Hi, I recently picked-up a model of the above. I am a bit puzzled by the Doors being offset, like they are. I have not seen this on a Boxcar before apart from Combination doors (Sliding/Plug)
The C/L of the RH Door is approx central of the Boxcar side, thus the LH Door is set over towards the Boxcar LH end.
The Doors themselves are similar to Jeff Wilson's book 'Modern Freight Cars', pg 47 photo 10 (Montana R/L) including the locking-handle Escutcheon plates.
I ran a search(on this forum) and picked-up on a comment re MDC, that their Hi-Cubes were fictitious. Not that I am bothered - I will rebuild and repaint just like any Railroad Co. would.
However, if anyone has info' for this model, from the Prototype for everything dept', I would be pleased to hear of it. Paul
"It's the South Shore Line, Jim - but not as we know it".
My research of several years ago revealed those are fantasy cars. Roundhouse best modern boxcar was their FMC while not 100% correct they look better then Athearn BB AFC boxcars. I never did like that flat top 50' boxcar because of the offset doors and they wasn't a nice looking car either.
Oddly I would guess 85% of my IPD boxcar collection was Roundhouse or the upgraded Athearn (former Roundhouse) RTR FMC boxcars.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
These cars are the closest I have seen.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2966813
"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)
Hi Guys, thank you for your replies and help with my enquiry. Eric, the photo shows the doors in the correct location and the Lever-lock escutcheons are identical to the model. The riveting detail is excluded (tooling costs, no doubt) I wondered why the doors were offset like this and checked Picture Archive, but in this case failed to find a prototype - I'm pleased that there is smething similar.
Larry, about the Roof - I am not too keen the prominent overhang at the ends. I suspect that to get the Tooling to work, this has been exagerated slightly - however I might be wrong. But I will probably reduce it slightly and this will help reduce the large 'Slab' effect.
Once again, thanks. This book of Jeff Wilson's has already prompted me to sell all 3 of my Atlas Evans DPD Boxcars - at one time I so pleased to have obtained them. Regards, Paul
Lazers This book of Jeff Wilson's has already prompted me to sell all 3 of my Atlas Evans DPD Boxcars - at one time I so pleased to have obtained them.
Lazers,Those Atlas Evans DPD Boxcars should be spot on since Atlas does a lot of research long before the car is tooled..
80% of my boxcars are Atlas the other boxcars are ExactRail,IM, Fox Valley, Red Caboose, Walthers Gold Series 50' paper boxcars and some Genesis and Athearn RTR.
BRAKIE Lazers This book of Jeff Wilson's has already prompted me to sell all 3 of my Atlas Evans DPD Boxcars - at one time I so pleased to have obtained them. 80% of my boxcars are Atlas the other boxcars are ExactRail,IM, Fox Valley, Red Caboose, Walthers Gold Series 50' paper boxcars and some Genesis and Athearn RTR.
Lazers
This book of Jeff Wilson's has already prompted me to sell all 3 of my Atlas Evans DPD Boxcars - at one time I so pleased to have obtained them.
Hi Brakie, the only reason I am planning to sell my Atlas DPD's was because since buying them (2nd hand at a exhibition) I have learned that they are classified as RBL's (no ice bunker, no loading) At the time, to me they were 'just Boxcars'. I would never question their quality or accuracy. 2 No. are decorated for 'NW Hardwood', I was just going to repaint them Boxcar Oxide.
Since then, my knowledge of USA R/R's and MRR's has improved a bit. I have no Industries for Lumber or General Merchandise that require Insulated Boxcars. I have read that in more recent times TTX Trailer-Train and other Hi-cubes have taken over most General Merchandise workings.
In MRR Dec 2019 Dominic Bourgeois ran an article 'Planning a realistic Freight-car fleet' and I re-read this many times. I have a Pet-Coke industry and had found out that Bethlehem 100T 4-bay Hoppers were used for this product. I bought some (2nd hand) but then Google Earth updated and I noticed Covered Hoppers (former Grain cars) were being used, possibly due to some residential street-running involved. Lesson learned here.
I have slowly built-up a stock including some of the makes of models that you quote. The reason I bought the model at the top of this post is that (according to the box) it is a Hi-Cube but was 50% cheaper than normal UK Hi-Cube prices.
