Regarding the kit gons, I suppose if it matters, you could cut the bottom panels into more than one part so you can align the ribs together (between the bottom and the sides) better before gluing them on.
Another thing you could do as a kludge to hide the mismatch is to file the part sticking out even with the side ribs so they don't show. I actually did that on a few of the old kit versions years ago.
I no longer have those old MDC kit versions - mainly because they were for the UP/D&RGW Coal Liner train and the old MDC version did not have the horizontal ribs that Athearn tooled into that version when they upgraded for the RTR version. The horizontal ribs are prototypically correct for the Coal Liners and AFAIK, they those were the only Thrall hi-sides to get them. Pretty cool Athearn actually tooled up this version!
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I round up old MDC kit ones to convert to scrap haulers. You can get them pretty cheap and they look presentable enough with new trucks and ladders/grabs/stirrups. Pretty much getting them just for the bodies, really. The pad printing is miserable on them, but they're all getting stripped anyhow.
Paint them black, then do some with red, orange, white, yellow, and black ends depending on what reporting mark is going on them. Had a bunch of data sets printed up for them, along with do not tamp labels.
They're not dimensional perfect and they have flaws, but they fill in well enough for that vast body of DJJX and HPJX gons that are seemingly one load away from being cut up themselves.
Are they worth purchasing? Assuming you mean the upgraded RTR version, absolutely yes. I suppose it depends on your modeling needs but Athearn did a pretty decent job on a common coal car of the 70's and 80's and beyond. Even in the 1990's and later those Thrall hi-side gons soldiered on in coal served and later other loads. They are pretty iconic to a late 70's and early 80's D&RGW modeler but others as well.
The D&RGW hauled a number of unit trains employing the Thrall hi-side gons. Most notably the joint D&RGW/UP Kaiser coal train which hauled from Utah to California from 1968 to about 1982.
https://utahrails.net/utahcoal/kaiser-trains.php
DRGW leased some blue end Thralls from 1980-1984, which Athearn has run a few times.
D&RGW hauled coal up the Front Range in in red-end Thralls PSCX with markings.
D&RGW hauled coal from mines in Utah to Indiana (northern Indiana Power and Light) over Tennesee Pass with yellow end Thralls marked NORX.
I've collected around 110 of these cars in blue end DRGW, red end PSCX, yellow end UP/DRGW "Coal Liner" and yellow end NORX. I am hoping Athearn does another run of yellow end NORX as they only did one run of them quite a few years ago.
Athearn also made Thrall hi-side gons that operated on other coal trains, including those hauled down the Joint Line by BN.
The prototype Thrall hi-side gons were in service from the late 1960's into the 1990's and beyond. Some were repurposed to haul trash or other loads in their later years.
Are they worth purchasing?
I had several of the older MDC versions I used as woodchip hoppers, until I bought actual wood chip hoppers.
I thought they were pretty reasonable, given their separately applied ladders were better many other gondolas that had molded on details.
I have considered getting the newer RTR version and have looked them over, but I still do not own any. Finer wire details, but I have not noticed other changes (which I tend to overlook anyway)
Its doubtful that Athearn changed the dimensions of the cavity/hopper, so I would assume loads from the older MDC version would fit well enough in the new version.
- Douglas
No way to know if they will fit unless you try. The upgraded RTR versions are much better than the old kit versions, that's for sure.
Thanks guys. I was thinking that maybe they retooled the molds and kept the basic shape/size. I was looking to get a few more and was wondering if my extra coal loads I have that are sized for the MDC's would fit the newer Athearns.
NittanyLion If the ends of the ribs molded onto the underframe line up with the ribs on the side of the body, they are new tooling. The old tooling definitely didn't line up right.
If the ends of the ribs molded onto the underframe line up with the ribs on the side of the body, they are new tooling. The old tooling definitely didn't line up right.
I have a bunch of these and had the old MDC as well. The Athearn RTR Hi-side Thrall gons are upgraded versions of the old MDC cars. Athearn also upgraded the MDC 5-bay Ortner Rapid Discharge hopper.
It's true the bottom part was probably re-tooled because the ribs didn't line up on the bottom piece with the side ribs. They also did a version with the smaller horizontal ribs for the UP/D&RGW Kaiser Thrall gons, a nice upgrade and correct for those cars.
Reportedly Athearn plans to offer a UP caboose version with the K symbol for the Kaiser pooled cabooses in their Genesis ICC caboose series.
The ones I have seen in three packs have seperate added details like grab irons, so I think they are new tooling.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
does anyone know (i am sure some one does) if these are the same as the old MDC/roundhouse modesl? Same tooling or new?
Dan