Atlas announces new PS-1

[Bob Bufkin]

Didn't that also bring about the Railbox cars?

[wcfn100]

There were precious few of us who understood the "OMG!" impact of Staggers. It was the trigger for the megamergers, wholesale loss of branchlines and secondary mains, disappearance of regional Class I lines and the displacement of railroaders by MBAs in top management. '80s were a sad time as a railfan, as bad or worse than the '50s for the loss of steam and the big decline in passenger service.

You sort of left out the part about how it saved railroading.


Jason

[wcfn100]

Back to the PS-1.

Is the roof walk a half-etch?


Jason

[central.vermont]

Jason,

The sample model that Cory had at the show was half etched. Cory stated that that was an
over sight on his behalf  and that the production models WILL have an etched through walkway.

Jon

[wcfn100]

Okay, thanks Jon.  Still looks good with the half etch, but that will make models with unpainted roofs a little better looking.


Jason

[BCR 570]

This announcement keeps getting better.

Separately applied ladders means that Atlas can tool for, or Canadian modellers can remove and replace with, correct eight rung ladders for Canadian cars.

A removable etched running board means that cars rebuilt and repainted in later schemes post 1966 can be offered or modelled without having to fill in monstrous holes in the roof.


A significant number of 40 foot PS-1s were cut in half and rebuilt into 50 foot cars by firms such as USRE/USRM/Evans during the mid 1970s.


Tim

[bbussey]

Thanks for that download Bryan.  I'm beginning to think you might be 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'... Watch out for black helicopters... might the boys from Athearn or something.

I'm safe as long as I don't spill intel before its time. 

[Mr. G]

This is great news.  Depending on the roads released, I'm in for quite a few.  I've passed on quite a few interesting models lately because I've got way too many pre-orders backing up.  That, and I blew my budget recently at the hardware store on benchwork materials.  For these, though, I'm willing to commit. 

[wcfn100]

- The coupler pocket is body mounted and includes the centering pin cavity for MTL #1015 couplers.

Any chance I could take the couplers out of the trucks of the MTL cars I have and put them in the Atlas body pocket?


Jason

[Chris333]

Jason,

Why not PM Rob De Rebel?  He should know.

[bbussey]

Any chance I could take the couplers out of the trucks of the MTL cars I have and put them in the Atlas body pocket?

I don't think that #1023 knuckles will work in a #1015-type box because the spring is on the reverse side.  The centering pins might be as well.

[wcfn100]

Why not PM Rob De Rebel? 

Same reason you don't feed strays.

I don't think that #1023 knuckles will work in a #1015-type box because the spring is on the reverse side.  The centering pins might be as well.

Ah, yeah, the spring.  Maybe Joe can work out some sort of packaging for just the coupler and spring w/o the pockets on the 1015s.

Jason

[Dave Schneider]

Jason,

Just curious about the issue of tack boards high/low mount. I realize that these can be moved easily, but the Milwaukee Road Color Guide v.2 page 24 seems to have a PS-1 car with the angle tabs and a high mount tack board. Wondering whether I am seeing this correctly. Just wanted to bring it to your attention as you seem to have done quite a bit of research on these cars.

Best wishes, Dave

[wcfn100]

Jason,

Just curious about the issue of tack boards high/low mount. I realize that these can be moved easily, but the Milwaukee Road Color Guide v.2 page 24 seems to have a PS-1 car with the angle tabs and a high mount tack board. Wondering whether I am seeing this correctly. Just wanted to bring it to your attention as you seem to have done quite a bit of research on these cars.

Best wishes, Dave

I have that book and that's a perfect page to show some of the differences.

The car in the lower photo is a car built in '51.  This car matches the MTL car except for the roof - just trust me  .  The car in the upper photo was built in '53 and matches the new Atlas car except the tack board placement.  Notice that the sil tabs at the bolsters on the upper car are at more of an angle (what I call 45 deg) than the lower, earlier car which go more straight down.  Another way to look at it is that the bolster tabs on the later car are wider/longer than earlier car.

'53 was about the time it looks like PS switched to the later/longer tabs.  And looking through the Pullman Standard freight car book, it looks like the tack boards moved down slightly before the sil tabs changed.  So a picture matching what Atlas has would be great to find but from what I've seen, the odds are against it.



Jason

[James Costello]

So a picture matching what Atlas has would be great to find but from what I've seen, the odds are against it.
Jason

Considering that some of the Atlas guys are members here, perhaps if you asked them nicely they could share a photo/drawing of the inspiration....