MTL November Releases

[johnb]

Was really hoping for an updated version to go with mine:

(Attachment Link)

But I'm thinking along Otto's lines...

it has better trucks, couplers and paint

[dckuk]

it has better trucks, couplers and paint

I know John.

I've updated most of my "legacy" cars, and this example was given to me by a school friend for Christmas back in Chicago, probably around 1974, so I have been waiting until I figured out exactly what I wished to do with it.

Now that there are much better trucks out there, as well as an abundance of source material, I may be ready to take the plunge. Sentimental value be damned...

Once I figure out the right replacement roof walk, trucks, and couplers, I'll consider the paint aspect. 100 ton trucks eh? BLMA time I think...

[jagged ben]

Scroll down to Runner Pack section. MTL should also do these in the old brown TTX scheme, and did any of these cars carry the PRR TrucTrain logo?

I do not see a runner pack section to the page that was linked to in the second post, not do I see anything relevant in the runner pack section of the site.  I did find it on a vendors site.  It is TTYX which are windmill cars and which are is great if your using @Mark W 's version of blades and supports and need cars. 

The brown Trailer Train scheme is actually too old for MTs prototype, and they've done it before.  What would get my money is if they retooled the deck to represent 80s-90s trailer configurations such as TTWX, WTTX, and KTTX.  The current model is a early seventies setup that only works properly for 40ft trailers.

[Cajonpassfan]

Instead of buying the new MTL model it might be cheaper to pick an older one up from eBay then do all the modifications.

Oh, you mean like this?
Otto

[peteski]

Oh, you mean like this?
Otto

Exactly! 

[basementcalling]

Oh, you mean like this?
Otto

Otto, you are storing the helium safely while working on the car, aren't you?   

[Catt]

Those CSX Airslides are going to put a dent in my train show budget.Actually I've been waiting for an excuse to buy some of these cars and now I have it. 

[mu26aeh]

Those CSX Airslides are going to put a dent in my train show budget.Actually I've been waiting for an excuse to buy some of these cars and now I have it. 

How many of these actually made it into CSX paint ?  RRarchives is only showing a handful in full paint, most are still in Chessie colors with patched reporting marks.

[Cajonpassfan]

Otto, you are storing the helium safely while working on the car, aren't you?   

Lol, no, used it to blow up my wife's birthday party balloons
Otto

[eric220]

So for the price of two Bachmann P70's, I can now get two MT close-enough coaches, plus a parlor, and obs, and an RPO? Sign me up!

[Dave V]

So for the price of two Bachmann P70's, I can now get two MT close-enough coaches, plus a parlor, and obs, and an RPO? Sign me up!

Tempting.  I don't need another RPO or obs, although the RPO and parlor could be nice enough if unique road numbers/names.

If I ever finished my two more Hell Gate kits and that R50b I could run my own mail and express train with one of the K4s.

Say it with me:

There has never been a better time to model Pennsy in N..  . Sure we can conjure up a few more wants...but it my almost 15 years in N PRR has gone from one of the more difficult roads to model well in N to what is clearly among the easiest.

[tom mann]

I'm waiting for Milwaukee Road airslides @Shipsure !

[James Costello]

So, @jagged ben and @Missaberoad

Here's an APL roster I dug up:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120911084932/http://members.surfbest.net/intermodal@surfbest.net/DC48X102.HTM

