Just saw that Walthers has Atlas express reefers painted for Transport Arts Corp (TACX) on sale. The cars are green with a patch-out paint job (ex-REA, I am assuming), and the font on the cars looks very 1970s. I've seen pics of real cars taken in the 1980s. Anyone know anything about TACX, when they were formed and what the cars would have been used for? I did a quick web search but couldn't find much.
Photo of the model:
http://www.atlasrr.com/Images/HOFreightCars/hosteelreefer/0615/20003407_TQ.jpg
Thanks!
Aaron
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Thx - On what trains would their cars have run? Freight? Amtrak? I can't find photos of their cars in motion.
In 1980, half of these cars had had their ice bunkers removed. By 1986, all had them removed. Which, considering the lack of icing platforms in North America at that time, made sense.
In the April 1980 ORER, these cars are not listed in the passenger section, but are in the freight. So I think it unlikely they were hauled in a passenger train.
It looks like they were used as insulated box cars.
I did find this recent discussion:
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=42191.0
with pictures!
and there's a picture here of one in Fullerton CA:
http://www.trainweb.org/chris/barry.html
Ed
Great stuff, thank you! I put in an order for two with my LHS. The Walthers sale is too good to pass up.