New York Central / Penn Central Flexi-van trailer love from Trainworx

[jagged ben]

Thank you for your help!

I do have a follow-up question:

- What is the difference between Strick and Flexi-Van?

- What flatcar (BLMA, Trainworx or Micro-Trains) should I use if I model 1968 to 1970? Brown TTX? AFAIK the brown Micro-Trains model isn't prototypical. (I have it, it is nice, so no bashing intended!)

   Javier

The BLMA or Trainworx brown cars are both excellent for this.  Some of the non ttx Trainworx too, maybe.  The yellow Trailer Train scheme debuted in 1970, if i recall correctly.

[James Costello]

AFAIK the brown Micro-Trains model isn't prototypical.

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

But if you can't tell the difference then does it matter?

[wazzou]

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

But if you can't tell the difference then does it matter?

Just guessing but he's probably thinking that the brown scheme doesn't belong on that car model.

[nkalanaga]

MT's brown flats may not be prototypical, but they look good, and, 45 years later, how many people would be able to tell?  I can't tell one TOFC flat from another, except by general appearances. 

To those who can, I salute you.  Somebody has to keep the history, regardless of the subject, or we humans lose our "racial memory".

[Ngineer]

the brown scheme doesn't belong on that car model.

That is exactly what I had in mind. It is a great looking car, at least in my opinion.

I also have brown TTX flats from BLMA and Trainworx, so I guess I will be using all of them.

I did ask because the CB&Q had 25 Flexi Van flats (#96000-#96024), but they don't look like any of the above mentioned flat cars. They almost look like spine cars with large end platforms.

   Javier

[amato1969]

The "Trailer Train" brown scheme was the as-delivered scheme for many 89' 4" flush-deck cars.  There may be detail differences between ACF, Bethlehem, and Pullman versions, but the Micro-Trains models are a solid representation, IMO.

  Frank

[gelboy45]

These may be appropriate:

http://www.nscalekits.co.uk/flexivan.html

Gerry

[Sokramiketes]

That is exactly what I had in mind. It is a great looking car, at least in my opinion.

I also have brown TTX flats from BLMA and Trainworx, so I guess I will be using all of them.

I did ask because the CB&Q had 25 Flexi Van flats (#96000-#96024), but they don't look like any of the above mentioned flat cars. They almost look like spine cars with large end platforms.

   Javier

A quick history on the flats:

The original spine car design is the N Scale Kits Flexi-Van with center turntables.  Wheel bogies were dropped off when the trailer body was loaded on the spine car.

The later spine car design, and the one CB&Q had, was end turntables.  Again, the wheel bogies were dropped when the car was loaded.

Once the Flexi-Van fad ended, the trailers were still useful as standard trailers.  They'd end up on standard TTX flat cars, with the wheel bogies locked in place and van secured like a standard trailer at the fifth wheel hitch.

[nkalanaga]

Is that where the truck folks got the idea for sliding tandems, which almost all 40+ ft van and flat trailers seem to have today?