Lets talk Flat Cars

I'm a RailKing guy, Here's my flat cars and loads.

I like flat cars.  I have several.  Some with homemade loads, some with what they came with, and some empty.  No photos.

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Dennis

I like them all....especially the Weaver and Lionel 60'...but they're all good.  I have taken a Lionel traditional-sized auto transport car and yanked the top off to use as a Trailer Train flat.  I oftentimes like to put my own die-cast cars as custom loads.

- Mike

Pete

Some of military flat cars with loads.

The holes in the deck of traditional Lionel flat cars for the truck rivet really bothered me when I first started with O gauge 3 rail.

I like "Flash"'s comment.  And that hole bothers me, but all of those cars I kitbashed

into on-line only creosote pole cars, with the hole covered by the load.  I would overlay with thin scribed wood sheeting, otherwise. What I would like to see is a old photo of the prototype shipping automobiles or tractors on a flat car (I vaguely think I may have seen a photo of a load of steam tractors on a plain flat car)

I'm a fan on the 52' Atlas Trainman flatcars. 

They are nicely detailed, have rotating bearing caps, and decking can easily be added to the flats.  I have used several of the cars for my WWII set.  Here is one of my Trainman flatcars for a different project:

Jim

Variety pack -

There are some really great cars shown here, and I've gotten some good ideas on how to improve what I have. Right now, flatcars are the grandson's favorite, in part because of all the other vehicles he can put on them, particularly construction vehicles. After reading this post, I got the idea to put mine all in a train. So, now arriving on Track 1, "Focus on Flatcars."

I have modeled several heavy duty depressed center flatcar types.  These include several GE flatcars used to transport large transformers.

These are GEX 40005 and GEX 40011

PRR TOFC Train

Here are some more really heavy duty models.

These are MAMX 1001 and KRL 163201

Here is picture's of my flatcars.

For smaller flatcars, I like the Weaver 40' flatcars.  Here's on of mine with a Climax load:

Jim

Nice photos, guys.

I have a couple of Atlas TTX Trainman 62-foot bulkhead flats with a coupler of Santa Fe's on order. Still trying to figure out what loads to put on them.

Thanks Matt!!!! Cool can't wait to see them your new flatcars. 

I love flatcars because you can do so muchwith the loads on them: that can be a lot of fun making the loads and create a lot to look at on the layout. I have about a dozen of both Lionel and MTH scale cars.  I doubled up/removed the loads on seven of them to carry my collection of land-speed-record cars, photo below: a fantasy load, to be sure, but lots of fun.  At the very top, in the background, you can see part of my "War Train" which has 12 home made traditional size flatcars to carry toy military loads, which I made myself about three years ago.  

Lee, your fantasy train is way cool. I remember being fascinated with the records being made and attempted at the Bonneville Salt Flats when I was putting together models in the late 60's and early 70's.

Everyone else thank you for the cool pictures and ideas. I need to look at the Trainman Flats - do they have sprung trucks?

SIRT, love your bulkhead flats (and the rest)

ProHobby, that is one massive modeling effort and outstanding results.

JD, do all the Weaver and Atlas Trainman flats have the simulated wood deck?

Thanks again gents, just the input I was looking to receive.

all the best,

Paul

Here's a broad by board scratchbuilt flat car that I did recently just to have a place to put the little kerosene engine on

couple of my favorites

Paul,

The Weaver flats have simulated planking made from plastic.  The Atlas Trainman flats are a little more modern, and if you want planking you need to add it.  Its not a hard thing to add planking One easy way is to take a strip of planking (from a craft store or hobby shop), score in lines and bolt holes and stain.  Its an easy 45 minute project. 

Here is the Trainman flat on the left from Atlas, and another on the right with the basswood scored but not yet stained.

Jim

HERE IS ANOTHER HEAVY DUTY FLATCAR.  This one is a depressed center car that carries a massive load.  16 axles and 125 feet in length. The Siemens prototype has a load limit of 858,000 pounds.

Heavy duty depressed center flatcar. The Mammoet MAMX 1001 has 18 axles. The prototype has a load limit of 792,000 pounds.  The load position is adjustable.

Jim, that is perfect - thanks for the picture and description as the plank look is what I am trying to accomplish for two flats.

Paul

Had no idea there was a real 12 axle flat.  I just wound up with too many pairs of Kemtron Buckeyes and a lot of scrap brass:

I think a lot of the loads on flatcars on the market leave a lot to be desired, especially some that just look like some kid's toy plunked down on the deck.

I went through a phase over the last two years where I bought "runner" flat cars and made them into unique pieces of rolling stock.

Here's my first "kitbash" where I used a K-line airplane kit, a Lionel flatcar, some freight pieces from a bag of toys at Dollar General and some stripwood to model a retired fighter being shipped to a museum.  (Full details on this project appear on my website--click here to read that story.)  

Here's a more whimsical flatcar helping one of your shippers get crates of product to market in time for Halloween.  (Full details on this project also appear on my website -- click here.) 

This is the most recent project, a flatcar loaded with pipes made out of a composite material.  (I haven't written up the details yet on this project.  A young saleswoman in Michael's Crafts was very helpful in finding a correctly scaled chain to use on the flatcar, too!)

Converting a WEAVER 50 foot flatcar into a PRR TOFC

Intermodal flats on the Santa Fe:

Rich,

Thanks for the great video.

Would you please provide some links or sources where I can get strip plankng on line?   Or tell me the model and brand of the strip planking you use for Oscale? 

thanks,

Phil

Another very large flatcar

This O scale railcar has 20 axles with a scale length of 156 feet over the couplers. The model is 39 inches long over the couplers. The depressed center portion of the model is a scale 40 feet long. The original GEX 80003 is a 20 axle railcar that has a load limit of 1 million pounds. The prototype depressed center flatcar allows for adjusting the load to either side to compensate for overhang on curves.

Pro Hobby Nice work..

Where did you get the Transformers?I am looking to build a transformer and Electrical Panel consist being a former GE employee.

Thanks

Paul,

Jim Canter in Indiana makes and sells a lot of different laser cut wood decking.

Lee,

Do they make this one? (Craig Breedlove's 1965 car I think)

Phil,

I've been offline, sorry for the delay.  I use regular 1/8" thick basswood that I get at the local craft store.  I cut the basswood to fit the top of the flatcar, then use a cutting mat that has 1/4" markings and I can quickly score in lines with an exacta knife. Then, I use a nail to simulate bolt holes where the planks would bolt onto the frame of the flatcar. Lastly, I then stain the basswood and glue it to the top of the flatcar.

Jim