Athearn Nov - 33.9k LPG tanks, 89' BSC F89F TOFC Flat

[Mark5]

Awesome news about the F89F, nice to have a new model to go with the Atlas & MTL ACF 89 footer, as well as the BLMA/Atlas F89J and of course the Trainworx 85 footers.

[jpwisc]

I'm glad to see more of the LPG tanks coming. These are gold and are getting harder and harder to find. The prototype for my line added a LPG loadout after the last run of cars, so I've been playing catch-up.

[sundowner]

Awesome news about the flats, the schemes are to all for me so hopefully something more modern will be in the next release like  triple 53. The 33.9k tank cars are always welcome.

[Mark5]

plus these

http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/112516/11_N-scale_53ft_GSC_Bulkhead_Flat_112516.pdf

Does anyone know if the TTX cars are based on any prototype? Or are they fantasy? Checking the usual suspects (websites), I found no evidence.

Mark

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Eagerly awaiting the RTTX and KTTX version of this flat.

[jagged ben]

Eagerly awaiting the RTTX and KTTX version of this flat.

+100 

Were there WTTX or TTWX versions?  Eighties modeling is so badly in need of more variety. 

[basementcalling]

Does anyone know if the TTX cars are based on any prototype? Or are they fantasy? Checking the usual suspects (websites), I found no evidence.

Mark

@Mark5  hey, they come in a jewel box. What more do you need. 

[James Costello]

From the August 95 RMC - F89F / F89FH service for Trailer Train:

TTDX (1966 to present) - equiped with winches, chains and bridge plates, cars utilizes for hauling rubber-tired heavy equipment such as military vehicles.
TTEX (1988 to present) - drawbar connected TOFC flats - F89F2 with 5 hitches - four 45' trailers or three trailers up to 57'. 
TTEX (1992 to present) - drawbar connected TOFC flats - B unit of set connected to a flush deck car as the A unit.
ITTX (1966 to present) - equiped with winches and chains, each car may be differently equipped for specific loads. May, or may not, have folding pedestal platforms for saddleback stule loading.
JTTX (1963 to present) - Removed from other service and placed into general service. (Often joked that "J" stood for junk and seen on pole or steel loading prior to PTTX cars). Many are former autorack flats.
KTTX (1984 to present) - TOFC flat with non-retractable hitches at end of car, Twin 45 service, overhead loading only.
MTTX (1966 to present) - Special bulkheads for rail or long steel products.
RTTX (1995 to present) -  TOFC flat with non-retractable hitches at end of car and retractable center hitch, Triple 28 service, overhead loading only. Hitches are cushioned.
STTX (1981 to present) - TOFC flat with two retractable, non-cushioned hitches. Hitches are located to permit circus style loading, car equiped with sliding bridge plates. ("S" often stood for "Specific" service or customers).
TTX (1963 to present) - TOFC flat with two retractable, cushioned hitches. Can be loaded with two trailers up to 40' in length or a 40'/45' combination, 45' trailer must be at the No. 1 hitch. Originally equipped with 48" bridge plates, removed beginning 1 August 1985.
WTTX (1982 to present) - TOFC flat with two retractable hitches, located to permit circus style loading. Twin 45 service. Portable bridge plates required.
XTTX (1964 to 1994) - TOFC flat with 4 hitches - retractable and cushioned. Two trailers up to 40' in length, 40'/45' combination or 3/28' trailers. 45' trailer must be at the No. 1 hitch.

Also in TTBX (1966 - present), BTTX (1963 - 87), RTTX (1963 - 9/85) autorack service.

Article was written by TTX employee Jim Panza, so the use of the term "present" may only reflect that the mark is reserved in the TTX system for that use, not necessarily that there is a great qty of cars in that service - check your ORER for details.

[Mark5]

Thanks everyone for the input on the Athearn TTX Bulkhead.

Apparently the reporting marks should be PTTX or TTPX.

Here's an interesting PTTX:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/pttx92266akg.jpg

Mark

[wcfn100]

Thanks everyone for the input on the Athearn TTX Bulkhead.

Apparently the reporting marks should be PTTX or TTPX.

I don't know if that's true especially since TTPX is a fairly recent reporting mark and I believe PTTX were 60' flats primarily.  I checked my '66 and '69 ORER and the number series Athearn is using doesn't appear.  I think at best you could make the case that these could be F30h flats that were PRR F30a's rebuilt with bulkheads. 

But that's all just based on what I can find.  The reporting marks on the car are pre-70's. Maybe someone with an earlier ORER can locate this number series.  It would give the car class and what I assume would be a PRR history.

Jason

[Mark5]

Jason,

Both PTTX and TTPX date to the 60s.

Here's a TTPX in "red" taken in 1975:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80031akg.jpg

In 1980:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80039akg.jpg

TTPX built 1969:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=715575

Here's some PTTX builder photos (1964-1966):

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=pttx90591&o=ttx

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=pttx90594&o=ttx

More:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=pttx91127&o=ttx

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=pttx91922&o=ttx

Mark

[Mark5]

I think at best you could make the case that these could be F30h flats that were PRR F30a's rebuilt with bulkheads. 

Definitely maybe!

I checked my '66 and '69 ORER and the number series Athearn is using doesn't appear.

Thanks for checking your ORERs, it seems a good bet for me to dodge these for 1975.
Mark

[wcfn100]

Jason,

Both PTTX and TTPX date to the 60s.

I went back to the source I usually use and it says that the TTPX was added in April 1970 which is earlier than I thought.    I generally trust this source, but someone with a January '70 ORER could confirm if those marks are in there previous to that date.  One thing to add to that, the Athearn car couldn't be a TTPX car by definition which says that car has bulkheads spaced 62' apart.  And again on the PTTX cars, I haven't seen anything to suggest these weren't all 60' cars.


Jason

[Mark5]

I went back to the source I usually use and it says that the TTPX was added in April 1970 which is earlier than I thought.    I generally trust this source, but someone with a January '70 ORER could confirm if those marks are in there previous to that date.


Jason

That's fairly close in the big picture to the TTPX built 9-69 flats above.


George Irwin checked in his 4-70 ORER:

April 1970 ORER for a look. Sneeze and you’ll miss it: only two lines in the entire Trailer Train Company’s listing, down
at the bottom of Page 861. (As you can guess, I sneezed.) There is a single car numbered
80000 as Class F68h, then another 234 numbered from 80001 to 80240 as Class F68ah.

http://www.irwinsjournal.com/umtrr/backissues/mt2011-11w.pdf

Mark

[wcfn100]

Definitely maybe!

I don't know why I didn't do this first, but the artwork even shows the F30h class which as previoisly stated were F30a PRR flats converted to bulkheads.


Jason