WelcomeToCatcliffeDemon

New tank cars and 89ft 4in intermodal flats hit the roster.

IT HAS TAKEN a long time coming, but finally, after many years of producing freight cars of all shapes and sizes, US manufacturer Atlas has now released an intermodal vehicle in ‘HO’ scale! This is in the form of the ACF-built 89ft 4in all-purpose flat car, designed to carry both trailers and containers.

Other than Atlas’ foray into model trailers with the useful Pines 45- and 48-footers, it seems hard to believe that this important sphere of railroad operations has been all but ignored by the New Jersey-based firm, but this can no longer be said. In fact, things are set to improve even further as Atlas is further planning to release a ‘Husky Stack’ 48ft all-purpose well car later in the year, along with a 53ft container.

While Atlas has produced the flats in a number of lettering and detail combinations, including Erie Western, Providence & Worcester, Florida East Coast and Trailer Train, I have plumped initially for a pair of vehicles set up in their present day three-hitch RTTX configuration with TTX brandings.

While the other cars in the first run are apparently incorrectly supplied with a cushioned ACF Model 5C and Pullman-Standard/Trinity LP3SA hitches, both retractable (I’m told they should sport two of the same, not one of each), the RTTX comes with two Pullman Standard non-retractable hitches and a PS LP3SA, all painted orange, which seems to be correct for the 603646-604645 series ACF10 cars that the model represents. One problem with Atlas choosing this particular number series is that the vehicles are trailer only (TOFC), and thus no container pedestals are supplied, although the deck correctly features container tracks (not see through as on the real thing!).

First impressions of the model are quite favourable, and while the three hitches look very nice, Atlas seems a bit tight in not supplying a collapsed version of the PS LP3SA. This isn’t a problem for the end hitches, which are designed to stay in this position, but the raised centre hitch is only used when loading three ‘pup’ trailers, and is actively in the way when carrying pairs of 45ft or single 53ft trailers. The Walthers Bethlehem flat comes with a selection of different hitches in both raised and lowered postions, so there is no excuse!

The body is completely metal, which is an improvement over the Walthers’ vehicles, and they are supplied fitted with the remnants of the end ramps, along with outer rub rails for the consumer to apply. One less than satisfactory issue is the separate sections of inner rub rails, which allow Atlas to model the various configurations of hitch position. These sit a little proud and will maybe look better after extensive weathering of the deck. At the moment they are too obviously not part of the metal body.

I’m also not that impressed with Atlas’ over-use of plastic for grabs and other fine details, when firms like Athearn and Intermountain use metal for the majority of applications. Even conservative old British company Hornby is fitting wire handrails/grabs to its every part of its models now, witness the recent ‘Shark’ ballast plough brake van, so I don’t understand why Atlas continues to go for second best materials.

Overall then this is decent new model, but due to the TOFC only capability, for all intents and purposes, these don’t add much more to my roster than the Walthers vehicles released last year, other than a few minor detail differences. I was hoping to have at least one of these loaded with containers, but no such luck. However, it seems that by fitting three of the PS LP3SA hitches and a renumbering exercise that an all-purpose flat can be produced, so maybe Atlas will be making that in a later run. Hopefully, if they don’t, then spares will be available for the hitches and missing container pedestals.

There are also some prototype RTTX pictures here:

Not quite as new, having come out just before Christmas, is Atlas’ GATX 20,700gal tank car, which is described as being a general-purpose, non-insulated, non-pressure tank car…

A key release for 1960-80s modellers, these vehicles are of less importance to me having almost been completely withdrawn from service by my present day modelling era. I still purchased one anyway, as I have a bit of a thing for tank cars. Unfortunately, Toy Train Heaven, who supplied the model, did not pack the model safely and it arrived with one end crushed (it didn’t help that Atlas has recently changed to flimsy vacuum formed plastic packaging rather than the much more robust polystyrene of before). As they refused to do anything about it, I set about rebuilding it, and after a couple of hours work you wouldn’t believe the state it had arrived in. Phew!

As can be seen from the images, it’s a cracking new release, only let down slightly by Atlas’ continued use of slippery engineering plastic for details such as the top walkway and the main handrails, the latter still showing evidence of the sprue tabs, which is not really good enough. Some metal components do make it into the construction though, with the end grabs and brake rigging being wire and the end walkways being chemically blackened etched metal. A definite improvement, it’s only a surprise that more use isn’t made of these.

This car is a 1996 repaint with yellow data panel. Atlas describes it as having Type 10 saddles. Type 20 versions are also produced. Two types of top walkway are also supplied depending on the vehicle type - this is obviously the single platform type.

Like the ACF 89ft 4in flat cars reviewed above, these vehicles come supplied with air pipes and coupler cut levers already fitted, so that is a big plus. For most people, all these really need to get up and running are Kadees. Thus, in conclusion, these are as nice if not slightly better than the corn syrup tank car that was the last tanker that Atlas produced in ‘HO’ scale.

This is what the real thing looks like: