Date
1 - 20 of 28
Throwback Thursday: Athearn Rolling Stock Ad, Model Railroader, February 1959
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Benjamin Hom
This is why I laugh when I see panic over the retirement of Athearn Blue Box kits...some of them were in continuous production for over 50 years by the time kits were discontinued in 2009. If you can't find these on the secondary market, you're just not trying. Ben Hom
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James Lackner
And did any of these (in this advertisement), ever match a specific
prototype? All that I have ever seen is "similar to, but not an exact match to...." Jim Lackner
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Richard Bale <Rhbale@...>
Irv Athearn lead a rather frugal lifestyle, just he and his wife in a double-wide trailer a few miles from the office. What made me remember that was seeing the Cadillac's in the Blue Box auto carrier in the ad Ben posted. They were inspired by the big Cadillac driven by the Mrs., one of the few extravagances in the Athearn family.
Richard Bale
In a message dated 4/11/2019 3:04:42 PM Pacific Standard Time, b.hom@... writes:
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Garth Groff <sarahsan@...>
Jim,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Some but not many. The 40' flatcar (a hold-over from the metal kits, by the way) only has a Rutland Prototype. Their 40' tank car is similar to SP, WP and UP 12K tanks, but has a lot of problems as it was a retool of their foobie 3-dome tank. Their 40' 10'6" IH square-corner boxcar was used only by two or three railroads. Their cupola caboose is ATSF and similar to some CRR cars (different steps), while their bay window is SP. The crane matches up to closely to several prototypes. The hoppers aren't too bad. None of these are perfect, and I'm sure all of you are going to enjoy picking my suggestions apart. In my view, most Athearn cars are useful as fodder for conversions. Yours Aye, Garth Groff
On 4/11/19 6:50 PM, James Lackner
wrote:
And did any of these (in this advertisement), ever match a specific prototype? All that I have ever seen is "similar to, but not an exact match to...." Jim Lackner
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Bill Keene
Garth, Wasn't Athearn's stock car based upon a Union Pacific prototype? Cheers, Bill Keene Irvine, CA
On Apr 11, 2019, at 11:13 PM, Garth Groff <sarahsan@...> wrote:
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Garth Groff <sarahsan@...>
Bill,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Supposedly, but I understand it is so bad that I didn't mention same. I seem to remember the roof panels are backwards. Some features on most Athearn cars are prototype, and could be used for slice-and-dice conversions, but you still have to get rid of all the cast-on ladders and such. Often there are, or have been, better solutions available. Yours Aye, Garth Groff
On 4/12/19 2:24 AM, Bill Keene via
Groups.Io wrote:
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Benjamin Hom
James Lackner asked: “And did any of these (in this advertisement), ever match a specific prototype? All that I have ever seen is "similar to, but not an exact match to...." The issue with these models, specifically, the two flat cars and the tank cars is that prototype matches are coincidental rather than intentional. This is why you see the caveat “similar to, but not an exact match.” Comments on Garth’s assessments: “Some but not many. The 40' flatcar (a hold-over from the metal kits, by the way) only has a Rutland Prototype.” Again, not an exact prototype, though a good starting point for models as illustrated by John Nehrich, Kyle Williams, and Will Gill in past articles in MR and RMC. Not just Rutland either; keep in mind that the Rutland was under NYC control between 1904-1911, so their freight car fleet reflected NYC design practices. In this case, this would be Lot 344-F and 345-F flat cars, originally built for the Michigan Central, later going to CASO and NYC during the late 1930s system renumbering. http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/caso-482857.jpg The metal flat car kits feature an interesting combination of stamped metal parts and castings, including a stamped metal strip of stake pockets that fit on the inside of the carbody. “Their 40' tank car is similar to SP, WP and UP 12K tanks, but has a lot of problems as it was a retool of their foobie 3-dome tank.” Not the tank car from this ad (the 40 ft “chemical” insulated tank car), which is a further development from the tank cars that Garth describes, which are the non-insulated single and three dome tank cars. What Garth says is true, but these models are salvageable and still the only non-brass game in town for the SP, WP, ad UP 12,000 gallon tank cars. Tony Thompson has a nice writeup on how to use these models on his blog. http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/05/modeling-sp-tank-cars.html Plus another writeup on salvaging the “Chemical” tank car model: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2010/12/upgrading-old-models-2.html “Their 40' 10'6" IH square-corner boxcar was used only by two or three railroads.” Specifically, the combination of 10 ft 6 in IH, 5/5 square corner Dreadnaught ends, 10-panel sides, rectangular panel roof, and Youngstown door makes this ubiquitous model good for only three railroads: IC, SOO, DSS&A. This is one of the two most ill-used models of all time, decorated in any paint and lettering scheme applied to any prototype 40 ft boxcars, and some 50 ft and 36 ft prototypes too. “The hoppers aren't too