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May 4, 2022 - N Scale
Wheels of Time - N Scale - 53ft 6in General Service Welded Fish Belly Flatcar
Dear N Scale Customers;
These 53'-6" flatcars were constructed with a welded fish belly steel frame in contrast to the cast steel GSI frame. The fish belly frame provided an optimal distribution of tension and compression forces from the center of the car to the bolsters. Think of it as a bridge. In addition, fabricating a welded frame was far less labor intensive than an equivalent riveted frame. The welded frame proved extremely durable holding up to rugged service. As these flat cars aged-out due to ARR interchange age limit, they found it's way into many years in maintenance-of-way service. A number of builders constructed these flat cars such as the Pacific Car & Foundry (P.C. & F.), Marine Industries (Canada), Pullman-Standard, Bethelehem Steel, and including railroad car shops such as the Western Pacific.
They were designated as FM by the AAR mechanical people. They carried anything bulky that can't be placed in a box car - from finished lumber to machinery equipment.
Wheels of Time N scale 53-ft 6-in Welded Fish Belly Flatcar Features -
• Properly weighed cars for smooth derailment-free running
• Proper ride height
• Body-mounted knuckle couplers
• 33" metal wheels for smooth rolling
• Internal steel plate so loads can be attached with magnets
• Extra fine details
• Sharp paint, lettering, car numbers to match the real thing
• Multiple car numbers for fleet owners for realistic train operations
Boston & Maine purchased two batches of Pullman-Standard PS-4 53’-6” fish belly flatcars in March & April 1957. Lot 8322 numbers 34000-34089 built at Butler Pennsylvania were plain deck general purpose flatcars. Lot 8322A numbers 5320-5329 were speciality equipped with bulkheads. 10 cars from the 34000 series were later converted to TOFC service.
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Boston & Maine , PS 3-57, General Purpose Flatcar, 34000 - 34089 (black body with logo), 6 car numbers |
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| 50113 | Car No. 34007 |
| 50114 | Car No. 34013 |
| 50115 | Car No. 34026 |
| 50116 | Car No. 34039 |
| 50117 | Car No. 34052 |
| 50118 | Car No. 34074 |
| 50180 |
B&M 3-pack (Random Numbers) |
Burlington Northern inherited a batch of Great Northern Pacific Car & Foundry 53’-6” as trailer on flatcars. They were all reverted back to general purpose use. Number 636050 was assigned to Barge 2 Idler Service in Seattle. These PC&F flats were welded fish belly cars built in Feb. 1954. Ex-BN 635172-635196; exx-GN 60209-60224; nee-GN 65500-65699.
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Burlington Northern, ex GN PC&F 2-54, General Purpose Flatcar, 6360 series (BN green) Stencil date 7-87; 6 car numbers |
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| 50119 | 636000, Single |
| 50120 | 636028 |
| 50121 | 636036 |
| 50122 | 636047 |
| 50123 | 636050 |
| 50124 | 636053 |
| 50181 | BN 3-pack (Random Numbers) |
| 50182 | BN 6-pack (All 6 Numbers) |
Canadian National Railways purchased a group of Marine Industries 1963-built welded fish belly flatcars. They were assigned to general purpose use. About 1968, the infamous ACI labels began to appear on the rolling stock as shown on our Wheels of Time model.
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Canadian National, Marine Industries BLT 1963, General Purpose Flatcar, 665001 Series (CN Mineral Red) Stencil date 3-72 ACI label; 6 car numbers
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| 50125 | 665002 |
| 50126 | 665034 |
| 50127 | 665045 |
| 50128 | 665118 |
| 50129 | 665157 |
| 50130 | 665186 |
| 50183 | CN 3-pack (Random Numbers) |
| 50184 | CN 6-pack (All 6 Numbers) |
Conrail Class 888F flatcars were originally Pullman Standard PS-4 built in 1960 for the New York Central System. PC inherited it’s fleet. And Conrail inherited it from PC. Conrail repainted their FM flatcars at the Altoona Car Shop until 1980, By 1981, the Hollidaysburg Car Shop did all the refurbishing of these Class 888F flatcars. On 4/80, only 2 cars had CR reporting marks. By 4/82, 53 cars had CR; 9 cars had PC; and 114 cars still had NYC! Wheels of Time is happy to reproduce these fine cars with the assistance from Jeff Lopez.
