01-14-2011, 11:57 AM
Gary S Wrote:....I think the prototypes are actually 57 foot cars, but since I am using #4 turn-outs, I don't want to go over 50 foot on rollingstock, so I am compressing the real thing by using the Athearn 50 foot smoothside reefers for the Milwaukee cars and Athearn 50 foot outside braced reefers for the santa fe cars. Both are decent matches once some mods are done.
....Another mod on the SF cars is the wheelbase. The trucks are moved in towards the middle a bit as compared to the Milwaukee cars, so I did that by modifying the athearn chassis.
Also replacing all the weights with nonmagnetic weights, and putting Atlas 70 ton roller bearing trucks on. Then body mounted Kadees and a little fake brake rigging rounds them out. Only thing, this project has really been keeping me from the layout, although I did have another visitor yesterday. Apparently the guys at the LHS are impressed, and have been spreading the word.
Gary, the 50 foot Athearn is correct for modeling a 57 foot car. Athearn and other modelers often identify a "50 foot" car as being 50' from one end of the body to the other. The railroads are really interested in the length of cars to determine how many will fit a specific siding, so they always measure the car from knuckle face to knuckle face. Thus the 50 foot Athearn actually measures @ 57 feet over the couplers, if correct draft gear is used. If stock Athearn draft gear is used, the length may be closer to 54 feet or so. By the way, the shipper doesn't care about any of the outside dimensions, they are interested in the inside dimensions because that determines how much cargo they can load in the car.