Im looking to add some to the collection. Grand Rapids, MI area or Erie & Lackawana, transition period.
Thanks.
kgill,
Best, as in most accurate? Or, best, as in quality?
Tom
The Proto 2000 flatcar certainly builds into a nice looking model assuming you take your time to do a good job. I think there is an aftermarket lazer cut wood deck available for it. I do not know if Walthers still offers it as a kit or only RTR, but I still see plenty of P2K kits at swap meets, often at very attractive prices.
Tichy makes a nice flatcar kit as well.
Central Valley has just released a Northern Pacific flatcar kit that looks interesting and challenging. I have yet to see it on the shelves for sale or assembled other than on their ad.
http://www.shop.cvmw.com/NP-Built-Flat-Car-Kit-1003.htm
Dave Nelson
It’s not a kit, but Tangent’s 60’ GSC flat is an excellent model that fits eras from 1956 on http://tangentscalemodels.com/gsc60flatprototype.aspx. It’s not available in EL, but can be had in other roadnames appropriate to your area.
While the Central Valley flat is pretty neat, I don’t think they got too far too often from the NP. But certainly, it must have happened once.
Besides the P2K 50 flat, there’s the Red Caboose 40’ flat. I think it’s closest to an NYC car, so that would work well in your area. There’s a good article on this car in the January 1997 Railmodel Journal. The magazine is available for online viewing here:
Also, there’s the Tichy 40’ flat. You might pick up (or letter) one for CN. Again, you can look at an article about this car in the June 1993 issue of the same magazine.
And, lastly, there’s the Bowser PRR H30 flat. You may choose to remove the cast on grabs (I would), but it’s the one and only Pennsy flat available.
Those are my recommendations,
Ed
The Red Caboose flat car is very nice but it needs weight to keep it on the track. The only way to accomplish that is to cut & fit and glue A-line lead or lead-free sheeting on the underside.
Tom
Tom,
I saw a comment on a forum that I cannot now locate something about how some flatcar kits ride too high. I dont know what kit that was but besides that I was interested to know whats the most accurate as prototype issues concerned, scaale dimensions and details.
Everyone else, thank you for the suggestions.
Keith
I recently commented on this forum that the Athearn heavy duty flat rides too high.
You can find the proper deck height for a particular flat car in “The Official Railway Equipment Register”, and much, much more. It’s published quarterly. You can either find a used one–generally not too difficult, or you can buy a CD from Westerfield:
https://id18538.securedata.net/westerfieldmodels.com/merchantmanager/index.php?cPath=107&page=3
I’m not sure if they’re currently available from Westerfield. There’s been a change of ownership, and they were unavailable for awhile, but I’m sure the new owner will try to make them available ASAP.
Ed
I like Walthers version of the cast steel GSC 53’6" flatcar, although I can’t attest to its authenticity. It rides low, with the deck about 3’6" above the top of the rail. I’m not sure if they’re still available, though. Mine all came as undecorated kits.
I added weight to mine, as I like to run them near the front of long trains:
Wayne
Ed and Wayne,
Bingo! Thanks. That was the thread. Thanks for the reminder.
Keith
Tichy also makes the GSC flat, and it’s available:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/293-1000
I think this might be another one where ya have to remove the cast-on grabs–no big thang–not like doing a boxcar end!
Ed
Tichy hands down…excellent kit.
Funaro & Camerlengo = crap.
Interesting comment about the F&C car. Can you elaborate?
Ed.
F&C make quite a few PRR flats. I am currently doing the F22 kit. It comes with 2 cars in the kit minus trucks and couplers. I also purchased the AMB wood deck and the gun tube kit to build this outfit.
http://www.rgspemkt.com/215-P1.html
I ordered Tahoe model works heavy duty arch bar trucks that are a close match to what the cars were built with.
Don’t discount F&C kits or even Westerfield kits. They are challenging but that is what makes them fun.
Kgill.
Michigan saw a tremendous growth spurt in your time frame. Flats from many east coast roads could be seen hauling machinery to new factories.
Pete
That H30 (hopper) should be an F30 (flat). Uhhh, OOPS!
And, yes, there’s also the F22’s. Besides F&C there’s the very occasional Athearn (ex MDC):
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=RND81263
At least, I’ve always thought that stubby flat was PRR. I think I recently heard it was a Milwaukee.
And, wandering through the F&C list, there’s certainly more flats listed
Ed
I haven’t seen Tichy’s version of this car, but all of their cars which I’ve built (boxcars, reefers, tank cars and flats) use free-standing metal grabirons, supplied with the kit. The modeller has to drill the holes for them.
Here’s Tichy’s 40’ flat, with removeable sides made from strip styrene:
Wayne
I am exploring the trainlife site and found some neat stuff as recommended.
I tried to register and have not had any success, no activation email sent.
It appears I can access articles, what is the registration for? what will I get for it?
Anyone else having the same problem?
Keith
The Diesel Detailer forum is the same way…kind of a goofy non-contactable guy that owns the board…I registered two weeks ago and still no response…
i would like to say that red caboose makes excellent flatcars.i would also agree that westerfield is once again producing kits under the new owner.sunshine models have very nicely detailed kits though they have had a death in the family,so i don’t know about their production at this time. tuxedoj