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Post by riogrande on Aug 16, 2022 8:27:42 GMT -8
I got one of the brown from the first run but yes, I've lost track of these since.
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Post by nsfantodd on Aug 16, 2022 8:54:29 GMT -8
I've got two VTTX cars coming. Always thought they were cool Cars. I think I may even have bought the DW parts years ago to build one.
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randy
Junior Member
Posts: 54
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Post by randy on Aug 17, 2022 14:22:24 GMT -8
When did the 60' VTTX cars first enter the scene?
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Post by riogrande on Aug 21, 2022 14:42:46 GMT -8
When did the 60' VTTX cars first enter the scene? I'd like to know also. |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Aug 21, 2022 15:24:07 GMT -8
1985.
Ed
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Post by ChessieFan1978 on Aug 22, 2022 7:38:31 GMT -8
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Post by trainguy99 on Aug 22, 2022 11:45:55 GMT -8
Great work, including the OOS track.
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Post by riogrande on Sept 2, 2022 5:14:00 GMT -8
Jim, I'd have to reread this whole thread to refresh myself too, but I think Walthers tooled the correct options to represent both cars. I believe the issue was that they didn't select the proper deck options for a couple of the variations they did in the first run. Or as I described in my post about halfway up the previous page, they may have cheated a little on the OTTX as-delivered model on the first run to save tooling costs. I'm afraid we probably won't know if they're correct until we see models of the production cars from this new release. Dave The artwork seems to show the continuous chain rack on the yellow OTTX cars. Anyone get one to verify this is corrected now? The bulkheads are out but so far all of the prototype photos show a beefed side will that resembles the side sill of the flush deck 89' flat cars, added on. So none of the photo's from the late 70's seem to match the Walthers TT yellow PS bulkhead. www.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/pttx92328akg.jpgwww.rr-fallenflags.org/ttx/pttx92333bkg.jpg |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Sept 2, 2022 5:33:37 GMT -8
The artwork seems to show the continuous chain rack on the yellow OTTX cars. Anyone get one to verify this is corrected now? Yes. I'm talking about the flats, not the bulkheads. Ed |
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Post by simulatortrain on Sept 2, 2022 10:06:57 GMT -8
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Post by riogrande on Sept 2, 2022 10:13:47 GMT -8
Thanks. The TTX section has a ton of listings to click on to try to find a same car.
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Post by surlyknuckle on Sept 16, 2022 9:21:27 GMT -8
So here's what I got from my three cars; PTTX 92336 BLT 12-64 F60BH (Yellow TT). The new date and the class designation appear to be incorrect. The prototype series were built in 1967 as class F60CH. The car model itself appears to be correct for these cars with fewer bolts attaching the bulkheads to the car body than earlier cars with (35?) bolts. Until a pictures shows otherwise, this car would be correct for the 1970s to early 80s as long as you change the new date to 1967 and the class designation to F60CH I know Jim posted pictures of cars that had modified side sills and the equipment lockers removed but I can't find out anything on when or how many of the cars were modified. Based upon my initial research, I don't think every car got those modifications. Many of the PTTX bulkhead cars (and similar early OTTX cars) were later rebuilt (de bulkhead'd) and lasted into the 90s, usually keeping the same road number just different marks (like ATTX)...and it doesn't seem any of those cars have the modified side sill some of the PTTX cars apparently got in the late 1970s. PTTX 90600 BLT 12-64 F60BH (TT Red). While this series was built in 1964 like the model is lettered, it also has the incorrect class designation of F60BH instead of CH. The model itself appears closer to the later built cars of 1967 so this car would probably be better off renumbered to one of those cars and the class/new date being changed. As far as I can tell for physical differences...the prototype bulkhead sides are smooth on opposite corners but the model has a ridge where the bulkhead meets the flat, there is also a grab iron half way up that is absent on the prototype for this number series. The model has a cross-over grab iron on the car ends also not present on the earlier prototype. The model also has fewer bolts attaching the bulkhead than the prototype for this particular series of car. There is also a kickplate on the outside ends of the bulkheads that is absent on the model. PTTX 91120 BLT 3-67 and 12-64 (Yes, there are two separate and conflicting new dates on the side of the car!) F60BH (TT red with B&O bulkhead). These cars appear the closest in accuracy, which is good for me since these are the ones I wanted the most. Within this series of prototype cars, the B&O had a segment specifically assigned to wallboard service. I'm not sure how they wound up with B&O lettering on the bulkheads...something along the lines of these may have been set aside as regular flat cars but the B&O purchased the bulkheads separately? Not sure. Anyways, change the class designation from B60BH to F60CH and the incorrect new date immediately above the class designation to correspond with the correct 1967 date on the other end of the car and you should be good to go. On the model the top of the deck has 5 rows of longitudinal