Athearn Model # 1494 Union Pacific 6 Car Autoloader

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I recently acquired 3 Model # 1494 Athearn Autoloaders with cars,and wish to know what year they may have been introduced please. I am trying to get vehicles to match the last of steam to diesel era,or about 1950,s/60.s. The vehicles on the Athearn models are more modern . Appreciate any advice thanks.

Owen Robinson

2

Gidday, while it has a different part number I see on the Athearn site the era is 1950/1960.

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH74411

there is some more prototype information here…

http://tycotrain.tripod.com/freightcars/id41.html

and some more…

http://www.trainweb.org/seaboard/nycautorack.htm

Cheers, the Bear.

3

Gidday to you this morning, Thanks for that really fasr answer,my Autoloaders are older ones,but your very informarive links are spot on.

cheers Sunshine Express

4

So, NYC didn’t care for it. Did they prefer the boxcar method, or did something better come along? How far into the future were autoracks?