in?

   Javier

It is a stand in prototype. For me it is a “near” prototype but others may disagree. The door widths are wrong and other roof details.  But for me it has the right feel.

[thomasjmdavis]

Is that a prototypical or near prototypical model? Or a stand-in?

   Javier

The prototype for the MT baggage car is an Erie RR car. "Close enough" is always in the eye of the beholder, and whether you only run things "out of the box" or enjoy doing some modification.  I would recommend taking a look at the Passenger Car Photo Index and other photo sites.  But in general, the MT car is a good generic baggage car.

That said, my opinion is that the WoT 70' car was a closer stand in than the MT car for a standard CB&Q baggage, but twice the price and still not a match.