Anyone need flat cars?

Coll deal, but they are a bit smaller than I want.  Still, it is tempting, isn't it?

Stopped by a Menards in Illinois today and they had about 30 of these, both red and black for $7.99, C&NW.  Not bad for the $.

Bill

I'd bite if they were closer to a scale car. They look like the very narrow Lionel type flat. Anyone confirm??? A deal at $8....Almost worth it for the trucks alone!!! Maybe a group buy and slit them up!!!

Interesting. BN, SOO, and C&NW are railroads I operate most.

I would rather get a few O Scale cars than numerous O gauge cars.

Make your own wood stakes for the side pockets.

Andrew

The brake wheel on a rectangular stand on the the side is indicative of the Lionel and aftermarket O-27 flatcars. Lots of companies have made flatcars from this style of mold.

If a person was running a 027 or Postwar layout probably a good deal to build some huge unit trains hauling equipment etc. Probably the same flatcars that Menards used over the past years for some of their offerings that had race cars or trucks for loads.

Personally I would rather put the money into 3 or 4 real scale flat cars.Nick

Even though these are low end flatcars it still begs the question on how Menards can get them manufactured and shipped to the USA for such a low price.

AND free shipping today only.  These may be a loss leader so they'll make up the margins in snow throwers.

Just picked up a couple at my local store.  The price is great for what they are.  I think they would work well for Christmas-themed loads on a holiday layout or other similar projects.

Took a closer look at the two I bought.  The trucks wobble, but the trucks themselves are not bad (plastic frame, metal wheels).  The wobble comes from the connection of the truck to the car.  They are installed with a lame pop rivet that is minimally crimped.  This rivet could easily be drilled out and replaced with a small bolt with washers that would stabilize the car significantly.  Couplers operate and have the disc for a UCS to operate the coupler. 

I said I got a black one above, but upon closer look with my old eyes it is dark green C&NW.  The red one is Soo Line.  There is a brake wheel on a pedestal and a row of square holes for slats an the sides.  Lettering is good. Surface is grooved as if to simulate wood.  There are two small plastic hollow cylinders molded in the center underneath that look lie they are intended to be drilled out to screw down a center load.  Lettering is very sharp.

The Menards where I got these also had the engine house, several buildings and the plumbing truck (Looks small compared to the usual 1:43).

Bill

You can mail order a box of 24 for only $168 ($7 per car) plus shipping.  Here's the link: 

http://www.menards.com/main/p-2432866-c-13318.htm

The length of a flat car is indicative of the size and weight that they are intended to carry.  We used short cars like these in steel mills to carry steel plates and slabs about the plant.

Jan

Stopped by my local Menards to pick up some extension cords and of course had to stop by train aisle. the two cases of flatcars they had last week are all gone! Also the panel trucks are gone.

They still had some buildings left but not the train shed.

I'm sure we will see these on ebay and at train shows at doubled prices.

franktrain

looks like a good deal.

Might get a few. At the Greenberg show last weekend my grandson got a couple toy tanks to put on a flat car he has so he could have an Army train like the one he saw running on the HO layout. Might try to make him a few flats with military loads.

Jerry

just ordered a case. 

will report what shows up.