ScaleTrains N scale bulkhead flats

[nkalanaga]

I considered ordering three, to get free shipping, but can only justify two.  Besides, two plus shipping is still $30 less than three cars! 

I did order one each, in brown and yellow.  Hopefully ST delivery schedules are more reliable than IM's.

[John]

MBK (ModelTrainStuff) is now an exception, given that they closed the local retail store some years ago.

Well, technically the could still be a B&M, since the allow you to pick up orders at the door .. but I imagine the amount of product they move even Athearn wouldn't enforce that rule ..

[pmpexpress]

Hmmm, missed that tidbit...guess I should have ordered three of them instead of two.   Doh!

The ScaleTrains free shipping offer applies to the total dollar value of the products that are actually shipped to you.

In order to qualify for free shipping, another pre-order can still be made for a single car.

As long as any pre-order products have not yet been packed up and shipped to you, in order to qualify for free shipping you can also contact ScaleTrains and add additional in stock items to the order.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Was this a case of the flat car being leased but the railroads owning the bulkheads? Similar to autoracks? The bulkheads are lettered for various railroads. If so, was there some kind of a pool at the time?


Edit *although only the CRIP one seems to have any distinguishing markings.

I'm curious about this too.

I know that, at various points, TTX/Railbox sold equipment back to its owning roads. I've seen plenty of RBOX or GONX cars with railroad reporting marks.

Does anyone know the story with that? When did it happen? Why did it happen?

I know I'm in for a yellow TTX and an oxide TTX, but I'm trying to figure out if I want one of the re-letters too.

[learmoia]

Rock Island kinda make sense with the equipment liquidation..

I wonder if it's kind of an Amtrak situation where partner railroads turn over qualifying equipment to build the fleet.

~Ian

[Rivet Miscounter]

The ScaleTrains free shipping offer applies to the total dollar value of the products that are actually shipped to you.

In order to qualify for free shipping, another pre-order can still be made for a single car.

As long as any pre-order products have not yet been packed up and shipped to you, in order to qualify for free shipping you can also contact ScaleTrains and add additional in stock items to the order.

Ah, ok good info, thanks.

I was on the fence about the third one, and that definitely makes it a no-brainer.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Rock Island kinda make sense with the equipment liquidation..

I wonder if it's kind of an Amtrak situation where partner railroads turn over qualifying equipment to build the fleet.

~Ian

I don't think so. I think it's the other way around, at least after startup (when the PRR contributed some flats to TTX). I believe that TTX and Railbox had their own stuff built that was then, at some point, sold off.

[Missaberoad]

These cars were all in assigned service, built and owned by TTX they were assigned to customers on the mentioned roads.

The "Rock Island" cars are stenciled to return to CRI&P (Rock Island) in Biddle, AR when empty. The SCL and IC cars have similar stenciling for their respective roads.

Would be interesting to find out what service they were assigned to, and how late this lasted.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

These cars were all in assigned service, built and owned by TTX they were assigned to customers on the mentioned roads.

The "Rock Island" cars are stenciled to return to CRI&P (Rock Island) in Biddle, AR when empty. The SCL and IC cars have similar stenciling for their respective roads.

Would be interesting to find out what service they were assigned to, and how late this lasted.

Ahh, ok. I see the Rock Island logos on the CRIP one now.

I've got another question on these. I'm noticing that the TTX ones are all missing COTS stencils. That seems odd, especially with the yellow cars. What's up with THAT?

[ai5629]

Ahh, ok. I see the Rock Island logos on the CRIP one now.

I've got another question on these. I'm noticing that the TTX ones are all missing COTS stencils. That seems odd, especially with the yellow cars. What's up with THAT?

There is a photo on Fallen Flags that shows one of the yellow TTX road numbers TTPX 80677 Scale Trains is producing.  It does not have COTS.  Photo is from 08/71, which predates COTS.  Perhaps this is the car SC used for their artwork.

https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80677wba.jpg

There multiple photos of the brown RI car: TTPX 80570 on Fallen Flags also.

https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80570abp.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80570bkg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80570akg.jpg

There are multiple photos of the brown IC cars: TTPX 80113 and 80298.

https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80113ckg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80113bkg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80113akg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80298akg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80298bkg.jpg

There are photos of the brown SCL cars: TTPX 80039, 80084 and 80095.

https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80039akg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80084akg.jpg
https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80095akg.jpg

I plan on preordering the brown RI car and three, perhaps five yellow cars.  These should be sweet!  Thanks.

Jeff

[Missaberoad]

Ahh, ok. I see the Rock Island logos on the CRIP one now.

I've got another question on these. I'm noticing that the TTX ones are all missing COTS stencils. That seems odd, especially with the yellow cars. What's up with THAT?

Edit: Jeff beat me to hitting send!

That is an interesting observation. The brown scheme and yellow TT scheme both predate the requirement for COTS stencils so they were found without them as shown in this 1971 Willam Brandon photo
https://rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80677wba.jpg
Obviously they would have had COTS stencils added later on.

However the Scaletrains artwork also lacks ACI labels so it could be an oversight on their part. I'm not sure how the HO cars were lettered.

The TTPX fleet is an interesting rabbit hole to explore with all kinds of lettering variations and modifications done over the years seems like no two cars were alike!

It would not be hard to develop a flatcar addiction 😅

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Good think I find strange enjoyment in COTSing cars...

[Missaberoad]

Good think I find strange enjoyment in COTSing cars...

Would be extra cool to have one with the COTS on a steel plate welded the the stake pockets, such as this one!

https://rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/ttpx80298bkg.jpg

[mu26aeh]

Good think I find strange enjoyment in COTSing cars...

They are doing it just for you Ed

[Bendtracker1]

The "Rock Island" cars are stenciled to return to CRI&P (Rock Island) in Biddle, AR when empty. The SCL and IC cars have similar stenciling for their respective roads.

Would be interesting to find out what service they were assigned to, and how late this lasted.

Well that seals the deal, I'm in for the Rock Island version (like there was any doubt).
Since that's the section I'm modeling, I'm betting from Biddle they moved south down the Little Rock section?
I'll have to see what I can dig up, but I'm betting it was something to do with lumber or pulpwood, which they moved a lot of on that line.
Too bad they're only offering one number.