bad.” None of them were in the ad that I posted…but since we’re discussing them: - The 40 ft offset quad is the ARA standard 70-ton quadruple hopper, with details modeling B&O Class W-2. It has not aged well, and the operating doors are especially overscale and toylike. It is the second of the two most ill-used models of all time, decorated in any hopper paint and lettering scheme and copied by many other manufacturers (Tyco, Rivarossi/Roco/AHM/Mehano, Cox/Bachmann) who offered even more bogus schemes. (There are actually quite a few legitimate paint schemes for these cars.) - The three twin hopper models were actually introduced in the early 1970s, making them latecomers in the Blue Box line. The offset twin is probably the nicest model in the Blue Box line; the composite twin is nice with the exception of reusing the offset model’s tooling for the interior, resulting in interiors that make absolutely no sense; the 7-side post model is a foobie that coincidentally is close to similar PRR and Virginian prototypes. It also suffers from reusing the offset model’s interior. Bill Keene asked: “Wasn't Athearn's stock car based upon a Union Pacific prototype?” Garth replied: “Supposedly, but I understand it is so bad that I didn't mention same. I seem to remember the roof panels are backwards.” UP Class S-40-12. https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Union-Pacific/UP-Freight-Cars/i-VCQBnhr/A The roof is the biggest issue – the diagonal panels are the mirror image of the prototype. Otherwise, it’s actually not too bad. Notes on other cars in the ad: - The derrick and work caboose are imagineered models to reuse the tooling for the 40 ft flatcar. - The containers on the frozen food gon are legit models of refrigerated containers, N&W IIRC. - The TOFC flat is basically a toy, though the trailers are a start for short trailers of the era. - The Auto Loader is patterned after an experimental Evans prototype, but is shortened to fit the Athearn 50 ft flat car. http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/NYC-EARLY-AUTORACK-STORY.jpg Garth wrote: “In my view, most Athearn cars are useful as fodder for conversions” and “Some features on most Athearn cars are prototype, and could be used for slice-and-dice conversions, but you still have to get rid of all the cast-on ladders and such. Often there are, or have been, better solutions available.” There are often better solutions available…but there’s immense learning value from these projects. The plastic is easy to work with; the models and parts are abundant and inexpensive if you take your time and keep looking, and the consequences of making mistakes during the learning process are fairly low. It’s easy to turn up your nose on these models, and going with better models is preferred, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had if you want to use up the ones you already have. Ben Hom
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I have what I have always presumed to be an Athearn metal UP
flat car where the stake pockets pop up through openings in the car side.
However, it is a 53'6" length car that someone in the past has nicely
assembled. Is that what you are thinking of, Ben, or did they do
both?
Steve Hile
From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Benjamin Hom Sent: Friday, April 12, 2019 9:44 AM To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Throwback Thursday: Athearn Rolling Stock Ad, Model Railroader, February 1959 James Lackner asked:
“And did any of these (in this advertisement), ever match a specific prototype? All that I have ever seen is "similar to, but not an exact match to...." The issue with these models, specifically, the two flat cars and the tank cars is that prototype matches are coincidental rather than intentional. This is why you see the caveat “similar to, but not an exact match.” Comments on Garth’s assessments: “Some but not many. The 40' flatcar (a hold-over from the metal kits, by the way) only has a Rutland Prototype.” Again, not an exact prototype, though a good starting point for models as illustrated by John Nehrich, Kyle Williams, and Will Gill in past articles in MR and RMC. Not just Rutland either; keep in mind that the Rutland was under NYC control between 1904-1911, so their freight car fleet reflected NYC design practices. In this case, this would be Lot 344-F and 345-F flat cars, originally built for the Michigan Central, later going to CASO and NYC during the late 1930s system renumbering. http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/caso-482857.jpg The metal flat car kits feature an interesting combination of stamped metal parts and castings, including a stamped metal strip of stake pockets that fit on the inside of the carbody. “Their 40' tank car is similar to SP, WP and UP 12K tanks, but has a lot of problems as it was a retool of their foobie 3-dome tank.” Not the tank car from this ad (the 40 ft “chemical” insulated tank car), which is a further development from the tank cars that Garth describes, which are the non-insulated single and three dome tank cars. What Garth says is true, but these models are salvageable and still the only non-brass game in town for the SP, WP, ad UP 12,000 gallon tank cars. Tony Thompson has a nice writeup on how to use these models on his blog. http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/05/modeling-sp-tank-cars.html Plus another writeup on salvaging the “Chemical” tank car model: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2010/12/upgrading-old-models-2.html “Their 40' 10'6" IH square-corner boxcar was used only by two or three
railroads.”
