Atlas/BLMA autoracks?

[nkalanaga]

Modelers of the 1960s and 70s, the open autorack era, have four nice cars to choose from.  Both MicroTrains and Athearn make both bi- and tri-level models, using distinctly different flatcars and racks.

We also have the Atlas/BLMA 89'4" flatcar, and I've seen pictures of autoracks on similar cars.  Would the market support an Atlas autorack?  Even if Atlas only made bi- or tri-level, not both, we'd still have three different flats, and five variations.

Related, would it be practical to use the same rack on their other 89'4" flatcar, or are there enough differences, model and prototype, that they would need different castings?

[wcfn100]

I would welcome any photos of the Atlas/MT flat (Ash10a) or the BMLA/Atlas (F89J) with autoracks on them.  My January 1969 ORER doesn't list any under the TTX headings.

The Athearn flat is really nice though.

Someone could make a rack for the Train-Worx F85b.  There weren't a ton of 85' cars after the 89' car become standard, but they were still around into the late 60's.

An F89ch flat would cover many bi-level and tri-level cars including tri-levels with movable racks.

Jason

[nkalanaga]

"BMLA/Atlas (F89J) with autoracks on them.  My January 1969 ORER doesn't list any under the TTX headings."

If there weren't any, then the question is moot.  No point spending time and money developing a foob - we have enough of those already!

The Trainworx idea sounds good, at least for the 1960s.  Do you know if any were still in service in 1974?  I suspect that the most likely would be bi-level cars, as the extra four feet probably wouldn't be enough to fit an extra pickup or van.

[wcfn100]

I don't have a '74 ORER.  I do have a '79 and it looks like all the 85' cars were gone at that point.

Here's a shot of a F85b with a rack.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=rttx474231&o=ttx

Jason

[nkalanaga]

If they were still in service in 1969, there were probably some that lasted into the early 70s.  If not, there are quite a few modelers of the 1960s.  It looks to me like a viable idea.

Personally, I'd be willing to have a few, even if they were obsolete.  Most autoracks I saw in the Northwest were single, or in small groups, and the difference in length isn't that noticeable, at least to someone who doesn't study freight cars.  I'm quite happy to use TW 85 ft TOFC flats, although I'm not sure how many of them were still in use.

Right now I still have a pair of Arnold autoracks, which I'm almost certain don't belong in the mid-70s.  But they're also the only true KTTX cars available in N scale, complete with the rack adjustment mechanisms.  Lowered, and with the coupler body mounted, they don't look too out of place.  The overall height is very close to the MT and Athearn cars, which surprised me.  I had thought the Arnold cars were too tall.

[unittrain]

It would be nice to see autorack with these flatcars.

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ttx901108&o=ttx

[James Costello]

If there weren't any, then the question is moot.  No point spending time and money developing a foob - we have enough of those already!

Pretty sure the issue with the F89J was that it's still has a standard height deck vs a low deck of most autoracks, like the F89CH decks linked before.

Here was our last discussion on this issue:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=36842.15

[nkalanaga]

Unittrain:  Yes, but that would also require new flatcar tooling.

As James says, most autoracks used low-deck flatcars, for clearance on eastern railroads.  The standard-deck cars were mostly restricted to western roads, for clearance reasons.  In the 60s and 70s it was common to see a mix of the deck heights in western pictures.