Frisco Modern 86/89' and 60' Flat cars HO scale

Anyone have additional info or photos of these modern Frisco
Flat cars|-| lettering location and such is especially helpful.
The 86' or 89' flat in the first link and I want to model one|-| are Athearn 86' AP flat, or Accurail 89' good starting points you think?

These links are from Dr. Mike Condren's website.

http://condrenrails.com/Frisco Catalog/Others/FR614.jpg

The second one looks like an MDC 60' flat would work for an HO model to me. Any others available?

http://condrenrails.com/Frisco Catalog/Others/FR615.jpg
Any info or help is appreciated.
Tom Holley

 

Tom - Not much I can offer on this one, I don't even have any good pics. Too new for me.

You are a true modeling machine, my friend. I'm still looking at and admiring your recent "blue boxcar" conquest!

Ken

 

Thanks Ken and Bill,
I have found there were 2 of the 89' cars 3705, 3706 they look to me to be Yellow, 89' flush deck cars, so that is where we be headed at this point I contacted Dr. Condren. He replied very quickly, but had no addition info at this time, however, he may have additional info on a CD, and indicated he would investigate further
Ken, my wife Vicki would agree with you, although my modeling does annoy her once in a while She is great about putting up with my antics.
Tom Holley

 

Ken,
Would the newer Athearn 100 ton trucks be OK under the 60' MDC flat car? I don't think too much of the MDC kit type trucks.
Tom Holley

 

Tom - I don't know what you plan to rate the MDC flat car for, but a 100-ton truck is likely overkill for a 60 ft flat. 70-ton would be better - Tichy has a good looking one (I'm assuming you want roller bearing trucks). The Kato roller bearing Barber S-2 truck is also quite nice, has rotating bearing caps, and is 70-ton. If you need a 100-ton truck, Kadee and Intermountain have good ones.

I'm not sure which particular Athearn truck you are asking about.

Ken

 

Thanks Terry I will share whatever info I get rest assured. One photo I am aware of is on Dr. Condren's site, and it is difficult like you say to see where the lettering should go.
According to a bit of info found online, Our Rick McClellan posted a photo of one to a Frisco related magazine, I have emailed Rick a day ago or so, I am sure he will let me/us know if he has a photo, or info on same.
I would propose this; we can make out where the reporting marks are SL-SF 3705, the rest will be the challenge, these types of cars seem to have the same lettering from car to car, with flat cars being rather "Spartan" LD LMT, LT WT, like is on the 60' cars, and I think we can only guess the same would apply to this car. What do you think?|-||-|

Ken I think maybe you are right, I cant see 36" wheels under this. I was just looking at the truck lines in the photo and pondering hhhhmmm.
The Athearn truck I refer to, is in the upgraded RTR line, and not a bad looking truck. I still have a few Kato "rollers" around
Regards
Tom Holley

 

Who makes that Handbrake on the SL-SF 3705/3706 In HO?? The hand brake with the Walthers is a bit different than this one.
Tom Holley

 

Been havin a blast
Had a twin pack of well wrong color 60' MDC flats that needed some SLSF paint. I did soak them in some "Super Clean" it removed one layer of paint, but the other was tuff enough to not be dissolved. After a few minutes of soaking in Scalecoat paint remover, we were in business.
As usual, I am all about taking the details off of an RTR model, to attempt the meager representation of the "real thing", but at the same time I am not about to grind the details off, that means nothing away either. The 1st photo shows the lead strips used to add all the weight possible to the MT car
Anyway, here we go; Cut off the molded on details, and drill all the holes needed to insert DA Grabs, A-Line steps, Plano cut bars, DW air hoses as well as many other details, including DW brake detail kits. Use Styrene to model the additional steel around the coupler pockets.
Used a bit of Evergreen Plastic to customize this, in a miserably weak attempt at modeling an SLSF 60' Flat car.
Still need to use the White primer
Will use the IM trucks w 33" wheels.
Tom Holley

 

Looks like its going to be another fine piece of work. It's good to see folks getting some modeling done. Do you have the decals for it?

 

Tom - Nice work. The fine added details really dress up a "shake-the-box" kit.

Ken

 

Thanks for the comments guys,|-|
Jim I do enjoy building and trying to improve these kits, planning on using decals from a few sources
Ken pretty soon your NW1 will be switching them (building 2) all over the yard
Thanks
Tom Holley|-||-|

 

Tom -

Glad to see you have the NW2 hard at work and earning its keep. It just sat around here - along with everything else!

Ken

 

Thanks Ken, yep she earns her keep but the old NW2 looks good just sitting too
Thank Manny, I will keep plugging away at it

Found a third car that needed the treatment. Anyone know how many of these 60' flats the Frisco had?
Although they look OK clean, I like to weather the "daylights" out of these things to show many years of service in an truly unforgiving environment.
Thanks
Tom Holley

 

Well done, again, Tom. You put out more really nice stuff in record time than anyone I know!

Regarding the NW2 ..... I recall we talked about the idea of possibly repowering it. Did you ever give that any more thought? I recall it runs fine (I replaced part of the gear train), but that the motor has a high current draw, similar to the old wide-frame Athearn Blue Box motor.

Ken

 

Thanks Ken
I did re-power/chassis the old girl till I come up with a way to re-power the original chassis. It seems a big part of the value of Brass is the wear on the wheels and this will save the original motor and wheels
It took some extensive machine work to get an Athearn SW chassis under that shell but it works good and the original chassis will still work too. I will send you pics
Thanks
Tom Holley

 

|-|Started on the SL-SF 3705, 89' flat a few days ago, using a Walthers flush deck car. I think the sides were flat and not rounded like the model was so into the mill it went to get the sides flat. The most challenging part so far has been to make the handbrake stand and adapt it to the flat car. Took the hitches off, and filled the holes, then used the grab irons with the kit, Brass stantions and flat strap to make the handbrake stand, then glued a modified Details West HB-1016 handbrake part on the stand, I then used A-Line 29219 chain and some .010 steel wire to adapt the mechanism to the car. The DW CL-1028 coupler cut bars and parts were used as well. Still have a long way to go.|-|
Tom Holley

 

Nice work!

K

 

Thanks Ken,
I sure wish we few more photos to go on here. I just cant help but wonder if this was a 86' car. Oh well rule #1 right? Do you have an equip register for 76-80?
Tom Holley