|
Post by grahamline on Apr 24, 2016 16:46:59 GMT -8
Searching old magazines hasn't turned up much information and the Model Train Magazine Index trc.trains.com/magazineindex/ doesn't show anything about these. 10-panel sides. 7-foot door, high brake wheel. Not sure what roof. No running board. Is there a specific prototype, or is this an MDC invention? Athearn has run a couple of series of these in the RTR line, for $27.98, but I find the occasional old MDC kit for a few bucks.
|
|
|
Post by wp8thsub on Apr 24, 2016 17:21:15 GMT -8
At best it's semi-bogus, as it has a shortened side ladder on the B end despite having the high brake wheel.
|
|
|
Post by Brakie on Apr 24, 2016 17:36:31 GMT -8
Those modern 40' boxcars went though a rebuild program and had the roof walk and long side ladders removed as well as the A end ladder.. The high brake wheel and the B end ladder remain in place. Not sure when these cars was officially outlawed and removed from service.
|
|
|
Post by Judge Doom on Apr 24, 2016 18:13:00 GMT -8
Tooling origins are the MDC/Roundhouse 40' modern boxcar. Prototype...unknown?
Usually the "modernization" programs carried out by railways removed the roofwalk/running boards and only cut down the A-end ladders, leaving both B-end ladders (end and side) intact full-height for the brakewheel. The Athearn RTR one (ex-MDC) only had one of the B-end ladders left full-height (the end one).
|
|
|
Post by grahamline on Apr 24, 2016 19:55:36 GMT -8
Adding a taller side ladder on the B end won't be a problem. I imagine they cut identical tooling for both sides. Will have to look up some of the numbers Athearn produced and see if they fall anywhere near the model. As rebuilds of 40-footers, they were probably well into the second half of their careers when modified. A little torch work here and there is well short of an extension program. Thanks for the help.
|
|
|
Post by wp8thsub on Apr 24, 2016 20:30:14 GMT -8
The safety appliance modifications were mandated by federal regulation. The A end ladders were supposed to be shortened to four rungs. The brakewheel could remain in its original position, provided the side ladder on the B end remained at full height. A grab iron (to replace the one on the running board) was to be installed on the roof, and a yellow label stating "keep off roof no running board" was to be applied to the side adjacent to the ladder - again on the B end only. There were also changes that were supposed to be made to horizontal grabs on both ends of the car. Few manufacturers bother to get much of this stuff right, if they even try at all.
Lowering the brakewheel was optional. If that was done, the ladders on the B end were to be shortened to four rungs also, and the label wasn't required. Out of compliance cars did exist, but were sufficiently rare that having any of them on a layout tends to look more like haphazard modeling than anything.
Too bad MDC messed up on that side ladder, and Athearn never fixed it. Some of the factory paint schemes don't look too terrible.
|
|