Specifically, the combination of 10 ft 6 in IH, 5/5 square corner Dreadnaught ends, 10-panel sides, rectangular panel roof, and Youngstown door makes this ubiquitous model good for only three railroads: IC, SOO, DSS&A. This is one of the two most ill-used models of all time, decorated in any paint and lettering scheme applied to any prototype 40 ft boxcars, and some 50 ft and 36 ft prototypes too. “The hoppers aren't too bad.” None of them were in the ad that I posted…but since we’re discussing them: - The 40 ft offset quad is the ARA standard 70-ton quadruple hopper, with details modeling B&O Class W-2. It has not aged well, and the operating doors are especially overscale and toylike. It is the second of the two most ill-used models of all time, decorated in any hopper paint and lettering scheme and copied by many other manufacturers (Tyco, Rivarossi/Roco/AHM/Mehano, Cox/Bachmann) who offered even more bogus schemes. (There are actually quite a few legitimate paint schemes for these cars.) - The three twin hopper models were actually introduced in the early 1970s, making them latecomers in the Blue Box line. The offset twin is probably the nicest model in the Blue Box line; the composite twin is nice with the exception of reusing the offset model’s tooling for the interior, resulting in interiors that make absolutely no sense; the 7-side post model is a foobie that coincidentally is close to similar PRR and Virginian prototypes. It also suffers from reusing the offset model’s interior. Bill Keene asked: “Wasn't Athearn's stock car based upon a Union Pacific prototype?” Garth replied: “Supposedly, but I understand it is so bad that I didn't mention same. I seem to remember the roof panels are backwards.” UP Class S-40-12. https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Union-Pacific/UP-Freight-Cars/i-VCQBnhr/A The roof is the biggest issue – the diagonal panels are the mirror image of the prototype. Otherwise, it’s actually not too bad. Notes on other cars in the ad: - The derrick and work caboose are imagineered models to reuse the tooling for the 40 ft flatcar. - The containers on the frozen food gon are legit models of refrigerated containers, N&W IIRC. - The TOFC flat is basically a toy, though the trailers are a start for short trailers of the era. - The Auto Loader is patterned after an experimental Evans prototype, but is shortened to fit the Athearn 50 ft flat car. http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/NYC-EARLY-AUTORACK-STORY.jpg Garth wrote: “In my view, most Athearn cars are useful as fodder for conversions” and “Some features on most Athearn cars are prototype, and could be used for slice-and-dice conversions, but you still have to get rid of all the cast-on ladders and such. Often there are, or have been, better solutions available.” There are often better solutions available…but there’s immense learning value from these projects. The plastic is easy to work with; the models and parts are abundant and inexpensive if you take your time and keep looking, and the consequences of making mistakes during the learning process are fairly low. It’s easy to turn up your nose on these models, and going with better models is preferred, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had if you want to use up the ones you already have. Ben Hom
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Twenty years ago on the Freightcars mailing list we compiled a list (based on what was known at the time) of likely prototypes for Athearn freight cars I marked with a "*" those cars for which far better/more accurate models are (or soon will be) available (unless you really WANT to model a Rock Island wide vision caboose on a recycled underframe!) ========================================================================== model prototype Rotary Snowplow Lima-Hamilton 1948 -- possibly SOO/UP/CRI&P !! 200 ton crane Bucyrus-Erie? !! bay window caboose SP C-40-4, built by PC&F 1961 !! *cupola caboose ATSF 1750-2200, needs toolboxes both sides !! *wide vision caboose Rock Island, unique short wheelbase rebuilds !! 40' stockcar UP S-40-12, with reversed roof panels !! *40' steel boxcar 1942 AAR 10'6" Soo/IC/DSS&A !! *50' dbl dr steel box ATSF Fe-24 if you don't count the S-corners !! Coincidentally similar to CNW/GTW/MKT/IC cars !! 40' grain loading box UP BF-50-3 rebuilds if you don't count ends !! 40' hicube ribbed PC&F SP/SSW B-70-36 !! 40' hicube smooth UP BF-50-4? !! 50' Railbox XAF10 but it has the wrong roof !! 86' hicube 4-door Greenville !! 