If I can still find a use on my MRR for the DPD's, I will keep them. Paul
LazersI have read that in more recent times TTX Trailer-Train and other Hi-cubes have taken over most General Merchandise workings.
Lazers, That is true. I watch a lot of VR's cams on you tube and notice a lot of those TTX boxcars as well as GATX and CMHX boxcars.. I have seen one GBRX boxcar.
Of course there are shockers left to like SP,SSW Southern & NW boxcars. These cars still carried their original recording marks.
Lazers the only reason I am planning to sell my Atlas DPD's was because since buying them (2nd hand at a exhibition) I have learned that they are classified as RBL's (no ice bunker, no loading) At the time, to me they were 'just Boxcars'. I would never question their quality or accuracy. 2 No. are decorated for 'NW Hardwood', I was just going to repaint them Boxcar Oxide.
the only reason I am planning to sell my Atlas DPD's was because since buying them (2nd hand at a exhibition) I have learned that they are classified as RBL's (no ice bunker, no loading) At the time, to me they were 'just Boxcars'. I would never question their quality or accuracy. 2 No. are decorated for 'NW Hardwood', I was just going to repaint them Boxcar Oxide.
Those 50' RBLs were commonly leased to lumber/forestry companies for high grade lumber and wood products, as well as food companies for various foodstuffs.
RB = insulated, but no ice bunkers or refrigeration equipment
L = internal loading devices such as internal bulkheads or restraint bars.
A similar classification would also be XLI (XL = boxcar with load device, I = insulated) or XMI (without load devices)
Thread on the topic of loading devices:http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/13/t/280988.aspx
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
ericsp These cars are the closest I have seen. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2966813
That's a great pic. I agree, that's about the closet thing I've seen to the MDC hi cube boxcar. Looks like the doors are offset.
I think with the MDC/Roundhouse product, the main question has been their height, in that they are shorter than a "normal" hi cube boxcar.
The pic shows the height of the car to be not that much taller than the bulkhead end of the coupled flat car, holding out the possibility that the MDC car is in fact a real car, albeit a rare bird like the boxcar in the pic. But the angle of the pic might be deceiving and the height might be too tall for the MDC car.
- Douglas
Doughless...holding out the possibility that the MDC car is in fact a real car...
It's totally made up. There are prototypes that vaguely resemble it, as in the UP car linked from a previous post, but none that truly match it.
Rob Spangler
wp8thsubIt's totally made up. There are prototypes that vaguely resemble it, as in the UP car linked from a previous post, but none that truly match it.
Hi Guys, I received my "Hi-Cube" today. T.O Rail to Rooftop = 56mm :-3.5 = 16'
I'll just say it's been slightly rebuilt. There is no way I can pass this off a Hi-Cube. Looks like a boxcar, but not as we know it.
Paul
Lazers wp8thsub It's totally made up. There are prototypes that vaguely resemble it, as in the UP car linked from a previous post, but none that truly match it. Hi Guys, I received my "Hi-Cube" today. T.O Rail to Rooftop = 56mm :-3.5 = 16' I'll just say it's been slightly rebuilt. There is no way I can pass this off a Hi-Cube. Looks like a boxcar, but not as we know it. Paul
wp8thsub It's totally made up. There are prototypes that vaguely resemble it, as in the UP car linked from a previous post, but none that truly match it.
Yeah, my comment about holding out hope that there was a real car out there was made knowing the model was not much taller than a normal boxcar.
I read some time ago that the era in which the model was originally cast had to fit under typical tunnels and bridges in the trainset figure eight layouts, so it couldn't be too high for those.
Hi Guys, Sorry to resurrect this one again and apol's for my not having a photo account (yet) but the webpage link is fairly interesting. I was googling Evans DPD Boxcars and found an image where the Doors appeared to be offset to the car C/L Turns-out this was an 'Evans Auto Loader' and the Doors were so arranged to help maneuver the Autos inside.
At the webpage foot is reference to Kalmbach book 'Railroading and the Automobile Industry' by - Jeff Wilson. Reading a snippet of Jeff's book, confirmed that my bit of extra research answered my initial enquiry - why were the doors offset.
