Trailer Train 53 ft GSC flatcars

[nkalanaga]

Athearn painted their N scale GSC flatcar for Trailer Train, using both DTTX and LTTX initials.  I haven't been able to find pictures of anything close to either one.

Did Trailer Train ever have 53 ft GSC flatcars, and if they did, what would be appropriate reporting marks?  I model 1974, so would prefer information for that period, but any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[jagged ben]

DTTX is for double stack container cars and is almost certainly incorrect.

The LTTX may be correct, or at least passable as a similar car.  It would be for TOFC service though.

See: http://www.nakina.net/other/report/reportttx.html

[Ike the BN Freak]

DTTX is for double stack container cars and is almost certainly incorrect.

The LTTX may be correct, or at least passable as a similar car.  It would be for TOFC service though.

See: http://www.nakina.net/other/report/reportttx.html

DTTX was not always for well cars,

Autoracks http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=DTTX&cid=13
Flatcars http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=DTTX&cid=3

TTAX, which is now for all purpose spine cars used to be for 89' flats to haul trailers.  TTX changes the car type for reporting marks as the industry changes.

[jagged ben]

DTTX was not always for well cars,

Yes it was.  That's according to the link I provided and any clear photo I've ever seen.

Autoracks http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=DTTX&cid=13
Flatcars http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsList.aspx?id=DTTX&cid=3

Take a look at the actual photos in those links.  They are all misidentified.  The ones that may look a bit like DTTX are actually OTTX, QTTX, or PTTX.  Others, like the well car identified as an autorack, are clearly just data entry mistakes, or inaccurate guesses. 

TTAX, which is now for all purpose spine cars used to be for 89' flats to haul trailers.  TTX changes the car type for reporting marks as the industry changes.

Yes, that's true, and LTTX is a good example of one that has changed.  But DTTX is not. 

[rswinnerton]

The GSC flats came in 4 main variations.
1- PRR - had additional steel stringers in the deck for welding bracing
2- Standard - regular old flatcar
3- Bulkhead flat - had bulkheads for each end.
4- Trailer Service - Early ones had circus style ramps at each end, all had rub boards down the sides and a hitch.

We're there LTTX 53' cars? Plausible. Ed's law ought to clear this up...

[James Costello]

Trailer Trailer did have 53' flats and they most likely just wore TTX reporting marks and probably of PRR origin. Some were repainted in TT yellow and there is a least one color photo on fallenflags.
http://gelwood.railfan.net/ttx/ttx475xxk.jpg

They were only a stop gap measure until production of the 85' and longer flats caught up with demand - TT had already decided against their weight penalty and was moving towards the efficiency of the longer cars.

I don't have my books in front of me at the moment, so I'll confirm what else I can later on - builder etc.

BTW, there will be two intermodal books from Morning Sun later this year.

[nkalanaga]

In other words, it's unlikely, but not impossible, that TTx was running 53 ft general-purpose flats in 1974?

Also, I'll agree that most, if not all, of the "DTTX" flatcars online are actually something else.

Looks like I'll get out my decals and replace the Ds with Ls.  That should make the cars a little more plausible.  At least the initials were in use in my period, were apparently used for 53 ft +/- flatcars, and COULD have been left on a car that had been removed from trailer service.  I don't remember ever seeing a TTX single-trailer flatcar in the 70s.  A few GN and NP cars, yes, but all of the TTX cars were 80+ ft two-trailer cars.

Thank you, everyone, for your help.

[jagged ben]

In other words, it's unlikely, but not impossible, that TTx was running 53 ft general-purpose flats in 1974?

Actually I think it would be fairly certain, but what's less certain is precisely which reporting mark they would have had.  I would go with the straight 'TTX' as the most likely, since we have some pictures of that from the 80s. 

[nkalanaga]

Not a bad thought.  I can just paint out the L or D, and if a picture of a GSC flat in general service in 1974 turns up, add the proper letter then, if needed.  Thank you!

[ljudice]

I saw one of the 53' TT flats in Intermodal Service on Conrail around 1993....  But it's the only
time I remember seeing one.

[nkalanaga]

BY 1993 they would make sense in TOFC service.  A 53 ft trailer would fit perfectly on a 53 ft flat, and they'd be cheaper than a new spine car.  A lot of railroads were rebuilding older cars into single-trailer TOFC cars, so why not use the ones already available.

I painted out the L and D, about two minutes worth, and removed the modern style lube plates while I was at it.  They may not be "prototypical", but at least they look more like 1974 cars, and no one can complain about the reporting marks.

Thank you, everyone.