86' hicube 8-door Thrall !! *40' DS boxcar based on 1938 GN cars but too tall !! 40' offset hopper 1928 ARA B&O/MP/MILW/B&M/C&O/ERIE/NH !! 34' composite hopper 1943 War Emergency !! 34' offset hopper 1940's AAR many many owners, Atlas makes !! a similar model but it has different ends !! *40' steel reefer PFE R-40-23 also built for NP !! 40' wood reefer PFE R-40-24 but it's a stretch !! 50' mech reefer PFE R-50-6/R-70-8/10 except for ends/roofs !! 50' ribbed reefer PFE R-70-12 !! 57' mech reefer PFE R-70-20 !! 3-bay covered hopper PS2 4740 1968-1972? !! 4-bay covered hopper ACF 5250 late production version up to 1971 !! 40' single dome tank GAT/SP O-50-13 ignoring dome/rivet errors !! 62' tankcar ACF possibly based on GN fuel car in 66 CYC !! 20' smooth container ? 20' ribbed container ? 40' ribbed container ? 40' TOFC trailer Fruehauf possibly based on PFE/FGE trailers !! 45' TOFC trailer Fruehauf Z-Van !! 48' container Monon design !! 40' flatcar Rutland by coincidence !! 85' piggyback flat Pullman 1960-1961 !! 85' all purpose flat 4 feet shorter than the prototype !! heavy duty flatcar Commonwealth cast steel; model is oversize !! 40' pulpwood flatcar based on a rather obscure MP prototype !! Husky Stack Gunderson 5-unit well cars Gunderson Maxi-III gondola canisters similar to D&H cement cannisters !! Athearn cars with no clear prototypes or at least embroiled in debate ===================================================================== *50' flatcar many 13-pockets cars existed but none that !! match it -- can cut down to 12-pockets and !! model MILW road 46' cars !! 25' TOFC trailers who knows 34' ribside hopper rumored perhaps to be similar to N&W cars? !! *50' sgl dr steel box based on 1942 ARA drawings but no prototypes? !! Irv probably took photos of B-50-22, but then !! used the wrong drawings to model it. :^) !! *50' plug dr boxcar based on 1960's ACF but with 1942 ends. Much !! better model was produced by Front Range !! 50' plug dr ribbed box maybe North American leasing cars? Then again !! possibly just a mish-mosh of designs !! 50' DD Railbox by a stretch one can imagine this is based on !! an SP prototype but I think it's coincidental !! *40' chemical tankcar frankly, a mess !! 40' 3-dome tankcar grossly oversize !! *50' gondola a shortened 1941 Greenville gondola !! gondola containers similar to N&W gondola containers? !! covered gondola nicely done roof for a short model !!
On 4/12/2019 2:24 AM, Bill Keene via
Groups.Io wrote:
--
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts
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Tony Thompson
Steve Hile wrote:
I have a model like that, lettered B&O, and have understood it was a Varney model. Probably Denny knows. <g> Tony Thompson
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Benjamin Hom
Steve Hile wrote:
"I have what I have always presumed to be an Athearn metal UP flat car where the stake pockets pop up through openings in the car side. However, it is a 53'6" length car that someone in the past has nicely assembled. Is that what you are thinking of, Ben, or did they do both?" They did both. The Athearn models have a stamped flat car body with rectangular openings that allow the stake pockets on the strip to protrude from the car body. This allowed squared off stake pockets using this type construction. Tony Thompson wrote: "I have a model like that, lettered B&O, and have understood it was a Varney model." The Varney model was also stamped metal, but the stake pockets are in the same stamping as the carbody, and have a circular cross section. Ben Hom
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Tony Thompson
Good summary by Ben Hom, and helpful list re-posted by Tim O'Connor. Just one comment that may not be widely known:
The UP diagram drawing for this class shows the roof the way Athearn modeled it (with panels reversed). Could the Athearn people have had access to this drawing and used it? Otherwise getting so familiar a product as the diagonal-panel roof wrong seems improbable. As Ben observed, the rest of the car isn't terrible, but replacing the roof is not fun. Ask me how I know. Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA 2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com (510) 540-6538; e-mail, tony@... Publishers of books on railroad history
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Clark Propst
I used Athearn sides on this kitbash. In retrospect might have been just as quick to scratch the sides with better sill relief. Might be done in the same amount of time it took to cut the Athearn sides loose and fix?
