New York Central / Penn Central Flexi-van trailer love from Trainworx

[James Costello]

http://www.train-worx.com/15-10nyc%2cpc-flexi-trailers.pdf

Part #                description
40432-(01-03)    New York Central dual mail doors Flexi-Van Service
40432-(04-06)    New York Central dual mail doors US Mail
40432-(07-09)    New York Central Flexi-Van service
40432-(10-12)    New York Central Pittsburgh & Lake Erie
40432-(11-15)    New York Central Cigar Band
40452-(01-03)    Penn Central US Mail

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Sexy!

[jagged ben]

You might think these are for eastern road modelers, but they are really for modelers of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe.

The Santa Fe "Super C" is seen at track speed heading eastbound on it's less than 40 hr trip from LA to Chicago.

Cue the complaints about how manufacturers never do anything for eastern road modelers.   

Yes, I will be ordering a few.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Wasn't the Milwaukee really into flexi service too?

[unittrain]

Thanks again Trainworx  I see several of these joining my trailer fleet.

[Sokramiketes]

Mr. Wallet is unhappy!

[gelboy45]

The SAR, South Australian Railways, had some too!

Gerry

[up1950s]

Wasn't the Milwaukee really into flexi service too?

Much info here Dan

http://pc.smellycat.com/list/1999-05/msg00103.html

[nkalanaga]

So, would these have been seen on the BN in Montana in the mid 70s?   Or should I wait for a non-Flexi-Van PC trailer?

[Ngineer]

Did the Penn Central really transport U.S. Mail?

It was my understanding that by the time the PC came into being all mail contracts had been cancelled, one of the reasons why passenger trains had been cut back heavily.

Can somebody please clarify?

   Javier

[nkalanaga]

There was a lot of mail transported by TOFC in the early 70s.  What was eliminated in the late 60s was the RPO cars, and apparently the "storage mail" cars, which transported but didn't sort mail.

The NP, and until Amtrak, BN, usually had a TOFC cars on the rear of the Mainstreeter coming through Pasco.  The mail could also be shipped in freight trains, as long as it met USPS delivery standards.  After Amtrak took over, BN's main "mail" train was the Pacific Zip, a scheduled TOFC train, which I often saw in Pasco.  I don't know whether it was actually in the timetable, but it seemed to run on a regular schedule.  Some days it was a long train, and I have a picture of it with only ten cars, one F45, and a caboose.

[MichaelWinicki]

Did the Penn Central really transport U.S. Mail?

It was my understanding that by the time the PC came into being all mail contracts had been cancelled, one of the reasons why passenger trains had been cut back heavily.

Can somebody please clarify?

   Javier

Here's an answer to your question from a guy who engineered on PRR-PC-CR from 1955 until 1997...

"We had one Mail train on between Buffalo and Harrisburg just before Amtrak took over, It was Mail 12 & 13. The actual Passengers had already been wiped out on the Buffalo Line. The track was so bad, so many slow orders, they couldn't keep their schedule, and the train ended almost before it started. PC may have hauled Mail East and West on the main line ."

[Mark5]

Looks like on Penn Central they were used in mail service until 73 or 74:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=95&t=47373

Update: according to PRRTHS December 1, 1974 was the end for Flexivans in mail service:

http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1974.pdf

Mark

[Ngineer]

Thank you for your help!

I do have a follow-up question:

- What is the difference between Strick and Flexi-Van?

- What flatcar (BLMA, Trainworx or Micro-Trains) should I use if I model 1968 to 1970? Brown TTX? AFAIK the brown Micro-Trains model isn't prototypical. (I have it, it is nice, so no bashing intended!)

   Javier

[Sokramiketes]

Thank you for your help!

I do have a follow-up question:

- What is the difference between Strick and Flexi-Van?

- What flatcar (BLMA, Trainworx or Micro-Trains) should I use if I model 1968 to 1970? Brown TTX? AFAIK the brown Micro-Trains model isn't prototypical. (I have it, it is nice, so no bashing intended!)

   Javier

Strick was the manufacturer of the trailers.  Flexi-Van was the concept.