The Great Legacies left behind by AHM

[bn7023]

The thread subject has been changed. May 8, 2024

50' Evans Bread-Box coil cars (AHM/Lionel/Bachmann)

Drawings and photos of this prototype were published in the August 1968 issue of MR magazine (as "Integral cover coil car"). However, the drawings are messes. The wheel diameter is 33" instead of 38" for 125-ton cars, and it isn't equipped with a Hydra-Cushion's protrusion under the floor. So they have no reliability.  Has anyone fixed these, including the floor with the wrong center-depressed shape? My processing was easy.









P.S. Please note that the equipment arrangement on the end of the product is reversed. Due to the narrowness of this platform, the hand brake handle can only be installed in the direction shown in this photo. 1011

[jeoffreythecat]

Prototype Modeler December 1986 issue. Kevin Tomasic article on how he made a silk purse out of this sow's ear. Replacing the trucks/couplers/ends ladders is the easy park. He showed how to rebuild/replace the interior to replicate the planking.

[wagnersteve]

2/24, 4:26 p.m., EST

bn7023, who did the original scale drawings in Model Railroader? Decades ago those were usually very good.

P.S.  I still have one of the AHM P&LE cars and have not yet made any corrections to it.  Maybe someday . . .

[grabirons]

I seen a few of these at a train show recently and passed on them. It looks like a descent car with knuckle couplers on it. I think what really helps is the way you photograph your models. Everything looks very clean and properly lighted in a way that makes your freight cars look fantastic honestly no matter the manufacturer, it looks like a mainline car. Thanks for the great pictures.

[edwardsutorik]

I've got one of the B&LE ones. I've thought I'd do a "de-topped" one. I do think it's a pretty awful model, but it's what we've got.

What would be so-cool would be to do all the old AHM goof-ball freight cars, but to present top quality standards. Probably not "needed", but still lots of fun.


Ed

[lvrr325]

Where did these run between? I don't think I've seen pictures of them anywhere I am trying to model.

[dti406]

I started a project to make a more realistic model of this car but, I have not finished it yet. In this project I removed the frame from the old AHM car and replaced it with a modified frame from a Walther Coil Car.

Here are the components after having removed the original frame from the AHM car and the disasambled Coil Car.



The modified part of the frame that holds the coils.



The coil cradle inserted in the sides and ends of the AHM car.



I still have to make the end platforms and attached the brakwheel parts,then paint and decal.

Rick Jesionowski

[edwardsutorik]

These cars ran on the "steel routes" in the Northeast.

They were built in 1966: B&LE 31000-31009 and P&LE 42250-422599.

The lids didn't work out, and they were soon removed. The B&LE got mostly lift-off covers, though there were some sliding ones, too.

The P&LE ones went to the H&S, keeping their old numbers. You can see lots of photos of them over on rrpicturearchves.


Ed

[talltim]

A while ago I made a rough document with all the photos and drawings I could find on the net of these
docs.google.com/document/d/1qU0vvUg46LahhXY-y9GIT5NjZYtFuDPe/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=109921750163737225135&rtpof=true&sd=true

[crblue]

I have a few of these in storage in blue with silver tops. They still have the original trucks with very long coupler boxes attached to them, and horn hook couplers installed.

Hopefully mine can look that clean one day!