Briggs Models Marine Industries 71ft Bulkhead Flat car

[BCOL 747]

Chris

Thank you for that wealth of information. I was not aware that BNSF used these cars. I appreciated your input.

Chris

[GaryHinshaw]

Very nice.  There still seem to be a lot of BNSF-marked bulkhead flats (ex-WCTR series 317510-317609) still floating around.  I'll send you an email with a wish list, Chris.

BTW, will these be supplied with any weights?  One frustration with the ExactRail flats is that they're very underweight.

[BCOL 747]

Hi Gary

I was pleasantly surprised there a bunch that made it to BNSF as that is a secondary modeling interest for me. Now I need more.

The kits will come with weights but I plan on replacing them with custom Tungsten steel weights. Tim has a supplier out of the the US but I may be able to get them cheaper in Prince George. I am looking into it and will let you know what I come up with.

Thanks for your interest.

Chris

[BCR 570]

Interesting to learn that there was secondary ownership in the United States which may broaden the appeal of the kit.

Yes, weight will be a critical factor with a car like this; will require a long thin slab of tungsten.


Tim

[nkalanaga]

Tim and Chris:  Thank you!  I've been wondering about the various reporting marks for years.

[RSWController]

Are these kits going to come painted and lettered? Painted with decals? Or unpainted with decals? Thanks.

[Philip H]

Would these also be they?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=363912

[GaryHinshaw]

Not quite, but similar.  According to Railcar Photos, the JTSX cars were built by Bethlehem Steel in 1991 and are a bit longer than this model:

https://www.railcarphotos.com/pix/79/JTSX%20900012%20Enid_OK_Thomas_Stebly_2014_04_02_79870.jpg


I did a bit of poking around last night and found a few examples of the Marine cars in the US post-2010.  I would venture to guess that most are still in service today.

BNSF examples:
https://www.railcarphotos.com/pix/103/BNSF%20545745%20Enid_OK_Thomas_Stebly_2018_12_14_103611.jpg
https://www.railcarphotos.com/pix/97/BNSF%20545770%20Tulsa_OK_Erik_Edmonds_2017_10_17_97215.jpg

BCOL example (in the US):
https://www.railcarphotos.com/pix/103/BCOL%20864101%20Galesburg_IL_Donnie_Lee_2017_05_30_103845.jpg

ATW example (didn’t know about these before):
https://www.railcarphotos.com/pix/84/ATW%20317149%20Arkansas_City_KS_Rusty_Hinges_2015_01_04_84522.jpg

[craigolio1]

Are these kits going to come painted and lettered? Painted with decals? Or unpainted with decals? Thanks.

If it’s like the other kits. In painted. Modeller provides trucks, couplers, paint and decals.

[cv_acr]

I am not sure about the Exactrail cars. I believe they are a similar length but would have differences in bulkhead construction, number of stake pockets, and safety fittings (grabs, ladders, etc.).

Just to touch on this point real quick, the ExactRail model represents an early 2000s flatcar built by Trenton Works for TTX. Maybe a couple others, but mostly TTX.

[cv_acr]

A few more American connections:

Buffalo & Pittsburgh:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=bprr7608&o=bprr  (ex-BCOL 864xxx, ex-BCOL 866xxx)

I&M Rail Link:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=imrl66009&o=imrl  (ex-BCOL 866xxx, to ICE)

Iowa, Chicago & Eastern:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ice66009&o=ice  (ex-IMRL, ex-BCOL 866xxx)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ice66033&o=ice  (ex-NAFX??)

Georgia Northeastern:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=gnrr7605_2&o=gnrr  (ex-BCOL 866xxx)

Westvaco:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=wvcx00004&o=wvcx  (ex-BCOL 866xxx)

Green Mountain:

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=gmrc10801&o=gmrc   (ex-BCOL 864xxx, ex-BCOL 866xxx)

Looks like BNSF got some ex-BCOLs as well (probably also via WCTR - a lot of BCOL cars went to WCTR. I'm not sure if PROCOR wasn't actually using WCTR as a "holding" mark as a lot of PROCOR leased cars rotated through these marks after being returned from their initial lease...):

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=bnsf545814&o=bnsf (ex-BCOL 866xxx)

Alabama & Southern:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-a/abs317023g13.jpg  (ex-CP/CPI 317023)
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/misc-a/abs400004gga.jpg  (ex-BCOL 864xxx/866xxx)

Atlantic & Western:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/atw/atw317059j27.jpg (ex-CP/CPI 317000-317199)