Does any manufacturer make an HO model of these flatcars, OR does any manufacturer make the three axle trucks that are used on these cars?
Thanks
Hey,
This is a shot in the dark, because I’ve not seen any manufacturer offer those six axle lowboy flat cars with an m1-A1 Abrams tank, but I have seen the tanks offered, and I know that bachmann for one offered those lowbow missile carriers… The car would be the same, you could just pick up a couple of the missile ones, and remove the GMT (Guided Missile Trailer) I have three of thenm and the gmt just sits in a couple of divits, you could set your scene with the flatcar braked in at a railhead with a tank pattially loaded- maybe a couple of the crewmen loafing and watching the driver maneuver the tank onto the railcar, a couple of others loaded on a siding nearby… Troops would be a must.
As far as cost, you can probably pick those missile cars up for a couple of bucks on ebay, everyone seems to hate them,
If this isn’t helpful, I hope it was atleast an entertaining read.
No-very helpful. I know the trucks for that car are verrrry similar, so your idea might just work. I know I can use trailertrain cars but they can only hold one tank–got some photos of a BNSF freight here in Texas that had both versions–the DOD and the trailer train card-just being the locomotives.
Thanks for teh idea.
Are these the trucks you want?
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1614568
Or are these the ones?
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1614556
The second photo appears to be 6-wheel Buckeye trucks as used on many steam tenders. At one time I believe they were available through Walthers. I believe these were also the truck of choice on BB Athearn cranes.
Here is another version appearing to be a roller bearing version of the Buckeye design.
Generally speaking, tanks (and other military vehicles) do not ride on depressed center flatcars. Most of the DODX flat cars are long enough to accommodate 2 Abrams tanks each.
Ricky
The trucks in teh photo I took were teh roller bearing type. But am very interested that they also used the Buckeye that are like those used on the athearn crane. They may not be a perfect match, but sometimes a minor compromise can still be a very effective illusion of teh prototype
Greetings All.
Whilst this is a little off-topic, you may be interested that Australia has taken a different track (pun intended! [;)]) with moving their M1A1 Abrahms.
They took existing container flat cars and shortened them to about 45’ long and widened the deck. They have installed a special “tie-down” system so that different military vehicles can be loaded onto the vehicles. They ride on standard four-wheel trucks (we call them “bogies” in Aus!), unlike the photos here. The wagons were built at the Islington Works in Adelaide, South Australia which is a major railway workshop.
Generally, the tanks are loaded/off-loaded with a crane rather than drive on/off. Only one tank per wagon.
Because of the restrictive loading gauge in Australia (compared to the USA), moving the tanks by rail is restricted between Adelaide and Darwin on the central North South rail corridor.
When these wagons are not moving military loads, the Australian Army then allows them into general revenue work to carry standard shipping containers.
I hope this was of interest.
I seem to remember that someone at one time offered a straight flatcar with 6 wheel trucks. It ight have been Bachmann or Model Power, and I think it was lettered Pennsylvania. Unfortunately I can’t seem to come up with any confirming info. Maybe someone else will remember these.
Roco had models of 6 wheel heavy flats that would work if you could find any. Can’t remember who sold them here. The two I have are in Roco boxes. When I worked security, we spent nights in the yard guarding loaded tanks and almost every flat was different. Some were 4 axle and some 6. I don’t remember too many details because it was dark and cold and we were more interested in keeping warm. Besides the yard was a hazard in itself so just walking around was risky. Tanks were driven on from a special fixed ramp made just for the purpose.
Yes! I think that was who it was. Must be at least 15 years ago.
IHC also made them, and you can usally find those oc the used tables at the local swap meets.
Those tanks are wide of the car decks… do they have to be run as high/wide/heavy loads?
Can they fit just one on an ordinary 60ft flat?
Thanks
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The Roco flat is a decent model of the Army’s USAX 38016-38665. The USAX reporting mark was later changed to DODX. They were built about 1952-53, and there were still two in my April 2001 ORER. I’ve got my doubts any ever hauled an Abrams tank–I’d love to be proven wrong with a photo. I’m planning on using mine to haul (mostly) M103’s. I’m lucky enough to have a shop manual for an M103 that shows how to secure one of these on one of the flats.
Ed
This is all very interesting as Im in the process of collecting flatcars for the 44 Shermans I’ve accumulated so far. I’ve been collecting Athearn and Tyco 40 fters. If anyone has several they want to part with, let me know.
It appears that some of these 6-axle flatcars were imported under the AHM name. See: http://ho-scaletrains.net/ahmhoscaletrainscollectorsresource/id38.html
And it appears that two different varieties of these cars are available in the following EBAY car assortment: http://cgi.ebay.com/HO-TRAIN-AHM-RIVAROSSI-MANTUA-US-ARMY-NAVY-TANK-LOT-3_W0QQitemZ290393145876QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item439cc7c214
Please don’t fight over them now!
About 30 years ago Conrail used to haul tanks to Aberdeen Proving Ground MD. The tanks were wider than the flats and were handled as wide loads. They had to stop at certain locations with extra wide spacing between tracks to meet other trains. Don’t recall any other restrictions.
For those of us with an interest in war toys, Aberdeen Proving Ground has a great indoor/outdoor museum.
Ed
Thanks for that. [:)] It makes sense to me.
Back in the late 70s we move M113 derivatves on flats. They were just a little wide. this meant that they could be run as ordinary traffic most places but were restricted as wide loads (Out of Gauge or “OOG”) for specific parts of their route.
I just happened to be in the middle of one of those patches. The problem was that they weren’t allowed to pass anything going the other way through that patch - so before we could let them head eastbound we had to shut the westbound track at the far end and clear everything out of it. This was a pain! The problem was caused by patches of fairly tight curves - which were almost reverse curves.
In that case I don’t think that there was much risk of side swiping something going the other way but they were over dimension so they had to be run as OOGs.
As far as I know you do basically the same thing(s) that we do.
[:P]
If they got that Anzio Annie into the Ordinance museum they should be able to run some tanks in by rail. Aberdeen is thick with tracks.
In 2003 I saw many flats hauled south on the MP Line empty at high speed. There were many green DoDX Flats some with 6 wheel trucks.
These trains screeched south empty by day, they must have dug up every single flat that could turn a wheel and hitched em prior to Iraq invasion.
No pictures or video, sorry. It was a time of war and I wasnt about to be the one to put our enemies to see these trains. No way.
The DODX 40000 series flatcars are the only type I have seen carrying M1s.