planks that run down the center of the car. I'm assuming this is correct but top-top pictures showing the deck are hard to find. The only picture I can find is a new-photo from the TTX Volume 2 book which shows the top of one of the earlier cars from 1964. Seems like it should have been the same for cars built in 1967 which the model appears to match. Other than replacing some of the molded-on grabs irons (which are pretty thin and may not bother some), the car itself seems decent. After all, this is a Mainline Series car. The TTX book mentions 130 bulkhead flats being equipped with truck mounted brakes but I'm not sure which 130 cars this references. If that is the case, the bottom of the car should lack a brake cylinder and new trucks (Tangent) should be used under the car with their Wabcopak brake beam part (really nice). So in closing, the model itself seems pretty close to the 1967 built cars as opposed to the 1964 built cars some of the schemes are painted to represent. All of the class designations are wrong (F60BH should be F60CH). Re numbering the TT-red car to the 1967 built cars would probably be a lot less work than all the modifications trying to backdate the car. Depending on how I feel, I will probably split the difference and renumber one and physically backdate the other. Or maybe I'll just sell the two Trailer Train cars and keep the B&O one  The yellow on the TT-yellow car seems a touch too orange to me but it could be my lighting situation. As time goes on, I realize everybody's TT yellow is different. It looks similar to my first run Atlas ACF 89' flat cars...which is a shade I'm not too keen on but that's a whole other topic. The lettering is about what I expected; 75%. If you look closely, some of the placement, size, and shape of the letters and numbers doesn't quite match. About what I expected for this car. Yes it should be correct, but it's not. Unless you draw up new decals yourself, they lettering will have to suffice. I'm not sure I can justify splitting hairs on a Walthers Mainline flat car about the position of the "B" on my B&O bulkheads being a mustache hair too wide. After some wire grabs and weathering you likely won't even notice. Hope this helps |
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Post by tom on Sept 25, 2022 15:03:20 GMT -8
I have enjoyed this long post and after following it for a while picked picked up a bulkhead flat up at my LHS. The red paint scheme was OK but since I was going to replace some of the grabs plus I found an old set of Microscale Trailer Train decals in my stash for 60' flats I first stripped the car. Next I scribed deeper all of the groves behind between boards and then using a razor saw I added more grain. I did not replace the stirrups as I did not have any replacement ones that matched but they still look ok.  I then painted the car Model Flex light oxide red than painted the wood tan then added various washes to the deck and ends. Finally added those old Microscale decals w/o any problems. Car looks good for a Mainline model....now it needs a load. |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Sept 25, 2022 16:03:15 GMT -8
Nicely done, Tom.
I hope mine are waiting for me, too.
I find Walthers Mainline flats pretty acceptable--useful prototypes, with only a few grabs to pretend I'll take care of later. Boxcars? No way!
Ed
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Post by grabirons on Jan 12, 2024 12:29:07 GMT -8
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Post by hudsonyard on Jan 12, 2024 14:42:12 GMT -8
I dolled up a pair of the bulkheads recently, Lombard was blowing them out at 13-14 a pop, for that price I added in sets of Tangent trucks, which swap right on.   Very nice cars for what they are, these also have the grab dimples mentioned above, maybe someday I'll go back and add them. I've got a stash of the farm machinery flats I gotta find era appropriate equipment loads for them. |
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Post by sd40dash2 on Oct 13, 2024 15:51:45 GMT -8
I see that Microscale offers numerous TTX decal sets that could work to renumber or backdate the flat to the yellow "trailer train" version. Do their decals all fit the Walthers regular flat VTTX version or which fits best? Maybe N scale would be a better fit for some?
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Post by runs2waynoka on Oct 13, 2024 19:09:31 GMT -8
Microscale usually has whatever specific set you need out of stock. However, I used MC-4386 spine car set to renumber mine. It has a good number jumble and both new and old logos. I’ve used the 1991 logo from this set to modernize several cars and renumber even more. 87-579 has the reporting marks for the 60’ flats for some reason.  |
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Post by sd40dash2 on Oct 13, 2024 20:23:46 GMT -8
^ Excellent response and modelling, thanks very much!
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Post by sd40dash2 on Oct 26, 2024 19:08:19 GMT -8
These cars are beautifully done but 20' containers will not fit without some fiddling. Any words of wisdom on where efforts are best directed to address the problem?
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Post by columbusrrfan on Oct 27, 2024 7:33:38 GMT -8
Microscale usually has whatever specific set you need out of stock. However, I used MC-4386 spine car set to renumber mine. It has a good number jumble and both new and old logos. I’ve used the 1991 logo from this set to modernize several cars and renumber even more. 87-579 has the reporting marks for the 60’ flats for some reason. Great modeling and weathering. You replicated the prototypical rusty and dirty side sills of these cars spot on. |
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