I was hoping to see MT horse car in western roads this month. As the model is based on a SP prototype, I just do net get how you cannot release the car in the original scheme?
the model 'may' be based on a western road, but it's a foobie...it's a 70' car based on an 80' prototype... pity however, I'll actually be getting one to bash into an ATSF 70' baggage with end door. Bruce
Maybe the SP car from Wheels of Time will arrive first: http://www.wheelsotime.com/80-ft-baggage-horse-car/
Well, I will no longer be the only kid on the block with a horse car. This was made from M&R etched sides plastered on to an old Rivarossi car.
Two things: if you are going to the trouble of making new molds for a car, DON'T DO a foobie (why, why, why) and if you are going to do one, the first run should be of whatever road the car is from (or roughly taken from). MT, you know I love you, but sometimes you take advantage of that love...
Yes, but some problems developed when designing this car... the prototype is an 80' car while the model is a 70' car. Actually closer to some cars that the L&N had... L&N was the only other road that had the center doors offset like on the model.
So the prototype was 80' and MT produced a new body style and changed the length to 70'. Why would you create a new mold and not get the length correct!
If anyone is modeling the 1947 Freedom Train this car would work perfectly with the addition of the M&R baggage car sides. Santa Fe Baggage & Express end door car number 1896 was loaned to the Freedom Train and repainted. I kit bashed this out of a Rivarossi car using reefer door hinges on the end door before the M&R etched sides were available. But as Bruce and I have discussed, this would be a perfect car for the core using the etched sides. I will get at least two to replace the this one and another to paint in Santa Fe colors.
I still do not understand why anyone would go to the trouble of producing a new body style and not get the prototype produced. If there are many 70' horse cars as Mr Straw suggests, that should be a different release.
Well, when you "assume" something when you really don't have to nor should what do you expect. They assumed the Arizona car was 70'... but its not... And, yes, all the others were 70'. Only a small group of Espee cars were 80'.
I'm pretty sure the Santa Fe Horse cars (like the ones Russell and I, among others, have built from M&R Sides), are longer than 70'... I'm away from home and don't have my Head End reference book handy, but they were longer than 70'. Bruce
The Santa Fe horse cars delivered new from Pullman, numbers 1990-1999 were all 82'2". The 1980-1984 cars like Bruce and I built were converted from 78'5" chair cars. These and the SP cars were longer than the norm that ran on most other railroads.
I didn't know Santa Fe had converted some from coaches but then I am not well familiar with the line's horse cars aside from the models that I see... Thanks!!! Always good to learn something new!!!
I guess I am tired of MT foobie cars. They create something new and exciting then fail in the final product release.
