[SUB]Atlas has introduced a new run of their Master Line Pulpwood Car in HO scale painted for the Frisco. As a matter of historical background Atlas produced what looks to be this same car back in 2001 and it floated around on swap meet tables for several years thereafter. They produced one road number at the time, 4310. Below is the link to that introduction. http://www.atlasrr.com/HOFreight/hofreightsnew.htm Today they have introduced another run of two road numbers, 4301 and 4320. The MSRP of this run is $34.95 and the estimated arrival time is 4th Quarter 2014. Below is the link that provides the item description and the item numbers. http://www.atlasrr.com/HOFreight/hopulpwood3.htm#.U3E6xrlOVLM Does anyone have one of the original run cars and remember what they paid for it? [/SUB]
I have two, both numbered 4326 (changed one to 4356), and I have $25 listed in my inventory. I think that was close to what I paid, but it may have been ebay prices, so I can't say the price is accurate for a newly bought car. I don't know when this number was produced, but it was factory painted I believe. Terry
"FF" - I bought mine from a hobby shop in either Salt Lake City or in Michigan (can't remember which) for $17.95. That must have been a discount from list, or I wouldn't have bought it, but I don't remember the specifics. I'm going from a price tag on the box. It's a very nice car, but I didn't like the log load. I replaced it with the Chooch pulpwood load for this car (had to file it a lot to get it to fit!), accented it a bit, and it and the car look terrific. Ken
Bob, I didn't find them either, so I couldn't say how they came to be numbered 4326. I can't remember if I bought them at the same time or separately, but they did have the same number, so I changed one. The Atlas box has them listed as #1608-3 which makes me think there was another run. I just checked the Atlas site, and this car was due in August 2004. The price was $23.95 which goes along with what Ken said that he probably didn't pay list price. Terry
Bob/Terry - My box says I have Atlas car number 1608-2, SLSF 4310. I'm not sure what the "dash-number" means, since they all appear to be SLSF 4310. Ken
We might need Jerome to pull, a string of cars like that. All those logs would wind up in the ditch, on most rail lines. WHJ
Ken, the numbers correspond to the different part (car) numbers produced by Atlas. This new run will be the third for Frisco for a total of five numbers. In 2001 the numbers were: 1608-1 4304 and 1608-2 4310. In 2004 the number was 1608-3 4326. For this new release they are apparently changing their part (car) number from the 1608 to the present system, but with two new numbers: 4301 and 4320. I think five different numbers is great for the Frisco. Terry
Terry - Thanks, that makes more sense. My impression from the earlier comments in this thread was that all the prior releases were road number 4310. I only have the one car. SLSF 4310, from 1608-2. Ken
Terry: Thanks for the update. I sure missed the 2004 run but clearly see it now. Having said that, where did these cars roam, mainly Arkansas?
I am wondering the same thing, Bob. I haven't been able to find this car in any of the pictures I can access. Does anyone know if this car is a model of an actual Frisco bulkhead flat? It is a plausible looking model, but I wonder if it is accurate. Terry
Terry and All: Mike Condren's website has a photo of three of them at Hope, AR. taken in 1973. http://condrenrails.com/Frisco Catalog/Bulkhead Flat-Cars.htm
Those are certainly, an interesting photo. I don't know, if I have seen very many moves like that. I suppose it might be a special move or a local move. Looks like it extends maybe 2 ft on each side, making it about 12 ft. Maybe I am not estimating it right, what do others think?
Bob, I believe the cars you are referencing are longer than the Atlas car. There is a picture on the bottom of page 88 in Molo's book that shows the same car as in Condren's website. If you will notice the bulkheads are taller than the Atlas car. However, at the top of page 88 car number 5106 more closely matches the Atlas car. The pattern of the bulkhead matches the Atlas car as does the length. Also, the text points out that the Frisco added the 24" extension to the bulkheads in 1967, which, when removed, would make the Atlas car bulkhead match the original bulkhead profile. The text also says that in the late seventies, the Frisco renumbered their bulkheads into 4300-4499 or 35000-35199 series so they wouldn't mix with the 5000 series bulk heads. I think we can say that the Atlas car is a model of this late seventies (note SF 9-78 on side of car) car without the 24" extension. Also, the weight reporting marks mirror the Atlas car very closely. I believe I have answered my own question after reading the text in Molo's book. This car is a model of an actual Frisco car if you remove the extension. Terry
