MTL PS2 Announcement.

[turbowhiz]

Possible to body-mount TSC long-shank without major surgery? (I.e., is the coupler box NOT integrated into the frame casting?)

I had a quick look at these in Nashville. These are really fantastic looking models! MTL is really upping their game with their new models, first with the TBOX cars and now these.

Now with respect to the coupling configuration as that is my principle interest, they've really thought outside the box! (something I've been doing too!!). So in effect, the coupler box profile appears to be scale width, or very close to it. It really shows in a design like this PS/2 hopper. But its completely side free.... There are NO sides. The "box" (that's not a box... More of top/bottom) is integral to the model, so TSC adaptation is very tricky. N-Possible spring configuration couplers (1015 drop in type) SHOULD be easily adaptable, as I don't need box sides for any mechanical reason either, but I won't know absolutely until I take a production model apart.

Andrew

[oakcreekco]

I had a quick look at these in Nashville. These are really fantastic looking models! MTL is really upping their game with their new models, first with the TBOX cars and now these.

Now with respect to the coupling configuration as that is my principle interest, they've really thought outside the box! (something I've been doing too!!). So in effect, the coupler box profile appears to be scale width, or very close to it. It really shows in a design like this PS/2 hopper. But its completely side free.... There are NO sides. The "box" (that's not a box... More of top/bottom) is integral to the model, so TSC adaptation is very tricky. N-Possible spring configuration couplers (1015 drop in type) SHOULD be easily adaptable, as I don't need box sides for any mechanical reason either, but I won't know absolutely until I take a production model apart.

Andrew

Thanks for your comments from seeing these in person.

IMO, there's  a ton of potential for these little fellows. There's original paint, repaints for various reasons, and the factory weathered option.

They were on the rails for decades, so there's a lot of possibilities for this model, both factory offerings and modeling builds.

Looking forward to grabbing some up.

[Frank Amato]

Indeed there are many proto paint schemes for these cars!  The December 2003 issue of Railmodel Journal has a detailed roster of these 2003 cu ft cars, including roof hatch spacing and body panel differences.

  Frank

[nkalanaga]

Bryan:  Thank you!  I doubt that I will buy as many as I really need, but roller bearing conversions were very common on the BN and its predecessors.

[thomasjmdavis]

I’m fairly certain the MTL roller-bearing truck first introduced in the 1970s is a 70-ton Symington. It definitely is not an ASF A-3. BLMA and ESM offer the ASF A-3 Ride Control 70-ton roller bearing truck. ESM will introduce ASF A-3 trucks with journal boxes refitted with roller bearings on the next run of the GSC Well Car and they will be available separately as well.

The retro-fit roller bearing A-3 will be a welcome addition- something we haven't seen before in N.  And am I remembering correctly that there may also be a friction bearing version coming from ESM?

Bryan, you are no doubt the expert here as I'm sure you've researched for your product offerings.  Any "disambiguation" you can offer on ASF trucks would be appreciated.

Frankly, at this point, I am not sure if MTL makes (made) an A-3 roller bearing, or not.

Yes, the one introduced by MTL in the 1970s is the Symington Gould truck.  However, another truck they make is identified by Spookshow as an ASF A-3 (on my screen, it is just below the Atlas/BLMA version). http://www.spookshow.net/trucks/trucks.php However, when I tried to look it up on the MTL page- no luck. Just to confuse things further, per Spookshow, they also make both 100T and 70T Barber S-2 roller bearing, but on their "truck" page, only designate "Barber S-2" without the ton rating- so I don't know what's what there.  EDIT:  Sure enough, there is one truck on the MTL page designated as " Barber 100 T roller bearing", see Spookshow's reply down below. 

Granted, the nomenclature on ASF trucks is confusing.  From reading through my freight car books, it appears that first there were A-3s (in 50 and 70 ton versions), then A-3 "ride control" (50 and 70 T), then A-3 "ride control" roller bearing, at some point, a 100 ton "ride control" appears, without the A-3 designation, and in later years, the A-3 is dropped from the 70 T (redesign, or just shorthand?), and they become ASF 70T ride control. At least, that is how the authors identify them.

Is there an A-3 that is not "ride control"?

[bbussey]

That’s not a photo of an MTL truck under the “Micro Trains ASF A-3” title on the Spookshow page. The bolster beam is totally wrong, and the only 70-ton MTL truck configuration that has a centered bolster hole instead of the offset bolster hole is the bolster with the medium-extended coupler arm that originally was developed for the B-end of the 50’ drop-end gondolas. Every other 70-ton bolster beam, including the beam without a coupler arm, has an offset bolster hole.

The ESM friction-bearing A-3 will be released the next time the N scale XIH is released. Both the friction-bearing A-3 and the retro-fit A-3 are designed and the factory has the digital files, but at this time it isn’t financially feasible to tool them as stand-alone items. It makes more sense to include that cost in the next production runs of the N XIH and the GSC well car. That could change, but currently our ASF roller bearing truck sales don’t justify expanding that line until needed for rolling stock production.

