Atlas 40 and 53 Foot Rebuilt Well Cars Have Finally Arrived

[jagged ben]

Were the undecorated versions ever done? I was hoping to pick up 3 of them, two to paint up in the breast cancer pink versions from last year. DTTX 654811 and DTTX 475412.

Planned on using either the Kato Maxi-IV or the Deluxe Innovations for the three pack. DTTX 732301. (Sorry thread drift)

Not sure how close to the same the rebuilt 654811 version is being correct, but the 475412 is in the same number series that Atlas is offering.

DTTX 654811
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5051546

DTTX 475412
https://dqzrr9k4bjpzk.cloudfront.net/images/7097303/931869376.jpg

DTTX 732301
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5085274

Chris

654811 is a Husky Stack, not an AP Husky Stack, and therefore not a match to the Atlas model, or any other RTR model.  You could kit bash that car out of Maxi-III wells (unfortunately not currently available from the Kato parts department) or possibly Athearn or MDC 48' Husky Stacks.  There are some details to that prototype that are interesting, such as that it appears to be a rebuilt 48ft car, and have some minor differences to production 53ft Husky Stacks.

475412 appears like it may match the Atlas model, but it's hard to tell from the partial photo.
EDIT: other cars in that range match the Atlas model (except for being rebuilt instead of production) so that looks like a go.

I'd like to see you model the handprints on 732301.   

[MetroRedLine]

Container fittings...  I tried some I had handy.

MT 53ft can fits in the 53ft car.  This is important because I believe the MT 53ft container is oversize out of scale more than any other.  So I think all RTR 53ft containers should fit the car, although Deluxe might be tight.  JTC 53ft also fits. 

I just got mine today. I can fit Kato, Scale Trains and Deluxe easily. Atlas, ironically, was a little tricky after some finagling, but it does fit after all. The MTL did *not* fit. I compared it to a Kato and it was reasonably longer.

I noticed that the container fit in-between these "brackets" at either end of the well. I have never seen these before on the 3-unit wells (Kato and Deluxe). Are they prototypical (or are the Kato/Deluxe well cars not prototypical?)? The Athearn and MT 48' single well car doesn't have these end brackets, either.

I own 2 MTL 53' containers, one in EMP Green and another in CN (grey). Since they don't mate with any other container anyway, I'm thinking of just selling them. At least I still have the jewel box!

[jagged ben]

That's interesting you got different results with the MT container. It probably reflects the quality control on the Atlas.

The plates at the ends are prototypical, and although the Kato and Deluxe models are a different prototype they have something similar.  On the Deluxe models I recall it coming as a separate part because if you have really small track radii they'll bump the wheel flanges.

[James Costello]

I haven’t received mine yet, but a shipper did complain to TTX and the builders so loudly about the wheel splash marks on the end of the containers, they were forced to add splash guards to the end of the cars. The TTX book covers this topic.

[ljudice]

These are exceptionally nice, solid models - thanks Atlas!!!!

[MetroRedLine]

That's interesting you got different results with the MT container. It probably reflects the quality control on the Atlas.

The plates at the ends are prototypical, and although the Kato and Deluxe models are a different prototype they have something similar.  On the Deluxe models I recall it coming as a separate part because if you have really small track radii they'll bump the wheel flanges.

I know what you're referring to, but the "brackets" on the Atlas cars come up from the bottom of the well, whereas the mudflaps hang down from the underside of the car, just outside the wells.
If you know where to find prototype pics of the brackets, please share links.

[jagged ben]

I know what you're referring to, but the "brackets" on the Atlas cars come up from the bottom of the well, whereas the mudflaps hang down from the underside of the car, just outside the wells.
If you know where to find prototype pics of the brackets, please share links.

This is a different series (Atlas should do these, too), but you can see those brackets in this photo.

https://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=31658

[EmdFan]

I forgot to reserve some and have missed the boat (and I work for Atlas). All I can say is that we are discussing getting these back on the production schedule as soon as possible, we are very much aware of the demand.

[pmpexpress]

Did come across one missing fifth wheel plate that was not found loose in the plastic jewel-box.

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.

Good news and bad news...

The good news is that MBK's splendid customer service department was able to send me a replacement factory painted fifth wheel.

Despite the existence of holes in the metal car body that accommodate the added detail parts, the bad news is that the fifth wheels appear to be glued in place.

While it does not present a major issue with regards to restoring the car that I purchased, removed from a donor car, the replacement fifth wheel that was received from MBK had no pins and plenty of glue on the bottom of it.

If you are planning on removing the fifth wheels from your TTX lettered versions, you are going to want to keep in mind that the parts are probably glued to the car body.

On a side note, reasonably priced, both the 40 and 53 foot cars have been showing up on eBay.

[MetroRedLine]

I recently got hold of a pair of Jacksonville Terminal Company (JTC) 53' containers and tried them on the Atlas 53' single well. I had trouble making it fit. Basically, it *didn't* fit, and when I tried too hard, I heard a snap and slightly broke off part of one of the little end brackets. It's not totally separated from the car, just a crack so it's not a total loss. I also compared a JTC 53' with an MTL 53' and found them to be pretty much identical in length. So it looks like the JTC and Micro-Trains 53' containers do NOT fit the Atlas car.

I also recently bought a pair of the Atlas TTX 40' single wells. They, too have the end brackets in the wells, BUT there's ample room for all brands of 40' containers!
I own Deluxe, Kato, JTC, HobbyTrain, Walthers and Atlas 40' containers and they all seem to fit in between the brackets in the well with room to spare!

Looks like Atlas' 40' well was better-built in terms of container acceptance than the 53'!

[GaryHinshaw]

Hmm, I did not have that problem.  Here is a JTC 53 footer in an Atlas well:



The fit is close, but I did not have to force anything.  I wonder if there was an assembly issue with the end piece in your well?  There are tabs on that piece which should ensure a proper fit, but I can see how it might still be mis-glued at the factory.  Do you have another car you could compare to?

[MetroRedLine]

Hmm, I did not have that problem.  Here is a JTC 53 footer in an Atlas well:



The fit is close, but I did not have to force anything.  I wonder if there was an assembly issue with the end piece in your well?  There are tabs on that piece which should ensure a proper fit, but I can see how it might still be mis-glued at the factory.  Do you have another car you could compare to?

I have one FEC (the one whose bracket snapped) and two TTX 53" single units. Will try again on the TTXes. Even still, the fit should not be "close," as on the 40s, every container brand had a large amount of wiggle room between the brackets.

[MetroRedLine]

Update: I finally got hold of a Con-Cor 53' container (for research/scientific purposes ONLY; those things are hideous foobies -- all of them! Yech!).

The Con-Cor 53' fits inside the Atlas 53' single-well car with no issues.

[jagged ben]

The white APL scheme on the Con-Cor 53 footer is actually prototypical, if you overlook some slight dimensional inaccuracy.  It's a Monon box.  But you are mostly correct.

[MetroRedLine]

The white APL scheme on the Con-Cor 53 footer is actually prototypical, if you overlook some slight dimensional inaccuracy.  It's a Monon box.  But you are mostly correct.

And there was *one* early Schneider scheme that was appropriate to the Monon model too. But Con-Cor still has like a .150 batting average. And ugh...slapping modern container liveries on this design is kind of pathetic.