Flat cars are the most basic type of freight car. Anything that can be placed on a flat deck and be held securely by stakes, chains or other fixtures can be carried on a flat car. Logs, lumber, pipes, machinery and even railcars and airplanes travel on flat cars. By the 1950s a new use for specialized flatcars was becoming popular, hauling highway trailers. Piggy back service offered the convenience of to your door pick up and delivery with the economy of railroad long hauls and evolved into the intermodal service we have today.
In this installment of the O scale Freight Car Guide we will take a look at standard and piggy back flat cars.
40 and 41 Foot Flat Cars
Lionel included a 40 foot flat car in their original Standard O freight car line in the 1970s. Like other cars of the era it has a plastic body and diecast sprung trucks with thumbtack couplers. It remained in Lionel catalogs as late as 2001.
Lionel introduced their 40' Standard O flat car in 2006. It features a Diecast frame and a laser cut wood deck. They have come with either metal stakes or pipe, wheel or tarped loads. Please be aware that the wooden deck will show mounting holes if the load is removed. Unloaded cars weight 12 ounces. The weight combined with a low center of gravity provide for good performance in trains.
MTH introduced their 41' Premier flat car in their 2005 Volume 1 Catalog. The combination of a plastic body with steel weights make them about a half ounce heavier than the diecast Lionel car when both are without a load. The MTH cars have been offered with automobile, truck or Sherman tank loads.
Weaver offers a 40' Fish Belly flat car. It is available in 2 and 3 rail versions either undecorated or in a variety of road names.
50 Foot flat cars
Atlas introduced their Trainman flat cars in 2007. They are based on a 1950s prototype and come with pipe loads. Like all Atlas O freight cars they are available with your choice of 2 rail or 3 rail trucks and couplers.
The K-Line 691 diecast flat car continued to be sold as K-Line by Lionel.
Lionel introduced their model of the PS-4 flat car in 2003. It has diecast construction with a laser cut wood deck.
The MTH flat car first appeared in the 1997 Volume 1 catalog. It has been offered with log, pipe and a wide variety of vehicle or heavy equipment loads. Recent versions come with improved trucks and underframes redesigned for the mounting of Kadee couplers.
Weaver offers their 50 foot flat car with 2 or 3 rail trucks undecorated or painted and lettered for multiple road names.
Sixty Foot Flat Cars
MTH first offered their 60 Foot flat car in the 2007 Volume 1 catalog. It comes with either three 20 foot trash containers, track, or a variety of vehicle loads. It weights 18 ounces unloaded or 27 ounces with three trash containers on board.
Atlas introduced a modern 68 foot flat car to the trainman line in 2014.
Piggy Back Flat Cars
Lionel offers the piggy back version of their diecast PS-4 flat car with bridge plates, side rails and smooth or rib side trailers.
MTH offers their standard 50 foot flat car with Twin 28 foot trailers mounted on adjustable 5th wheels. The flat car weighs 15 ounces empty and 22 ounces with both trailers on board.
MTH introduced their modern construction style piggy back flat car in the 1998 Volume 1 catalog. It comes with two 20 foot trailers or a single 40 or 48 foot trailer. It has also been offered with vehicle or rail car loads.
Weaver makes a piggy back version of their standard 50 foot flat car with a single 35 foot trailer. It comes equipped with side rails and movable bridge plates. The trailer weighs 5 ounces and the empty trailer 12 ounces making for a 17 ounce loaded car.
Atlas introduced their model of a 1960s and 70s ACF built version of the ubiquitous 89' flat car in 2003. Most have been offered without trailers and equipped with two 5th wheels and bridge plates. They have also been sold with single trailers.
As always, your comments or corrections are most welcome. And let's see photos of your wood side and express refrigerator cars.
Information on other types of O scale freight cars can be found at the link below.
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...le-freight-car-guide
