Received all of the Atlas 40' and 53' TTX red lettered well cars that I ordered from MB Klein on Saturday.
During a precursory look at each of the newly released models a few observations were made:
These are very high quality models with crisp lettering, factory installed brake lines on each end of the body, body mounted operating knuckle couplers that are attached to the draft boxes by screwed on cover plates, and smooth backed CNC milled chemically blackened metal wheel-sets.
Unlike those that are found on Kato's Maxi I and IV well car sets, the hand-grabs are open and not partially filled in castings.
The etched stainless steel walkways are perforated clear through, without any partially blocked holes.
Retained by a pair of small pins that are located on the undersides of the factory installed parts, both the 40' and 53' models have removable fifth wheel plates that are pressed into the main body casting.
The 40' TTX Forwarding Thinking cars have yellow fifth wheel plates, while the TTX red lettered 53' models have black ones.
Metal bodied, empty, the 40' cars weigh .60 onces and the 53' versions are .80 onces.
After finding several of them loose and few of them rotated out of their normal position, as they appear to be simply pressed into the car-body and not retained with any kind of adhesive, I suggest carefully inspecting the installation of stirrup step/hand-grab castings on these models.
Did come across one missing fifth wheel plate that was not found loose in the plastic jewel-box.
Cut down from the 48' AP cars remember? The TTX lost their their hitches during the rebuild.
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42499.msg536693#msg536693
Trailer limited to 42' length, 2x 28's probably don't fit, so yeah a single 28' probably the most common trailer seen in the 40' cars.
Just for kicks, I placed a pair of Athearn 28' Wedge Trailers into an 40' Atlas rebuilt well car and verified that this is simply not feasible.
so why did Atlas add hitches or can they be removed?
While the hitch plates are removable, the two pairs of mounts that are cast into the body casting would need to be ground or filed down and the modified area would need to be touched up with a suitable color of paint.
The wells were first advertised as being "rebuilds" for the 53'ers too:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=43088.0
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3038357
Once someone has one in hand maybe they can post a photo of the area to see.... unless @Atlas Paul can advise if a production change was made.
Although the underside of the 53' cars has eight holes and two diagonal braces within a pair of unusually shaped cutouts that are seen towards the lower end of the car body, the sides of the model are smooth, with no visible (simulated) weld seams.
