Atlas N Scale RBL Boxcar Photos Online

[ai5629]

I saw that Atlas has posted photos of the 50' General American RBL boxcars online.  Link below.  They are also on their FB page.  Looks like separate ladders on the sides and ends, tack boards, cut levers and brake detail.  Ride height appears descent.  I need to order two Conrail cars to strip and repaint to CR 922B's.  I hope the second release will contain the PC 922B cars Moloco did in HO.  Very nice. Thanks.

Jeff

https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-1504-n213.aspx

[wcfn100]

I was going to post this the other day but I wasn't really happy with the ladders.  I'll see how they look in person.

I was disappointed they didn't do undecorated.  I hope this isn't a trend on new models.  I'll pick up a few random offset door versions like this release but I really need the centered door version. I hope they do those the next few years.


Jason

[wazzou]

I think the ladders on the MILW car would be fine if the color were a better match.

[Mark5]

Nice to see the extended draft gear on an Atlas model!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Agreed on the ladders. They need to be painted.

[peteski]

The ladders seem to be sticking out too far from the body, but it might be just the way the photo was taken.
But I still think that in N scale well done molded-on ladders look better than separately-applied plastic ones.  Now if those were finely etched brass  ladders, they might look good, but molded plastic ones always come out looking too clunky (thick).

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I saw that Atlas has posted photos of the 50' General American RBL boxcars online.  Link below.  They are also on their FB page.  Looks like separate ladders on the sides and ends, tack boards, cut levers and brake detail.  Ride height appears descent.  I need to order two Conrail cars to strip and repaint to CR 922B's.  I hope the second release will contain the PC 922B cars Moloco did in HO.  Very nice. Thanks.

Jeff

https://shop.atlasrr.com/c-1504-n213.aspx

Since you're one of my go-to guys for such things... do you know what service these cars were in?

I feel like I have so damned many Conrail RBLs and have no industries in my mind where they should be going to or from.

[squirrelhunter]

Wouldn't they be in food or beer service? Maybe paint?

[ai5629]

Since you're one of my go-to guys for such things... do you know what service these cars were in?

I feel like I have so damned many Conrail RBLs and have no industries in my mind where they should be going to or from.

I would have to agree with @squirrelhunter in that the most common use for these cars would be food and beverage related.  They could be loaded online from a soup or juice company (Campbell's), or they could be getting delivered to a grocery warehouse (Food Lion).  They could also be getting loaded online at a brewery (Miller), or they could be getting delivered to a beer distributor (Wilson Miginley).  I have many more RBL's than I have uses for too.  I plan on including some in my "through trains", not just my locals when I get around to my layout building.  Thanks.

Jeff

[nkalanaga]

They were usually used for anything that needed protection from temperature extremes, but didn't need active refrigeration.  Unless stenciled for a particular service, they can be used for any clean load that will fit in a boxcar.

[squirrelhunter]

Also, looking through an ORER can help know if they are in assigned services or have special equipment.

I know it is a bit of a reach, but when I see cars of similar size/construction on different roads (think MP and SLSF PC&F RBL's) in an assigned pool with shipper owned pallets in the ORER, I assume they are probably in a pool for a particular shipper.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I know what RBLs can be used for. But I was hoping Jeff knew what Conrail used these cars for.

[bman]

I know what RBLs can be used for. But I was hoping Jeff knew what Conrail used these cars for.

Wouldn't CR have used them for what they could be used for? I know this sounds too simple an answer. If thes cars were assigned to a customer wouldn't that be noted on the car? I'm not an expert on rail transport past loading trailers to be railed. I did see a photo of EL 68429 from 1978 on rrpicturearchives http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1725634  that appears to have what looks to be a "when empty return"  type of stencil on it but I can't read it. Wouldn't any railroad use a car for a backhaul instead of returning a car empty if possible anyway? Now ya got me wondering.

[ai5629]

I mentioned a few possible shippers (Campbell’s Soup / Miller Brewing) and a few possible consignees (Food Lion / Wilson Miginley - Pgh area Miller beer distributor).  I do not think the Conrail operating people cared what class of car was used for a particular service, so long as it was of a certain type (RBL) and of a certain cubic footage (4500-5000) This is why you would see blocks of different RBL cars consisting of classes X58, X73, BE55E, 953B, BL55B, BE55B, 922B, 119B, etc either waiting to be loaded or already loaded with Campbell’s Soup or with Miller beer products.  The local Miller distributor sometimes got beer delivered in an X73, and sometimes a 922B.  It just depended on what car happened to be chosen for his shipment.  I would say groups of cars were in assigned service to certain shippers, but the group of cars (Conrail RBL’s) were certainly of more than one builder.  I hope this helps.

Jeff

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I mentioned a few possible shippers (Campbell’s Soup / Miller Brewing) and a few possible consignees (Food Lion / Wilson Miginley - Pgh area Miller beer distributor).  I do not think the Conrail operating people cared what class of car was used for a particular service, so long as it was of a certain type (RBL) and of a certain cubic footage (4500-5000) This is why you would see blocks of different RBL cars consisting of classes X58, X73, BE55E, 953B, BL55B, BE55B, 922B, 119B, etc either waiting to be loaded or already loaded with Campbell’s Soup or with Miller beer products.  The local Miller distributor sometimes got beer delivered in an X73, and sometimes a 922B.  It just depended on what car happened to be chosen for his shipment.  I would say groups of cars were in assigned service to certain shippers, but the group of cars (Conrail RBL’s) were certainly of more than one builder.  I hope this helps.

Jeff

Yep. It does.

I didn't realize the Miller and Campbells references were historical as opposed to conjectural.