Question About Roundhouse 50' Mill Gondola

[Kisatchie]

I checked Spookshow's website and found out the MDC/Roundhouse 50' mill gondola (or something similar) first went into service around 1930. Like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Roundhouse-N-Rolling-Stock-50-Mill-Gondola-Elgin-Joliet-Eastern-2-/121039641343?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c2e865aff

I wish I had more info, like, can I use them on a 1971 layout. I just need a little encouragement


Hmm... don't encourage
Kiz. He'll keep asking more
questions...

[unittrain]

I'm almost certain Thrall started producing that particular gondola in 1978 or 1979.

[Kisatchie]

That's about what I heard a while ago, but I was hopeful. Thanks.


Hmm... I need some egg
nog real bad...

[nkalanaga]

I believe these were based on the "Railgon" cars, which came later than the "Railbox" cars, which in turn entered service in 1974.  The ends alone would make them a 1970s or later car, and probably later than 1971. 

Now, if you had an old boxcar laying around, and wanted to do a little work, you could change the ends.  It may not match any particular prototype, but it would be suitable as a generic 1960s car.

[cv_acr]

Yeah, that's a "modern" car, definitely not a 1930s design...

That should also be a 52' car, I think that the MDC 52' cars were shortened to 50' to use an existing underframe. The old Athearn HO 50' gon (not sure whether they did this in N as well) is just as bad or worse, as it is also shortened to 50 feet (none of these mill gons were actually 50') and also not even based on any particularly identifiable prototype.

[ljudice]

The MDC/Athearn cars are NOT 50' - they are 52' and they use a different underframe from the MDC boxcars...

BTW, they accept the Atlas Evans underframe which lowers them to near correct levels - a very easy conversion....

The MTL gondola of course WAS shortened to 50' - but take a look at it - it does NOT use the boxcar underframe, it uses it's own underframe, so WTF is going on there?  The MTL Gon gets my vote for the dumbest
model in N-scale - it is a magnificent piece of tooling but why oh why was it made too short and too tall???

- Lou

[cv_acr]

OK, I wasn't sure about the MDC gondola.

They are famous for reusing the underframe from one smooth-side, interior post boxcar on a ribbed, outside post boxcar, and designing the body to fit the existing underframe, which made the boxcar body a full scale foot to wide...

(And lest anyone bring charges of rivet counting or not being able to notice such a small measurement, that's a full 10% error in width.)

[ljudice]

Chris - I don't blame you for assuming they blew it!

It's amazing to me that they got this one right! 

It's amazing how obvious that 2 feet is - especially when sitting with other REAL 52' gons!  The lowered MDC cars look great with the Atlas 2743's and with various 65' cars.   The MTL gons just look wrong, and it's a shame because they are such nice models.



- Lou

[BN1970]

There is a photo of a new Trainworx louvered sided Thrall 52 foot gondola on page 59 of the Jan/Feb 2013 issue of NSR which would have easily been in service by the late sixties.  Thats on top of the non louvered Trainworx gondola which was announced a few months ago.  Then add in BLMAs ACF gondola which was produced in the late 1940's which would have still been in service by the 1970s.

I agree about the Micro Trains 50 foot gondola, to bad.  I sold all mine off at the local swap meet.  Although you can cut a few up for scrap loads. --Brian

[ljudice]

What roadnames on the corrugated sided gon?   

Thanks!!!

[BN1970]

According to what was written in NSR, the road names will be announced early in 2013.  It goes on to say to let Pat know what road names you would like to see for the first run.

I did a week ago, Great Northern will be one of them.  For GN the this new Trainworx louvered sided gondola is 100% perfect as below. --Brian

http://www.gn-npjointarchive.org/GNRHSNewby/GNRHS.Newby.Bk4img275.jpg

[nkalanaga]

Chris:  The MDC boxcars I have match the prototype dimensions stenciled on them quite well.  I don't have every variation they made, though, so which one was a foot wide?

The biggest problem I've found with them is that some of the underframes are poorly cast, and the top and bottom die halves didn't line up, making the sides uneven.  A little filing with a large mill file will solve that, and then the floors go in much easier, without causing the sides to bulge.  Just make sure the bolster holes are still centered when you're done, meaning that most of the filing will be on the side where the top sticks out too far.

Incidentally, the smoothside cars I have (all two of them) have underframe 1.  Except for the waffleside cars, the exterior post cars have underframe 2.  The wafflesides went back to 1.

[ljudice]

Brian, thanks, that's great news....

Anyone know who else had this version of the car?  I assume they made it into BN and I think I've seen something close with ATSF marks.

[BN1970]

Model Railroading magazine in the May & June 1996 issues look at the 52' Thrall Gondola.  There is a partial roster in the June issue.  Unfortunately it does not break out which cars had the corrugations (louvers).  But BN, GN, MP, CEI and UP Thrall gondolas had them.

Since Trainworx's is also doing the none corrugated 52' Thrall gondola, they could also run Milw, SP, B&O, SOO, GN plus other roads and thats on top of what they have announced. --Brian

[unittrain]

Model Railroading magazine in the May & June 1996 issues look at the 52' Thrall Gondola.  There is a partial roster in the June issue.  Unfortunately it does not break out which cars had the corrugations (louvers).  But BN, GN, MP, CEI and UP Thrall gondolas had them.

Since Trainworx's is also doing the none corrugated 52' Thrall gondola, they could also run Milw, SP, B&O, SOO, GN plus others roads and thats on top of what they have announced. --Brian

DT&I had the non corrugated version also but I didn't know B&O had them that is good news B&O did!! I think Conrail may have had both but I'm not sure.