APLU 380000-381399   200    Neptune 1985-86   smoothside, insulated, ex APLU 480000-481399, random numbers #380063 photo RMJ Oct 2002 p.24
APLU 480000-481399   1400 Neptune 1985-86   smoothside,
APLU 481500-481699   200    Neptune 1986           smoothside, leased from XTRA
APLU 481700-482299   600    Neptune 1988           exterior post, leased from TIP
APLU 482300-483374   1075 Monon   1988           smoothside, leased from XTRA #483092 photo RMJ Sep 2002 p.38
APLU 483375-483874   500    Fruehauf 1988-89   smoothside, leased from Transamerica aka ICSU 482300-483299 series
APLU 483875-485599   1725 Monon 1989           smoothside, leased from XTRA (1525 units) & TIP (200 units) 484305 photo RMJ Oct 2002 p.25
APLU 485600-485899   300   Monon 1990           smoothside, leased from Itel #485635 photo RMJ Sep 2002 p.38
APLU 486000-486099   100   Neptune 1986           exterior post, vented,
APLU 486100-486782   683   Neptune 1988         exterior post, vented, leased from Transamerica #486431 photo FCJ - DC p.12
APLU 486783-486932   150   Jindo 1996           steel corrugated, leased from TransAmerica #486788-5 photo FCJ - FCW #3 p.2
APLU 486933-488000   1068 Jindo 1996-97    steel corrugated, leased from XTRA #487209 photo RMJ Oct 2002 p.28, #487750 photo MM Dec 1997 p.40
APLU 488001-488700   700   Monon 1991        exterior post, leased from _____ #488181 photo MRG Feb 1996 p.21
APLU 488701-489000   300   Jindo 1992          exterior post, leased from Genstar
APLU 489001-489100   100   Hyundai 1994           exterior post, leased from Transamerica #489020 photo FCJ - DC p.13, #489408 photo MM Dec 1997 p.42
APLU 489101-489600   500   Hyundai 1993      leased from Transamerica
APLU 489601-490100   500   Hyundai 1994           exterior post, leased from TransAmerica
APLU 490101-490400   300   Monon 1994           exterior post, leased from Genstar, #490265 photo MM Dec 1997 p.40
APLU 490401-490650   250   Monon 1995           exterior post, leased from TransAmerica #490482 photo RMJ Oct 2002 p.28
APLU 490651-491050   400   Monon 1994           exterior post, leased from TransAmerica TRLU 483100-484100 series
APLU 491051-491750   700   (mixed series)          Hyundai 1994, Monon 1993   exterior post leased from TransAmerica TRLU-481900s (Monon)
APLU 491751-493230   1480 Hyundai 1994           exterior post, leased from Genstar aka GCEU 488500-489800s, & 500000s
APLU 493250-494537   1287 (mixed series)         Hyundai 1993, Monon 1994 exterior post, leased from Genstar aka GCEU-485400s?, 485700s?, 486500s (Hyundai)
aka GCEU-486800s & 500400s (Monon)
APLU 496000-497786   1787   Jindo 1997   steel corrugated 496000-496086 leased from XTRA, 496087-497786? leased from TransAmerica
APLU 497787-498986   1200   Jindo 1998   steel corrugated, leased from TIP

I seem to recall David Casdorph saying somewhere online that the early APL ex-posts (Neptune 88-89) had 20 ribs between the stacking posts versus the 19 on the later models when the 48' cans became more common in the early-mid 90s, so that might be something to look out for on the big-bird scheme...if you worry about that sort of thing.
20 ribs and vents:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=882149

I wouldn't imagine a manufacturer making a model specifically one based on the early APL version, so I long ago gave up worrying about the extra rib. The vents are easy enough to add on those versions.

Whilst there will be much overlap with the Walthers schemes we've had for over a decade, as has been pointed out, there is a large demand for EMP, NACS, HUB Group and CSX paint schemes that have been untouched by Walthers for as long. I still just wish this was a Stoughton version and we had some variety in the rib pattern.... oh well.... I've still got a couple coming to support the cause.

[Peter Amling]

I'll be curious to see if the MTL 48's are to scale. The Walthers 48's don't fit very well into the Deluxe or Athearn wells. I would love to replace mine with these if they fit better.

[reinhardtjh]

I ordered 5 painted, unlettered paired window coaches from the LHS so I can go nuts trying to put the stripes on a PRR "close enough" P70 variant.