Atlas TOFCs

[jagged ben]

How well will they stay coupled with BM couplers? Any thoughts on minimum radius curves for this new generation of equipment with body mounted couplers?

I will say less than 18" for mimimum radius, maybe 17" or 16".  That is about is the minimum for the curves into our staging yards at the club, and they have not been a problem for my BLMA cars.  The Atlas has an accumate so perhaps that will be slightly different due to the shank length.

We do have an S-curve on our layout that is about 16" in both directions, and that does cause problems for the BLMA cars, even if they are coupled to a truck mounted car.  (That piece of track will get redone, and not just for that reason.)

[bbussey]

How well will they stay coupled with BM couplers? Any thoughts on minimum radius curves for this new generation of equipment with body mounted couplers?

I don't use Bachmann couplers, as they are far larger than any other N scale knuckle coupler. The cars appear to be able to traverse 11" radius trackage. I didn't see any disclaimers on the package, so they may run on tighter radii even though they wouldn't look very good in doing so.

[basementcalling]

I don't use Bachmann couplers, as they are far larger than any other N scale knuckle coupler. The cars appear to be able to traverse 11" radius trackage. I didn't see any disclaimers on the package, so they may run on tighter radii even though they wouldn't look very good in doing so.

Brian, BM was short for body mount, not Bachmann. I know BMs are better for reliably being able to back up cars and in switching, but wonder how their increasing use will impact minimum radius requirements for the scale.

[bbussey]

Ah.  Well, motive power has been equipped with body-mounted couplers for nearly two decades — including all that modern GE and EMD power we are seeing from Kato and FVM.  So if it works for motive power, it will work for rolling stock.  And, anyone running over 9¾" radii trackage shouldn't be running equipment longer than 40' anyway.

[Kisatchie]

Yup, the Atlas version first appeared in 1973:
IIRC, this is true of the MTL version as well.

I have some Micro-Trains yellow Trailer Train flats with built dates of 1973, but I also have box car red Trailer Train flats with built dates of 1968. I'm going to repaint the yellow cars box car red and change the dates to fit my era. Problem solved.


Hmm... does anyone make
the correct Trailer Train
decals...?

[bbussey]

CORRECTION:  Atlas recommends a 13" minimum radius for the TOFCs.

[wcfn100]

Maybe in 20 more years we'll get a 4th variation. 


Jason

[Mark5]

I have some Micro-Trains yellow Trailer Train flats with built dates of 1973, but I also have box car red Trailer Train flats with built dates of 1968. I'm going to repaint the yellow cars box car red and change the dates to fit my era. Problem solved.


Hmm... does anyone make
the correct Trailer Train
decals...?

I had some of the MTL boxcar reds too. Foobs. Sold them when the BLMA F89 was announced (1967).

[Kisatchie]

I had some of the MTL boxcar reds too. Foobs.

I don't care anymore. I'm stuck with them.


Hmm... how pathetic...

[nkalanaga]

Kiz:  Unless you're a freight car fanatic, I would imagine the late 60s Trailer Train flats looked a lot like the 1973 order.  Especially in a moving N scale train I doubt that most people (including me) would notice the error.  I'll keep mine, as spending the money to replace them would blow my budget.

As for the 0.01 inch height difference, I'll assume the trailers on the MT cars, if they have trailers, are empty.  Truck spring travel would probably make at least that much difference. 

[nkalanaga]

Bryan:  I would tend to agree about sharp curves, BUT...

In the late 60s, on a grade school field trip, I saw the Yakima Valley electric railway take an 89 ft flatcar around a former interurban curve, in a street intersection.  The electric motor was uncoupled, the brakes were disconnected from the trucks, the rails were greased, and the car was towed around the curve with a chain.  It squealed a lot, but they got it around.  All while the bus full of kids sat there and watched because the intersection was blocked.  I think I was the only one who preferred that to the museum we were going to.  I don't even remember what museum it was!

One can still ride parts of the line on the Yakima Valley Trolley.

[basementcalling]

Almost out of stock already at MBK. Just 1 or 2 of most road numbers left.

[mplsjct]

In the late 60s, on a grade school field trip, I saw the Yakima Valley electric railway take an 89 ft flatcar around a former interurban curve, in a street intersection.  The electric motor was uncoupled, the brakes were disconnected from the trucks, the rails were greased, and the car was towed around the curve with a chain.  It squealed a lot, but they got it around.  All while the bus full of kids sat there and watched because the intersection was blocked.  I think I was the only one who preferred that to the museum we were going to.  I don't even remember what museum it was!

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy stories like this.

[tehachapifan]

I'm confused. How did you get this model already? It appears that everyone is still taking reservations on it. Someone mentions it's almost out of stock at MBK but there's no sign of it there at all (they usually show a model as "out of stock" versus every trace of it removed from the site completely).

[unittrain]

I'm confused. How did you get this model already? It appears that everyone is still taking reservations on it. Someone mentions it's almost out of stock at MBK but there's no sign of it there at all (they usually show a model as "out of stock" versus every trace of it removed from the site completely).

+1