Also on the same Google image page is a 'Green Bay & Western' R/R Evans DPD Boxcar where the Doors are clearly offset, closest to the LHS. Possibly the later all steel versions of these cars were used for general merchandise, once Autoracks had taken over Auto transportation? Paul
Lazers If I can still find a use on my MRR for the DPD's, I will keep them. Paul
Paul,
The Atlas 53' dble plug RBL cars are generally considered prototypical representations. Athearn makes a 50' similar Evans car, formerly produced by Front Range if I recall correctly. That car is not as long nor as high as the Atlas model.
Potential cargo (per Atlas website): "was used primarily to haul produce, wood and paper products, and canned goods. The prototype is an insulated RBL...." Locally, I have seen them in canned goods service. Another plausible use, it's my understanding that beer is/can be shipped in RBLs/ XLIs.
As for industries on your layout, do you have a team track, or any general service warehouses? Or maybe these could run through your layout as bridge traffic to another destination. Another thought: as an alternative to completely repainting, you could "patch out" the logo of the former lessees.
At any rate, these cars are more "prototypical" than the MDC/Roundhouse "hi-cubes". That being said, I have examples of both operating on my layout.
Hope this helps.
Hillyard Paul, The Atlas 53' dble plug RBL cars are generally considered prototypical representations. Athearn makes a 50' similar Evans car, formerly produced by Front Range if I recall correctly. That car is not as long nor as high as the Atlas model. Potential cargo (per Atlas website): "was used primarily to haul produce, wood and paper products, and canned goods. The prototype is an insulated RBL...." Locally, I have seen them in canned goods service. Another plausible use, it's my understanding that beer is/can be shipped in RBLs/ XLIs. As for industries on your layout, do you have a team track, or any general service warehouses? Or maybe these could run through your layout as bridge traffic to another destination. Another thought: as an alternative to completely repainting, you could "patch out" the logo of the former lessees. At any rate, these cars are more "prototypical" than the MDC/Roundhouse "hi-cubes". That being said, I have examples of both operating on my layout. Hope this helps.
Hi Hillyard, Thankyou for your reply and Yes - it does help. I placed one of the models on my desk all today and I thought how good they are. I can add a second line to my Teamtrack and I will unload Northwest Veneer's specialist Timber products from there. Thanks for your encouragement and also that of others, of course. Paul
The Evans RBL as replicated in HO by Atlas was widely used in the wood products industry, being leased to and bearing the logos of such companies as Boise Cascade, Georgia Pacific, Louisiana Pacific, Plywood Marketing Associates (PMA), States Veneer, Multnomah Plywood, Weyerhauser, and Willamette Industries, among others. These cars were also employed by users such as Thomasville Industries Inc., (furniture mfr), Dresser-Magcobar (oil field supplies), Ralston Purina, PET Inc, Kellogg's and, Tropicana (food products). Railroads ranging from Union Pacific, Chicago and North Western to Louisville, New Albany and Corydon and Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific rostered Evans RBLs as well. Many were painted plain red and operated under USLX reporting marks with the lessor's name and return routing information in small white lettering to the left of the doors. One that comes to mind is "Leased to E & J Gallo Inc. When empty return to M&ET Ry, Modesto Calif". Gallo Wineries on the Modesto and Empire Traction Railway of GE 70 tonner fame. These plain leasers often traveled in blocks of four or more so, it is no problem finding a reason for having them on a layout to haul your beer and wine.
The cars now sold by Athearn were in fact introduced by Details West back in the 1980s. These cars along with another RBL based on a Fruit Growers Express car are nice models but both suffer from being under-sized. Place the Atlas car next to the Athearn and note the difference. The Walthers RBL is correctly sized for the FGE car. Why were both DW cars produced undersized? One last thing to note on the Evans cars is, some cars used ends from Stanray while others had ends from Pullman-Standard, for those of us for whom it makes a difference.
Hi NHTX, Thanks for your reply. There is some great info there and I have copied at all into a Word doc. along with that of other replies to this post. Today I have been knocking seven bells out of my layout and realised that I could build a spur that would have a Warehouse/Distribution Unit with doors where 2 No. of these cars could be spotted for off-loading, so I may go for Food products, in place of Timber, since the Unit would be a bit more self-contained to model. Regards, Paul.
