Intermountain 70 Ton 53' 6" Flatcars: Photos Online

[Sokramiketes]

Yeah, okay, I forgot about the bulkhead flats as they are a little too much fantasy to fit into the roster.

Jason

They didn't make the CGW trainlists, or you don't think they have a prototype?

[central.vermont]

The service date on the NH car is 1960, but the cars existed the entire 1950s in that scheme so I'll be backdating mine.  The B&O service date is late also, but the same thing applies.

Brian,
I also plan on getting these and am wondering what you will be doing  to back date them.

Jon

[wcfn100]

Are you sure the bulkhead flats are out of your era?

Not so much an era thing but a combination of prototype fidelity and likely hood of needing one in central Iowa.

They didn't make the CGW trainlists, or you don't think they have a prototype?

I don't see any on the list  but that doesn't exclude a nice prototype car from somehow making the roster.

So is there a prototype?   I know the NH car is way off and I think that the bulkhead style IM used is typically homemade which usually means it's good for one road.


The bottom line is that in a roster of 300-400 cars, I can only get in 3-4 bulkhead flats for wall board and lumber, and foobie east coast cars aren't going to be filling them.  About the only way I could use one is if there's actually is a prototype for it and then give it a special load like a large engine block or something.

So, again, is there a prototype?


Jason

[bbussey]

Brian,
I also plan on getting these and am wondering what you will be doing  to back date them.

I'm just going to change the year in the service date from 1960 to 1956.

[bbussey]

Not so much an era thing but a combination of prototype fidelity and likely hood of needing one in central Iowa.

I don't see any on the list  but that doesn't exclude a nice prototype car from somehow making the roster.

So is there a prototype?   I know the NH car is way off and I think that the bulkhead style IM used is typically homemade which usually means it's good for one road.

The bottom line is that in a roster of 300-400 cars, I can only get in 3-4 bulkhead flats for wall board and lumber, and foobie east coast cars aren't going to be filling them.  About the only way I could use one is if there's actually is a prototype for it and then give it a special load like a large engine block or something.

So, again, is there a prototype?

You say the NH car is off.  But NH had bulkhead flats formulated from this prototype flat.  The bulkheads were more rectangular, than triangular, but they had them and the bulkheads on the model can be modified to be more accurate to the prototype.  It is unlikely that InterMountain just whipped this bulkhead design out of thin air, so they have to be based on some specific prototype and it has to be one of the four roads that they've released on the HO model.

[wcfn100]

You say the NH car is off.  But NH had bulkhead flats formulated from this prototype flat.  The bulkheads were more rectangular, than triangular, but they had them and the bulkheads on the model can be modified to be more accurate to the prototype.  It is unlikely that InterMountain just whipped this bulkhead design out of thin air, so they have to be based on some specific prototype and it has to be one of the four roads that they've released on the HO model.

Yeah, that's way off for a bulkhead flat.  Having the wrong flat but correct bulkheads would be better for me as they are much more identifiable with normal viewing.

I don't think IM took the bulkhead design out of thin air because that would require more work than copying a prototype.  If they took the design from one of the HO releases, then a picture exists.  Maybe it will surface someday.  We know it's not NH, so B&O, EL (E?), and NYC are what's left, but I can't find any picture for those.  I'd ask them, but I'm not going to waste their time on something I'm not going to buy.  Maybe the STMFC group would be able to answer this.  I know they covered the flat when it came out.

edit: A quick search of the STMFC says that the design is B&O.  With a shop date of '65, I may have to get this one and take it out of wall board service.

Jason

[jmlaboda]

Yeah, okay, I forgot about the bulkhead flats as they are a little too much fantasy to fit into the roster.[/quoter]

Yeah, that's way off for a bulkhead flat.[/quoter]

But shortened they will be ideal for being the basis of some early pulpwood cars for my freelanced roads.

[bbussey]

Yeah, that's way off for a bulkhead flat.  Having the wrong flat but correct bulkheads would be better for me as they are much more identifiable with normal viewing.

I don't think IM took the bulkhead design out of thin air because that would require more work than copying a prototype.  If they took the design from one of the HO releases, then a picture exists.  Maybe it will surface someday.  We know it's not NH, so B&O, EL (E?), and NYC are what's left, but I can't find any picture for those.  I'd ask them, but I'm not going to waste their time on something I'm not going to buy.  Maybe the STMFC group would be able to answer this.  I know they covered the flat when it came out.

edit: A quick search of the STMFC says that the design is B&O.  With a shop date of '65, I may have to get this one and take it out of wall board service.

Hardly.  It's far easier to correct the bulkheads than the flatcar, and this modification is easier than I realized.  I'd forgotten the center supports are angled.  All that's needed is new rectangular framework.  Years ago I kitbashed one from two old Atlas/Austria bulkhead flats.  Modifying the InterMountain car will be less difficult than that.

Now that you've found the model is based on the B&O prototype, your situation is resolved.  The first release is even in the 1950s scheme.  All you will have to do is backdate the service date if you are pre-1960s.

[wazzou]

Although this drawing of cars of the NP were 53' 50T cars, the bulkhead appears very similar to that of the Intermountain cars so it's plausible that these bulkheads were available from a freight car appliance manufacturer.

NP Flat Car Diagrams - Flat Cars 53 Ft. End Racks 67006-67071

http://www.nprha.org/NP%20Flat%20Cars/Flat%20Cars%2053%20Ft.%20End%20Racks%2067006-67071.jpg

[nkalanaga]

The NP bulkhead is more or less the same size and shape, but much different in design, having solid sides rather than the open bracing on the IM car. 

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3298973

[wcfn100]

Now that you've found the model is based on the B&O prototype, your situation is resolved.  The first release is even in the 1950s scheme.  All you will have to do is backdate the service date if you are pre-1960s.

The scheme is fine with a shop date of '65.  The only issue is that this car was in assigned wallboard service and I don't really need any more of those.  If it ends up coming with more correct trucks I'll probably get one and take off the assignment lettering and run it as a foobie until a roster replacement is made.


Jason

[bbussey]

Where is the assignment lettering on the model?  All I see is the return-to routing to Indiana.

[wcfn100]

Where is the assignment lettering on the model?  All I see is the return-to routing to Indiana.

Right, I guess I combined two ideas into one, but effectively we're looking at the same thing.  It's saying to return the car to the B&O at Shoals IN. so it can be loaded again with wallboard (per STMFC), which is what these cars were made for and is even noted in the ORER.


Jason

[bbussey]

News on two fronts regarding the AAR Flatcars:

First — I was informed by high-command at InterMountain that the cars are on the water and should hit the market in July/August.  Contrary to their published show schedule, they will be at Roanoke and decorated pilot models of both variations will be on display during the Swap-a-rama.

Second — Prototype N Scale has a special run of ATSF cars that was produced simultaneously with stock items (which explains why ATSF wasn't in the first N release as it was with the first HO release).  Details will be in another thread as soon as I get confirmation to post them.  More details on the model though: the entire carbody below the deck is all diecast with a lacy brakewheel, and it appears the deck top parts are plastic in the photo of the ATSF sample.  So installing laser-cut replacement decks will not be a major undertaking if one desires, other than salvaging the "bolsters" from the stock plastic deck.   I have a photo, which I'll post as soon as I have permission from all involved parties.

UPDATE:  Here's the flatcar pic.