MTL Track Inspection Cars

[spookshow]

I'm having a little trouble sorting out the genealogy of these various MTL track inspection cars. The UP and CN cars look like MTL FMC 50' Rib Side Box Cars with extra doo-dads added, and the KCS car looks like an MTL NSC 60' Hi-Cube Box Car. But that CSX car? I don't recall ever seeing a waffle sided MTL car like that, but maybe I missed a release. Or maybe it's its own prototype and not based on any previous car. Little help?









Thanks!
-Mark

[mu26aeh]

Paging @JoeD

[John]

https://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4952781

[spookshow]

Just to be clear, I'm not looking for prototype info. I'm trying to figure out which existing MTL cars were used to make these inspection cars (since I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that the inspection car bodies are not new/unique tooling).

-Mark

[basementcalling]

Just to be clear, I'm not looking for prototype info. I'm trying to figure out which existing MTL cars were used to make these inspection cars (since I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that the inspection car bodies are not new/unique tooling).

-Mark

Closest style I can find, Mark, is this one.

USED Micro-Trains 10300010 N Scale 60' Box Car Excess Height Double Plug Doors, Waffle Side



They did a DRGW run on those, but the doors are not the same, and the waffle pattern on the CSX car is more extensive.

[spookshow]

It also has more ribs. I don't think that's the one.

-Mark

[GaryHinshaw]

There was this (scraped from this N Scale Supply page), but it seems to have been a one off variant of the rib-side car:

[Spades]

There was this (scraped from this N Scale Supply page), but it seems to have been a one off variant of the rib-side car:

The stirrups, ends and door look like MT.  The waffle side looks like exactrail waffle PS boxcar.

[spookshow]

Sort of, but once again the wrong number of ribs -



-Mark

[Sokramiketes]

Are you sure the waffles are tooled into a new car side?   

@JoeD is laughing right now, I'm sure.  As that looks like a UV Printing application that is tricking the eye into thinking they tooled a new car side.  It's the same as the UP car.

The best story about paint tricking the eye I ever heard was from Charlie Vlk.  He was working the counter at All Nation Hobbies in Chicago one weekend.  The proud new owner of a brass CNS&M trolley came into the shop looking for corrugated metal.  He had sanded off all the rivets on the side of the carbody and wanted to change it into one of the "corrugated" silverliners.  Charlie had to tell him the prototype still had the rivets and the corrugations were shadow-lined paint.  OH NO.

[Sokramiketes]

There was this (scraped from this N Scale Supply page), but it seems to have been a one off variant of the rib-side car:

Also paint...

[bbussey]

The waffles appear to be printed on the standard ACF sliding door body. The large printed lettering on the door ribs has contour, the lettering on the waffles does not.

[mu26aeh]

The waffles are present, can feel them with your fingernail, they are not as deep as the exactrail cars

[Spades]

Edited I took time to go back and read the entire thread.  Removed my anal cap and stepping away from the keyboard.

[Sokramiketes]

The waffles are present, can feel them with your fingernail, they are not as deep as the exactrail cars

I think you’re feeling the UV ink applied to the car side to make the waffles.