NEW ATHEARN AIRSLIDE HOPPER

Discussion in 'Covered Hoppers' started by FriscoFriend (Bob Hoover RIP 4/12/2018), Jan 21, 2009.

  1. pensive

    pensive Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I bought one at the train show in St. Charles last weekend (February 4). Overall the casting is impressive with grab irons and pipes that are believable. Nits to pick: One of the end number plates was slightly crooked with glue stains slopped around it.

    Rich
     
  2. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    I had ordered three from Wholesale Trains (Lantz Hobby Shop) and they arrived yesterday. Very nice for a RTR car. Wish they made some with the SLSF reporting marks as well.
     
  3. Rick McClellan

    Rick McClellan 2009 Engineer of the Year


    Yeah, for those that operate, you will need to get used to the GACX (or whatever they are) reporting marks when switching.
     
  4. Vonteget

    Vonteget Member

    What numbers were the SLSF Pd 3000's? Where can I fins pics of these?

    Andy
     
  5. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Thought I would bump this thread. I have some Walthers 2 bay airslide hopper kits that are going to get Frisco decals. SL-SF 81900-81957.
    I would like to see if you folks had a pictures or knew where I could find/see them. I have looked at books and have seen very few images. Non that I can see the lettering clearly.
     
  6. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Tom -
    Have you seen the pic of SLSF 81900 in the Molo book, page 105? This car is the big Airslide, 4180 ft3, four discharge gates. Good pic. The Frisco's first order was SLSF 81900-81910, followed by six more orders, identical cars, until the full class ended with SLSF 81957, 58 cars in all.
    Ken
     
  7. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Ken,
    Yessir, looking at it right now. Cant really tell if the bottom was black or not. I have found an image on the net that showed the bottom grey as well as the trucks were grey.
    Also another with the bottom/trucks black.
     
  8. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Tom - Can't really tell, but per Athearn, it seems the Airslides built by General American for the Frisco, be they GACX or SLSF labeled, came with black tops and black bottoms & trucks. I would imagine eventually the SLSF painted them all grey during shoppings. Again, I don't know for sure.

    Trucks are a mixed bag. I've seen Frisco covered hoppers with both black and grey trucks. I suggest they usually came in black, and again, during shoppings, the painter sometimes kept going and did the trucks grey also. I remember asking the engineers at ACF during one of my visits there (Milton, PA - they built lots of tank cars for us) that they painted trucks black on new cars unless the customer specifically specified grey.
    Do some of each!
    K
     
  9. pensive

    pensive Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Last edited: May 14, 2017
  10. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Thanks Rich, I didnt even think about that!
     
  11. pensive

    pensive Member Frisco.org Supporter

    You're welcome, Tom. Please post a photo of your modeling work when finished.

    Rich
     
  12. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    If someone has the Tangent model. Would you measure in HO scale feet/inches how far below the top sill the large FRISCO letters started?
    Thank You.
     
  13. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    I don't have the car in my possession but using metrics on photos, it looks like the top of FRISCO is 13.75% of the distance from the lip of the roof to the sill of the car.
     
  14. pensive

    pensive Member Frisco.org Supporter

    My measurement of the Tangent model comes to 1' 4" or 16" from the bottom of the top sill to the top of the lettering. Hope this helps.

    Rich
     
  15. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Tom -
    Comparing the Tangent model pic of SLSF 81900 to the photo of SLSF 81900 on page 105 of the Molo book, it looks to me that Tangent has it about right. I'd be shocked if they didn't.
    The measurements up above by Keith and Rich also sound about right to me.
    Ken

    ps - The Tangent model is of course spanking clean. I remember almost every Airslide I saw in the plants looked like the one in the book!
     
  16. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Thanks Keith, Rich and Ken that is exactly what I needed.
    Ken I am starting on your loco :)
     
  17. Tom, I have one here too if you need pics.
     
  18. meteor910

    meteor910 2009 Engineer of the Year Staff Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Tom - Great! Do you need any more pics?
    Let me know if you need any help on decals. I hope I didn't sell them all!
    Ken
     

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