Loading auto racks

[atsf3751]

I have a number of open 86' auto racks from Athearn and MT. How do you load cars into the lower decks? They look kind of silly always running empty.

[learmoia]

I have a number of open 86' auto racks from Athearn and MT. How do you load cars into the lower decks? They look kind of silly always running empty.

Drive them in from the ends... 

.... at least on the MT cars, the end ramps should fold down so you can slide the cars in..  not sure on Athearn..

[atsf3751]

Yes, but that does not attach them permanently inside the car. I would like to run loaded auto racks. Just pushing them in does not space them properly and they will move in the car when I go up and down a grade.

[mu26aeh]

Would strips of double face tape work ?

[Missaberoad]

Attach the cars to long thin strips of styrene painted to look like the car floor and slide them in from the end?

Either that or carefully attach each car individually with your favorite adhesive and tweezers...

[tehachapifan]

Attach the cars to long thin strips of styrene painted to look like the car floor and slide them in from the end?

This is exactly how I loaded my Red Caboose enclosed racks.

[atsf3751]

This sounds like a good plan, hadn't thought of this method. Thanks.

[learmoia]

This sounds like a good plan, hadn't thought of this method. Thanks.

Never thought of that.. if you really want to get detailed.. use strip of clear styrene (width of the tires).. and lightly spray with dull silver/metal color glue the cars to that.. and it should mimic worn paint from the cars driving in and out..

[flight2000]

Pictures are worth a..... 

These were cheap knock off China specials I got off eBay a few years ago.  Could do the same as mentioned above and paint the styrene the same color as the deck to blend in.  I wasn't picky because they were enclosed auto racks.  I'd be a lot more picky with open racks... 

Cheers,
Brian

[MetroRedLine]

If you're into the prototypical thing, just keep in mind that bi-level auto racks usually hold larger/taller automobiles like SUVs, pickups, jeeps, vans and mini-vans. Compact cars are transported in tri-level auto rack cars (the MTL prototype, which doesn't have open grilles anyway).

[flight2000]

If you're into the prototypical thing, just keep in mind that bi-level auto racks usually hold larger/taller automobiles like SUVs, pickups, jeeps, vans and mini-vans. Compact cars are transported in tri-level auto rack cars (the MTL prototype, which doesn't have open grilles anyway).

Usually...a lot of the bi-levels I've seen going past my office on UP lately have been full of sedans.  I think they are just using whatever is available at that moment for the shipments.

Cheers,
Brian

P.S. I wasn't about to use the expensive (and elusive) Atlas Explorers for the internals of an autorack... 

[peteski]

Usually...a lot of the bi-levels I've seen going past my office on UP lately have been full of sedans.  I think they are just using whatever is available at that moment for the shipments.

Cheers,
Brian

P.S. I wasn't about to use the expensive (and elusive) Atlas Explorers for the internals of an autorack... 

That makes me think if you have the skills to cast resin, you could take an Explorer and make a simple 1-piece mold casting of the body. Then just cast bunch of them as solid resin bricks. That is all you need - just a general shape of the Explorer inside the autorack.

[ryan_wilkerson]

That makes me think if you have the skills to cast resin, you could take an Explorer and make a simple 1-piece mold casting of the body. Then just cast bunch of them as solid resin bricks. That is all you need - just a general shape of the Explorer inside the autorack.

That occurred to me as well since we don't need all the detail inside the rack. Would be nice to have a single piece (like flight2000) with multiple vehicles to just slide into the autorack. If this was a marketable product, maybe a 3D designer could be found to design a vehicle and printed into metal or some other cast-able material that a mold could be made that would slip into MTL and Red Caboose autoracks.

[C855B]

That makes me think if you have the skills to cast resin, you could take an Explorer and make a simple 1-piece mold casting of the body. Then just cast bunch of them as solid resin bricks. That is all you need - just a general shape of the Explorer inside the autorack.

While Explorers wouldn't apply in this case, don't discount the pre-'75 modelers for whom closed or otherwise armored autoracks didn't exist yet. The loads are part of the visible detail, expense be damned.

[flight2000]

That makes me think if you have the skills to cast resin, you could take an Explorer and make a simple 1-piece mold casting of the body. Then just cast bunch of them as solid resin bricks. That is all you need - just a general shape of the Explorer inside the autorack.

I think I remember reading an article about a guy that did something like this, but used paper/manila folders.  For the life of me I can't remember where I saw it though.   

Casting your own, not a bad idea.  I've got a few junk body's left over from when I tried converting the explorer to a police vehicle, so might give this a try once I'm settled in Virginia next month.

Cheers,
Brian