Question About Roundhouse 50' Mill Gondola

[ljudice]

Got an email back from Pat Sanders, he plans to do BN on both gons.

[LN2800]

DT&I had the non corrugated version also but I didn't know B&O had them that is good news B&O did!! I think Conrail may have had both but I'm not sure.

I think B&O, C&O, and SBD all three got sizeable lots of ex-Railgons in the early 1980's, and they are currently on CSX.

[cv_acr]

I've seen a number of ex Railgon cars with DRGW and CNW marks as well. Not sure when those were acquired.

[davefoxx]

I think B&O, C&O, and SBD all three got sizeable lots of ex-Railgons in the early 1980's . . .

This is consistent with what I recall.

[unittrain]

I think B&O, C&O, and SBD all three got sizeable lots of ex-Railgons in the early 1980's, and they are currently on CSX.

Ya B&O had quite a few ex railgons.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Got an email back from Pat Sanders, he plans to do BN on both gons.

Guess I'll be getting these...

[nkalanaga]

The BN is good news for me, and hopefully he'll do the GN as well. 

[Denver Road Doug]

The MDC/Athearn cars are NOT 50' - they are 52' and they use a different underframe from the MDC boxcars...

BTW, they accept the Atlas Evans underframe which lowers them to near correct levels - a very easy conversion....

Anyone know if they Atlas Evans underframe is available separately?  I assume you're talking Evans gon, not Evans boxcar.   Just checked Atlas' site and didn't stumble across it anywhere.

Any other means to lowering these cars?   Athearn has another round arriving soon and was thinking of getting more RailGon's and maybe a BN.  It's old tooling but if they can be lowered it's at least more already painted gons to add, which I need.

EDIT: Found this by searching for Athearn gon instead of MDC. https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=19078.msg170765#msg170765   Pretty much answers most of my questions.   I wonder if Atlas offers the parts but just haven't updated the site.  Guess I'll e-mail/call 'em to find out.

[bbussey]

You also should be able to use the BLMA trucks to lower the Athearn/MDC gons.

[ArtinCA]

Yeah, the BLMA trucks work well for lowering.

I caught a UP train in the Columbia River Basin last year heading east with a train of 40-55 ex-Railgons in different paint, hauling slab steel. Made for an interesting train.

[ljudice]

I'm not sure if that Evans gon underframe is available from Atlas....   Bryan's suggestion seems to be the most practical solution...

BTW, the Athearn/MDC railgon is supposed to be shipping (in GONX, BN, CP, CN) next week according to their FB page.

[nkalanaga]

Or do like I did with my KD/MT cars:  Cut the ends of the underframes off inboard of the bolsters far enough to clear the trucks.  Then build new bolsters from styrene, body mount the couplers, and you're ready to go.  If these have the good MDC roller bearing trucks, you can replace the wheels and save the cost of new trucks.

[Denver Road Doug]

I just got confirmation from Atlas that the Evans gon underframe is NOT available.    So, BLMA trucks it is.

I looked at some of the BN gons in the number series and they're a decent stand-in I guess but the top sill is thinner with a stiffening plate across the top-center.   That was just the most obvious thing I saw but I'm just gonna buy one anyway.

[ljudice]

Will probably go for the GONX cars....  Glad to see some Athearn stuff trickling back in...

Hope they do some LPG cars again soon!