CW Propst
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Clark
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Isn't the Athearn car too tall compared to the prototype cars? That would seem to be an argument for scratch building the sides if one wanted to be completely accurate. Tim O'
On 4/12/2019 1:26 PM, Clark Propst
wrote:
I used Athearn sides on this kitbash. In retrospect might have been just as quick to scratch the sides with better sill relief. Might be done in the same amount of time it took to cut the Athearn sides loose and fix? --
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts
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Tony Thompson
Another Athearn "raw material" model of significance is the 50-foot gondola (really about 48 feet). Though it has no prototype and is evidently a shortened 52'6" car, it can be, and has been, used to model lots of prototypes, often by splicing in one more panel from a sacrifice car. It was also the basis for a Shake 'n' Take model at Cocoa Beach a few years ago, cutting it down to a 40-foot DT&I car (originally devised by Richard Henrickson).
I summarized my own construction of that project in a blog post, which if you're interested is at this link: The Athearn gondola's rivets are somewhat oversize and the ends useless, and the end panels on the side are an unusual arrangement . . . but the model has had its uses over the years. Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA 2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com (510) 540-6538; e-mail, tony@... Publishers of books on railroad history
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Dave Lawler
I believe the Athern, ATSF offset cupola steel caboose is a reasonable
stand in for a group of Grand Trunk Western cars.
Dave Lawler
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Benjamin Hom
Tony Thompson wrote: "Another Athearn "raw material" model of significance is the 50-foot gondola (really about 48 feet). Though it has no prototype and is evidently a shortened 52'6" car, it can be, and has been, used to model lots of prototypes, often by splicing in one more panel from a sacrifice car. It was also the basis for a Shake 'n' Take model at Cocoa Beach a few years ago, cutting it down to a 40-foot DT&I car (originally devised by Richard Hendrickson). I summarized my own construction of that project in a blog post, which if you're interested is at this link: https://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/01/shake-n-take-modeling-project-dt.html The Athearn gondola's rivets are somewhat oversize and the ends useless, and the end panels on the side are an unusual arrangement . . . but the model has had its uses over the years." Richard's articles in the September/October 1982 and November/December 1982 issues of Prototype Modeler are still favorites. The second article is online at Trainlife and include C&O, DT&I, EJ&E, and SP conversions. Ben Hom
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Benjamin Hom
Dave Lawler wrote: "I believe the Athe[a]rn, ATSF offset cupola steel caboose is a reasonable stand in for a group of Grand Trunk Western cars." They should be - GTW acquired 34 ex-ATSF waycars and kept them in service into the 1990s. Here's a model done by George Dutka. Ben Hom
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Here is a snap shot of the metal car. It would appear
that they were only made for a brief time, as I see a 1954 ad in MR listing 40
and 50 foot flat cars as new. Just a few years later, Athearn moved into
plastic.
I have liked this model, but struggle just what to do with
it. It has 13 stake pockets, where its UP prototype had 14. And the
lettering is mushy and has Serves All The West on both sides. It is nice
and heavy with metal underframe center sill.
Steve Hile
From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Steve and Barb Hile Sent: Friday, April 12, 2019 11:35 AM To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Throwback Thursday: Athearn Rolling Stock Ad, Model Railroader, February 1959 I have what I have always presumed to be an Athearn metal UP
flat car where the stake pockets pop up through openings in the car side.
However, it is a 53'6" length car that someone in the past has nicely
assembled. Is that what you are thinking of, Ben, or did they do
both?
