I've always liked the look of the Atlas model, and the fact that's its a pretty compact model for running on sharp curves on our layouts is helpful, but have two questions:
Is the model a pretty accurate representation of the prototype?
Since I'm a modern/contemporary modeler, what would be a close drop dead latest year for the USA to have seen this particular CSXT scheme on the rails?
- Douglas
Yeah it's a decent representation of an early (1960s) design version of what ACF would develop into their well-known CentreFlow design. (Obvs. CSX in particular is a modern repaint of a car from B&O, C&O, etc.)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=csxt225672&o=csxt
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
The car in question is a fairly accurate model of the very early Center-Flow covered hopper introduced by American Car and Foundry in 1962. Atlas' car is based on the 3510 cubic foot capacity example that remained in production until 1966. Atlas also makes a model of the 3960 cu. ft. version, readily distinguishable from the 3510 by having two outlets for each of its three compartments, instead of one.
In light of the 40 year service life of cars of this era, and depending on what you consider to be the contemporary era, most of these cars began vanishing in 2002 and are probably all gone from interchange by 2006. B&O rostered these cars in two groups, numbered 601100-601124 and 837530-837569, for a total of 165 cars. The number that received the beige CSXT paint is unknown to me.
Atlas' car is acceptible but in need of an detail upgrade to replace the crude running boards and supporting structure or, an all new model that equals the detail of today's higher end models.