But they will be here eventually. The retro-fit within the next year or two for certain, as a well car run will follow a new G26 mill gondola run, which will follow the HO XIH scheduled to debut in October.

You are correct in that MTL has the Barber S-2 roller bearing truck in 70-ton (which debuted decades ago) and in 100-ton (developed relatively recently for the 60’ Greenville boxcar). The 100-ton truck has a center-hole bolster beam. The 70-ton truck conforms to the original 1970s Kadee/MTL standards. MTL should modify their modern tankcar, Evans hopper and Centerflow tooling to use the 100-ton truck, now that they have a proper truck.  Hopefully someday. 

Modeling tip:  if you need one of the MTL truck designs for a model, secure the medium-extended bolster configuration instead of the bolster without coupler, and snip off the coupler arm. Nearly all of the MTL 70-ton truck designs are available with the medium-extended coupler.

[peteski]

That’s not a photo of an MTL truck under the “Micro Trains ASF A-3” title on the Spookshow page. The bolster beam is totally wrong, and the only 70-ton MTL truck configuration that has a centered bolster hole instead of the offset bolster hole is the bolster with the medium-extended coupler arm that originally was developed for the B-end of the 50’ drop-end gondolas. Every other 70-ton bolster beam, including the beam without a coupler arm, has an offset bolster hole.

@spookshow
Since I use Spookshow's as a handy reference, calling Mark P., calling Mark.

[bbussey]

The 70-ton bolster styles, left-to-right:  without coupler; standard coupler; medium-extended coupler; and fully-extended coupler (the arm has been cut in this example). Note that the bolster tops are flat with no emboss and generally even with the top of the truck sideframes regardless of style. Also note that the medium-extended is the only variant with the centered bolster hole. This has been the standard MTL practice ever since the first Kadee Bettendorf trucks were released in the early 1970s. The design of all the bolster variants has not changed in 50 years.

[nkalanaga]

If you ask, they will also sell just the 1025 coupler box/lids, and you can reuse the couplers from these trucks.  That will make the cost of the medium-extended more affordable, as you also get a pair of couplers with each one.

I bought 500 pairs of 1025 cases 10 years ago, so have been buying trucks with couplers ever since.  On the other hand, I prefer 1025 to 1015 couplers where I'm installing my own.

[spookshow]

@spookshow
Since I use Spookshow's as a handy reference, calling Mark P., calling Mark.

That ASF A-3 truck is from an MTL Gunderson Husky Stack (purchased new). My assumption has been that MTL uses MTL trucks on all their cars, but it doesn't actually say "MICRO TRAINS" on it, so maybe it's not.

-Mark

[spookshow]

Just to confuse things further, per Spookshow, they also make both 100T and 70T Barber S-2 roller bearing, but on their "truck" page, only designate "Barber S-2" without the ton rating- so I don't know what's what there. 

When I look at their trucks page, one of the Barber trucks is listed as 100T (003 02 080). None of the rest specify tonnage, so I'm assuming those are all 70T.

-Mark

[bbussey]

The 100-ton Barber is used exclusively on the 60’ Greenville boxcar. The leaf-spring roller bearing caboose truck might be 50-ton but I’m not sure.

[Sokramiketes]

The ESM friction-bearing A-3 will be released the next time the N scale XIH is released. Both the friction-bearing A-3 and the retro-fit A-3 are designed and the factory has the digital files, but at this time it isn’t financially feasible to tool them as stand-alone items.

Will this be a 50 ton or a 70 ton friction bearing A-3?

I seem to be perpetually short of 50 ton Bettendorf/A-3/Anything with the lowered bolster.  Am I missing a current source?  How much capital do you need to fix my problem??   

[thomasjmdavis]

When I look at their trucks page, one of the Barber trucks is listed as 100T (003 02 080). None of the rest specify tonnage, so I'm assuming those are all 70T.

-Mark

Yep, sure enough....I gotta get new bifocals.

[bbussey]

That ASF A-3 truck is from an MTL Gunderson Husky Stack (purchased new). My assumption has been that MTL uses MTL trucks on all their cars, but it doesn't actually say "MICRO TRAINS" on it, so maybe it's not.

I received confirmation from MTL that the ASF A-3 used on their Husky Stack is indeed their truck, and that they neglected to add MTL markings on the truck frame before the tooling was pushed into use.

Will this be a 50 ton or a 70 ton friction bearing A-3?
I seem to be perpetually short of 50 ton Bettendorf/A-3/Anything with the lowered bolster.  Am I missing a current source?  How much capital do you need to fix my problem??   

70-ton.
The Atlas Barber truck is 50-ton and has the standard Affa/BLMA lowered bolster.
Six Gs