New MTL DODX 68' Flat and Injection molded M1 Tank kit

[jnevis]

Of course you release these while all MRR funding is on hold

[RSWController]

A couple questions.

What era would these fit? I read that the flats were built from 1994-1996. Is that accurate? Second, were these always moved in dedicated trains or would it be prototypical to have a string of three in a general freight? Thanks.

[C855B]

I've never seen these in the wild on anything other than dedicated trains, but that may well be an artifact of the specific routes I railfan.

[Philip H]

shoot - grabbing these would impact augmenting the SD40-2 fleet . . . . must resist . . .

And here's some prototype inspiration:

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Sometimes, DODX flats roll across the CSX Hanover Subdivsion, coming off of G&W YorkRail from BAE Systems in York, but they carry M88 Tank Recovery vehicles.  Just so happens someone on Shapeways has a 1/144 model of the M88.  Wonder if they will rescale it.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/VRM7VG92L/1-144-m88-recovery-tank?optionId=43374581

You know, these were my first thought, since my layout, too, indirectly serves that BAE (Bowen McLaughlin York in my era) plant.

[JoeD]

Is the 4-axle flatcar a DODX design. or is it a commercial design found on other roads?  I assume the 6-axle version is unique to the DOD, since it was commissioned by them.

  Yes, pretty much the same car set up for lighter capacity...you generally see them with one M1 or lighter vehicles or DOD containers.

[ljudice]

btw - M1A (variant tanks) are a dimensional (oversize) load.

On Conrail at least they ran under dimensional rules - usually alone  - not mixed with other stuff, with restrictions in certain places.

[bman]

btw - M1A (variant tanks) are a dimensional (oversize) load.

On Conrail at least they ran under dimensional rules - usually alone  - not mixed with other stuff, with restrictions in certain places.

And here I thought my wallet would be safe. I had forgotten this.  Tanks a lot....

[ljudice]

And here I thought my wallet would be safe. I had forgotten this.  Tanks a lot....

Back in the 80-90's when the Military Ocean Terminal was open, they were quite common on the Lehigh Line, running as MIL or DIM trains...   Sometime as few a$$ 3 cars, sometimes 50-60....

[mu26aeh]

You know, these were my first thought, since my layout, too, indirectly serves that BAE (Bowen McLaughlin York in my era) plant.

I got confirmation from a York Rail employee that they have delivered and picked up M1 tanks from Bae so the cars are good as is unless you want to get the recovery vehicles as another option

[nscaler711]

F*** Yeah!! Cannot wait!!!

[EspeeGoldenState]

Man oh man, very tempted for the three 3 packs. Not so sure on the Navy flats, since 5 would be a little overboard, I seen them usually running solo in a mixed train. I could probably do for one, maybe two, but not all 5.

Least there is a year to save the ole pennies.

Chris

[bbussey]

Too modern for me but they should do well.

[cfritschle]

I live about 20 miles from the Orchard Combat Training Center.  In 2009 they built a spur from the Union Pacific mainline to the "storage" area at the facility.  At the end of the spur, they built a small to medium sized "intermodal style" yard to unload the flats as well as autoracks.  https://www.google.com/maps/@43.2959005,-116.0480984,555m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

While sometimes I see trains dedicated to just the military equipment, more frequently, the military equipment is in a block in a regular manifest train.  National Guard units from a variety of states will ship their equipment to the training facility, and then of course ship it back home when they have finished their training.

Needless to say, I am going to be "needing" some of these.   

I also hope that Micro-Trains will release the tanks separately.  I don't know much about the war gamer market, but maybe the war gamers would want to buy some tanks as well.

Carter

[mu26aeh]

@Shipsure it mentions the tanks will be unassembled kits.  Do you know how these are going to be yet ?  Tracks and turret separate from the main body ?