Atlas (former BLMA) 53' Spine Cars

[MetroRedLine]

I see these 3- and 5-unit car sets are hitting the market and some people already have them. Are they exactly the same as the original BLMA releases? Do they have same or different road numbers as the BLMA releases? Also, did Atlas re-tool the container pedestals to be, you know, ACTUALLY USEFUL? It seems you can't place a container on the original BLMA spine cars unless you glue them on (not gonna do that).

[ljudice]

Thx for the heads up - just picked up 2 three unit cars at Lombards.

I was not fond of the hitch or pedestals in the old cars.  It would be nice if someone did 53' trailers and kept them re-supplied...

[ednadolski]

I don't usually remark about prices, but those look to be about $28 per platform,  so a 30-platform intermodal train would weigh in at $840 just for the spine cars -- without trailers or locos.

Ed

[ljudice]

Even crazier - 4 years since announced - and likely 4 more years until Trainworx re-runs UPS and other trailers seen on these cars.

[samusi01]

I don't usually remark about prices, but those look to be about $28 per platform,  so a 30-platform intermodal train would weigh in at $840 just for the spine cars -- without trailers or locos.

Ed

Now price them with Trainworx' cattle haulers on each platform...

[milw156]

Now price them with Trainworx' cattle haulers on each platform...

I picked up an undec cattle trailer at a show for $10-15, the tractors are what make the set so expensive

[cfritschle]

I picked up an undec cattle trailer at a show for $10-15, the tractors are what make the set so expensive

True, and the extensive tractor and trailer announcements Trainworx made in November 2020 had the MSRP for most of the trailers at $24.95.  You can see the announcements here if you scroll down a bit.  https://nscalevehicles.org/news.php

Most of the retailers I know of had a pre-order price for the Trainworx 28-ft and 53-ft trailers of less than $20.00.  (The ones appropriate for the spine cars.  )

On the other hand, the Athearn UPS 40-ft drop frame UPS trailers that were announced in June 2021 had a MSRP of $34.95.   

[mu26aeh]

Just wish we'd get all the stuff that's already on pre-orders before they even announce another item.  Besides, use DigCom Designs retailers, much cheaper and you can print as many as you want with just your paper and ink, wheelsets from Shapeways.  Mix em in with your RTR trailers and hardly tell a difference.   Scott Teague did this and no one was wiser

[EspeeGoldenState]

I picked up an undec cattle trailer at a show for $10-15, the tractors are what make the set so expensive

I'm going to have to disagree with that statement. And I provide this as evidence:

As of this post, it has 18 hours left on it and currently at $66 just for the bull trailer alone.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125474549557

[Teditor]

Or you can get it in Downtown Australia from that Ebay seller for just $118.62 (Aus), includes postage and import charges and the bidding hasn't ended as I type this.

Ted (Teditor) Freeman

From the Land Down Under where the prices are higher!

[ljudice]

Just got mine:

- beautiful
- same poly bag of hitches and pedastals
- some cars are wrapped in clear plastic and tightly taped - a pain to get off


The hitches have holes to fit TWX trailers or so it seems...  and JTC 53' container pins seem to fit into holes and "lock" in place...

on closer look - its the same dumb container mounting system as before.

[w neal]

What about the diameter of the hole in the hitches for trailers? Did Atlas make them any bigger or are they the same size as under BLMA ownership?

[ljudice]

What about the diameter of the hole in the hitches for trailers? Did Atlas make them any bigger or are they the same size as under BLMA ownership?

It looks larger...

[MetroRedLine]

What about the diameter of the hole in the hitches for trailers? Did Atlas make them any bigger or are they the same size as under BLMA ownership?

The trailer hitches for the BLMA spine cars were always able to accept the standard 5th wheel pin for N scale trailers. I run Deluxe and Trainworx trailers on my BLMA spine cars all the time.

It was the F89J 89' TOFC flats that had the tiny scale-size hitches that could not accept any of the commercially-available N scale trailers. I hacked a couple of mine by removing the hitch plate and replacing it with one from a bag of spare BLMA spine car hitch parts. Not prototypical of course, but they can't be seen at all with trailers mounted on them.

[MetroRedLine]

Just got mine:

- beautiful
- same poly bag of hitches and pedastals
- some cars are wrapped in clear plastic and tightly taped - a pain to get off


The hitches have holes to fit TWX trailers or so it seems...  and JTC 53' container pins seem to fit into holes and "lock" in place...

on closer look - its the same dumb container mounting system as before.

Thanks for the clarification. You just saved me some money there!