60' plate f

[JoeD]

I noticed Walthers has released/releasing HO Gunderson TBOX 60' Hi-Cubes shortly and found a stash of old LBF TBOX cars in N scale at a show.  I seem to remember a discussion about someone else doing this in N scale.  Just wondering before I invest time and $ into upgrading these what the landscape looks like. 

Joe

[ljudice]

I noticed Walthers has released/releasing HO Gunderson TBOX 60' Hi-Cubes shortly and found a stash of old LBF TBOX cars in N scale at a show.  I seem to remember a discussion about someone else doing this in N scale.  Just wondering before I invest time and $ into upgrading these what the landscape looks like. 

Joe

isn't Atlas doing them in HO....????

[GaryHinshaw]

I don't understand your first sentence: are you saying Walthers found a stash of LBF cars, or you did?  If the former, then they might as well have gone into a black hole.  If the latter, what do you mean by "before I invest time and $ into upgrading these"?  Are you thinking of upgrading your stash with some retrofits, or producing a newly-tooled car?

As far as the landscape goes, I know of two vague possibilities:

1. Intermountain seems to have some of the LBF tooling and they seem to be dribbling out new releases ever so slowly.  I have no idea if they have the 60' car's tooling in their possession.

2. Atlas has announced a 60' Gunderson boxcar in HO.  When we queried Paul Graf about doing this in N he said "Only time will tell...".

If you are thinking of new tooling, I would highly recommend the National Steel Co. variant of this car, since Atlas would likely do the Gunderson and if ExactRail ever got to it, they would likely do the Trinity.  BTW, any one of these variants is in my top 3 list of most-needed modern freight car.

[cv_acr]

I read it as he noticed the Walthers announcement and found a stash of old LBF cars at a show, and is wondering if he should put any effort into his (personal) stash of cars to fix them up.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

They weren't bad. I'd upgrade them.

[sundowner]

Athearns Genesis also makes the Gunderson cars in HO. Wish someone would make the TBOX cars in N.

[learmoia]

Doesn't intermountain have the LBF tooling.?

[unittrain]

Doesn't intermountain have the LBF tooling.?

I believe so unfortunately, they have passed the event horizon, that is of IM never to be seen again.

[James Costello]

I noticed Walthers has released/releasing HO Gunderson TBOX 60' Hi-Cubes shortly and found a stash of old LBF TBOX cars in N scale at a show.  I seem to remember a discussion about someone else doing this in N scale.  Just wondering before I invest time and $ into upgrading these what the landscape looks like. 

Joe

With the sale of their rolling stock to Atlas I wouldn't expect Walthers to developing any new freight cars any time soon, so don't let the HO developments influence your thinking.

BTW, in relation to what the others have said, MTL knows better than anyone how well Railbox / TTX sells, but to us it would seem like a TBOX would be all gravy.

[nscalbitz]

"I don't understand your first sentence: are you saying Walthers... what do you mean ..?"  Are you thinking of upgrading your stash..."

With Respect, Esteemed Global Moderator  - perhaps too much time on the Moon and not enough modeller interpretive balance?
Babelfish required?? 
Santé! dave

[drgw12]

North American Rail Car ( PWRS) has showed interest in doing the National Steel version. No official announcement but Dan was taking early pre pre-orders about a year ago in Denver at the train show. I sure hope someone will do one. I just watched an LBF TBOX go for $97 on FeePay

[ljudice]

My understanding is the 60' LBF cars tooling (and there were two variations) was  damaged or unusable.

[GaryHinshaw]

So the landscape is pretty barren.

[ljudice]

So the landscape is pretty barren.

And yet this class of car is possibly the most common single freight car in one (or two similar) paint schemes on the rails.

[sundowner]

According to the book “The TTX story” there are over 14000 TBOX made. Compare that to over 3000 FBOX 50’ cars. There is also a small TOBX lease fleet of the TBOX cars.