Steve Hile From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Benjamin Hom Sent: Friday, April 12, 2019 9:44 AM To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Throwback Thursday: Athearn Rolling Stock Ad, Model Railroader, February 1959 James Lackner asked:
“And did any of these (in this advertisement), ever match a specific prototype? All that I have ever seen is "similar to, but not an exact match to...." The issue with these models, specifically, the two flat cars and the tank cars is that prototype matches are coincidental rather than intentional. This is why you see the caveat “similar to, but not an exact match.” Comments on Garth’s assessments: “Some but not many. The 40' flatcar (a hold-over from the metal kits, by the way) only has a Rutland Prototype.” Again, not an exact prototype, though a good starting point for models as illustrated by John Nehrich, Kyle Williams, and Will Gill in past articles in MR and RMC. Not just Rutland either; keep in mind that the Rutland was under NYC control between 1904-1911, so their freight car fleet reflected NYC design practices. In this case, this would be Lot 344-F and 345-F flat cars, originally built for the Michigan Central, later going to CASO and NYC during the late 1930s system renumbering. http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/caso-482857.jpg The metal flat car kits feature an interesting combination of stamped metal parts and castings, including a stamped metal strip of stake pockets that fit on the inside of the carbody. “Their 40' tank car is similar to SP, WP and UP 12K tanks, but has a lot of problems as it was a retool of their foobie 3-dome tank.” Not the tank car from this ad (the 40 ft “chemical” insulated tank car), which is a further development from the tank cars that Garth describes, which are the non-insulated single and three dome tank cars. What Garth says is true, but these models are salvageable and still the only non-brass game in town for the SP, WP, ad UP 12,000 gallon tank cars. Tony Thompson has a nice writeup on how to use these models on his blog. http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/05/modeling-sp-tank-cars.html Plus another writeup on salvaging the “Chemical” tank car model: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2010/12/upgrading-old-models-2.html “Their 40' 10'6" IH square-corner boxcar was used only by two or three
railroads.”
Specifically, the combination of 10 ft 6 in IH, 5/5 square corner Dreadnaught ends, 10-panel sides, rectangular panel roof, and Youngstown door makes this ubiquitous model good for only three railroads: IC, SOO, DSS&A. This is one of the two most ill-used models of all time, decorated in any paint and lettering scheme applied to any prototype 40 ft boxcars, and some 50 ft and 36 ft prototypes too. “The hoppers aren't too bad.” None of them were in the ad that I posted…but since we’re discussing them: - The 40 ft offset quad is the ARA standard 70-ton quadruple hopper, with details modeling B&O Class W-2. It has not aged well, and the operating doors are especially overscale and toylike. It is the second of the two most ill-used models of all time, decorated in any hopper paint and lettering scheme and copied by many other manufacturers (Tyco, Rivarossi/Roco/AHM/Mehano, Cox/Bachmann) who offered even more bogus schemes. (There are actually quite a few legitimate paint schemes for these cars.) - The three twin hopper models were actually introduced in the early 1970s, making them latecomers in the Blue Box line. The offset twin is probably the nicest model in the Blue Box line; the composite twin is nice with the exception of reusing the offset model’s tooling for the interior, resulting in interiors that make absolutely no sense; the 7-side post model is a foobie that coincidentally is close to similar PRR and Virginian prototypes. It also suffers from reusing the offset model’s interior. Bill Keene asked: “Wasn't Athearn's stock car based upon a Union Pacific prototype?” Garth replied: “Supposedly, but I understand it is so bad that I didn't mention same. I seem to remember the roof panels are backwards.” UP Class S-40-12. https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Union-Pacific/UP-Freight-Cars/i-VCQBnhr/A The roof is the biggest issue – the diagonal panels are the mirror image of the prototype. Otherwise, it’s actually not too bad. Notes on other cars in the ad: - The derrick and work caboose are imagineered models to reuse the tooling for the 40 ft flatcar. - The containers on the frozen food gon are legit models of refrigerated containers, N&W IIRC. - The TOFC flat is basically a toy, though the trailers are a start for short trailers of the era. - The Auto Loader is patterned after an experimental Evans prototype, but is shortened to fit the Athearn 50 ft flat car. http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/NYC-EARLY-AUTORACK-STORY.jpg Garth wrote: “In my view, most Athearn cars are useful as fodder for conversions” and “Some features on most Athearn cars are prototype, and could be used for slice-and-dice conversions, but you still have to get rid of all the cast-on ladders and such. Often there are, or have been, better solutions available.” There are often better solutions available…but there’s immense learning value from these projects. The plastic is easy to work with; the models and parts are abundant and inexpensive if you take your time and keep looking, and the consequences of making mistakes during the learning process are fairly low. It’s easy to turn up your nose on these models, and going with better models is preferred, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had if you want to use up the ones you already have. Ben Hom
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Garth Groff <sarahsan@...>
Tim,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Thanks for digging this list out. If it is being edited in any way, let me note the ends of the 40' steel reefer don't match the photos in Tony's PFE book. The Athearn car has 4/3 ends. The R-40-23 had 3/3 ends. Yours Aye, Garth Groff
On 4/12/19 12:58 PM, Tim O'Connor
wrote:
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