Lazers, your choice of a warehouse/distribution center is a wise one. A distribution center for a chain of grocery stores for instance, would receive different products from all over the U.S. Not only would Evans (Atlas) RBLs be spotted there, uniquely marked "XF" food service boxcars as well as refrigerator cars would also show up there. Depending on the size of your town or city, your distribution company might restrict their clients to institutional and commercial customers such as correctional institutions, school districts, hotels, hospitals etc. We buy and consume grocery items a lot more regulary than wood products so, your switcher would almost always have a car of something for this business.
Hi NHTX, Jeff Wilson's Freight Car book has a photo on pg 101 of an (Atlas) DPD, spotted outside the screened door of a 'Del Monte' Cold-store. That gave me the idea and your reply has helped me to formulate it.
Around 4-years ago when I was wandering around a UK Model Railway Ex' looking for USA Stock, I purchased 2 No. "Boxcars" (cheap because each had a damaged Coupler) But I liked the 'Wisconsin Central' shield. I later found out that they were Roundhouse/Athearn 57' Mech' Reefers (WC 10012) Yikes! (I did wonder what the Louvres were for) However, after this post - I now have some work for them. Regards, Paul
Lazers I was googling Evans DPD Boxcars and found an image where the Doors appeared to be offset to the car C/L Turns-out this was an 'Evans Auto Loader' and the Doors were so arranged to help maneuver the Autos inside.
I was googling Evans DPD Boxcars and found an image where the Doors appeared to be offset to the car C/L Turns-out this was an 'Evans Auto Loader' and the Doors were so arranged to help maneuver the Autos inside.
The "Evans Auto-Loader" was an internal rack equipment mounted inside boxcars (not the car itself) used for shipping boxcars in the 1940s-50s. A lot of double-door 40' and 50' boxcars built in this period were intended for automobile service, so the doors would be offset to the left, and some of them even had end doors on the "A" end as well. (The two and three level flatcar mounted auto racks weren't developed until the 1960s.)
These 1960s-era Evans RBL cars didn't have Auto-Loaders. They typically had interior bulkheads or load restraint bars.
If you want an offset door boxcar, check this out (and it is prototypical).
http://www.springmillsdepot.com/canstockmain.htm
ericsp If you want an offset door boxcar, check this out (and it is prototypical). http://www.springmillsdepot.com/canstockmain.htm
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
NHTX The cars now sold by Athearn were in fact introduced by Details West back in the 1980s. These cars along with another RBL based on a Fruit Growers Express car are nice models but both suffer from being under-sized. Place the Atlas car next to the Athearn and note the difference. The Walthers RBL is correctly sized for the FGE car. Why were both DW cars produced undersized? One last thing to note on the Evans cars is, some cars used ends from Stanray while others had ends from Pullman-Standard, for those of us for whom it makes a difference.
The Details West cars were 2' short as Details West wanted to use their 50' Hydra Cushion and Keystone underframes on the car. They also reduced the height of the car for some reason, you can really notice the difference when you try to decal the car with Herald Kings decals which are the correct size.
Also the offset B&O Canstock car was only used to carry tinplate for making cans. The design of the car allowed them to handle two more coils of steel that had to be loaded with a forklift versus a car with a centered door. PC&F also made some similar cars for the NYC and the EL.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
dti406 Also the offset B&O Canstock car was only used to carry tinplate for making cans. The design of the car allowed them to handle two more coils of steel that had to be loaded with a forklift versus a car with a centered door. PC&F also made some similar cars for the NYC and the EL. Rick Jesionowski
I would like to see those. Do you know the number series?
ericsp NYC 48360-48434 EL 69250-69272 Rick Jesionowski dti406 Also the offset B&O Canstock car was only used to carry tinplate for making cans. The design of the car allowed them to handle two more coils of steel that had to be loaded with a forklift versus a car with a centered door. PC&F also made some similar cars for the NYC and the EL. Rick Jesionowski I would like to see those. Do you know the number series?
NYC 48360-48434
EL 69250-69272
Thanks