Atlas Model Railroad Co. Product Review

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This review was taken from the February, 2000 issue of Model Railroader Magazine and is reproduced with permission of Kalmbach Publishing Company, Waukesha, WI.

N scale 60-foot auto parts boxcar

Review by Jim Hediger

This all-new 60-foot auto parts boxcar from Atlas is a welcome addition for modern-era layouts. It represents one of the prototypes built by American Car & Foundry in the late 1960s to haul heavy automobile parts like engines, transmissions, and steel castings.

The model comes ready-to-run and closely matches prototype dimensions shown in an ACF car diagram published in the 1970 edition of the Car and Locomotive Cylclopedia (published by Simmons-Boardman).

This model accurately captures the prototype’s proportions and included some innovative details in its construction. It has the usual well-detailed plastic body shell, but the end ladders and brake wheel are separate pieces cemented on. Two sliding doors are mounted on each side with tiny concealed pins. If you wish, you can remove these mounting pins and glue the doors in open positions.

The floor is a zinc alloy casting that provides weight low in the car. This casting has floorboard detailing on both sides and extra weights at both ends. It snaps into a molded plastic underframe that includes a center sill, stringers, cross-bearers, and separate brake system details.

The trucks have rigid acetal plastic frames which represent AAR 70-ton roller bearing types. All of the wheelsets are one-piece acetal plastic castings with needlepoint bearings. They roll freely and all of the wheelsets matched the National Model Railroad Association’s standards gauge.

Our sample car came with Rapido-style couplers, but Micro-Trains no. 1129 or 1130 knuckle couplers will fit in the Atlas truck-mounted draft-gear boxes. Micro Trains no. 1129 or 1130 knuckle couplers will fit in the Atlas truck-mounted draft-gear boxes. Micro-Trains no. 1038 roller bearing trucks with couplers can be substituted, or the no. 1027 body-mounted couplers can be used.

The sample car weighs one ounce, which matches the NMRA recommended practice for a 60-foot car.

MR’s samples came neatly spray-painted with sharp, opaque lettering.

This is an excellent addition to the modern N scale car fleet.