| Conrail, PS 1960, ex-NYC Class 888-F, Stencil date 2-81, 6 car numbers | |
| 50131 | CR 715353 |
| 50132 | CR 715355 |
| 50133 | CR 715410 |
| 50134 | CR 715492 |
| 50135 | CR 715519 |
| 50136 | CR 715523 |
| 50185 | CR 3-pack (Unique Number) |
| 50186 | CR 6-pack (All 6 Numbers) |
In 1977 - 1978, Southern Pacific shops rebuilt 66 (1963-64 built) SP Class F-70-12 flatcars with bulkheads like the originally built GBEC SP Class F-70-26 bulkhead flatcars. They were renumbered as SP 507733 - 507799 series and with an added “R” to it’s original class. They were 48’-6” between bulkheads.
| Southern Pacific, GBEC 1964, Bulkhead Flatcar, Class F-70-12-R, Stencil date 3-78, ACI label; 10 car numbers | |
| 50137 | SP 507700 |
| 50138 | SP 507713 |
| 50139 | SP 507727 |
| 50140 | SP 507732 |
| 50141 | SP 507756 |
| 50142 | SP 507761 |
| 50143 | SP 507769 |
| 50144 | SP 507775 |
| 50145 | SP 507780 |
| 50146 | SP 507794 |
| 50187 | SP 3-pack (Unique Number) |
| 50188 | SP 10-pack (All 10 Numbers) |
Southern Pacific Class F-70-12 were built by Gunderson Brothers Engineering Company (GBEC) at their Portland Oregon plant for a whopping 1,150 car order. Delivered starting in Feb. 1962 and continuing into 1964. They were assigned to general purpose use. Constructed with welded fish belly frames and Douglas fir decks treated with Pentha. Painted with Red Lead paint from Pacific Paint & Varnish or Freight Car Paint from Sherwin-Williams.
| Southern Pacific, GBEC 1963-1964, General Purpose Flatcar, Class F-70-12, Stencil date 3-75, ACI label; 6 car numbers | |
| 50147 | SP 564313 |
| 50148 | SP 564352 |
| 50149 | SP 564521 |
| 50150 | SP 564809 |
| 50151 | SP 564940 |
| 50152 | SP 565047 |
| 50189 | SP 3-pack (Random Number) |
| 50190 | SP 6-pack (All 6 Numebrs) |
Union Pacific inherited a large batch of ex-SP GBEC F-70-12 after their purchase of SP. Most of the SP F-70-12 were reassigned to UP MOW relay rail use. However, one car - just one car was repainted to UP paint and assigned to general purpose. This car exist today on a tourist railroad.
| Union Pacific, ex SP GBEC, Plain Deck Flatcar, UP Freight Car Red, Stencil date 2-85, 1 car number | |
| 50153 | UP 58259 |
Western Maryland received from Bethlehem Steel Company (Order DS-3400-286) in 1959, 30 all welded fish belly frame general purpose use. They were equipped with roller bearing unlike previous WM flatcar orders. These 53’-6” flatcars were painted in the stunning Western Maryland Red paint.
| Western Maryland, Bethlehem Steel Co., WM 7001 Series, WM Red, New date 6-59, 6 car numbers | |
| 50154 | WM 7001 |
| 50155 | WM 7006 |
| 50156 | WM 7019 |
| 50157 | WM 7022 |
| 50158 | WM 7028 |
| 50159 | WM 7030 |
| 50191 | WM - 3 pack (Random number) |
In October 1978, Western Pacific Railroad stretched their 1953 home-built 50-ft flatcars originally numbered 2701-2802. WP Stockton Shops added three and half feet to meet shippers load accommodations. These cars also received roller bearing trucks replacing the original plain bearing ones.
| Western Pacific, WP Shops, STK 10-78, Black, 6 car numbers | |
| 50160 | WP 2231 |
| 50161 | WP 2234 |
| 50162 | WP 2235 |
| 50163 | WP 2238 |
| 50164 | WP 2247 |
| 50165 | WP 2250 |
| 50192 | WP 3-pack (Random number) |
| 50193 | WP 6-pack (All 6 numebrs) |
Southern Pacific painted their F-70-12 class flatcars aluminum color for use in their non-revenue service.
| Southern Pacific, GBEC 1963-1964, Maintenance-of-Way, Class F-70-12; (SP era); aluminum color | |
| 50173 | SPMW 9326 plain deck flat |
| 50174 | SPMW (no number) |
Order Due Date: May 6, 2022
Anticipated Delivery Date: April 2023
Product Details
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