Athearn/Red Caboose Flats

[NWR #200]

Because Walthers 45' log flats are near impossible to get now and because I don't want to fork over $20 per car for a Custom Finishing car (Which are very nice,) I've decided to build kitbash my own, much like many late loging roads did. I bought some Details West PC&F log bunks the other day at my LHS that are especially built for converting normal flats into logging flats. Question: Directions say to remove a scale 33'3" of the decking from a 40' or 50' flat. How do I do this with out ruining the rest of the model. Since Athearn Blue Box kits are hard to find right now (Never thought I'd say that) I was thinking about using Red Caboose 42' flats. Do these have seperate decks or are they molded one with the body? Thanks.

 

[JeffShultz]

Seth,

Is this what you are going for? I think these still have the decking on them:

http://www.shultzinfosystems.com/gallery/Freight-cars/DSCF0173 for another angle, and there are photos of the things all through my gallery.

 

[NWR #200]

The cars are actually the "Fishbelly" style flats built during the 40s and 50s. They had the decking removed to let bark and other matter fall to the ground as the planking would rot with all the organic stuff falling. Those cars are interesting however. Are those 60' flats?

 

[NWR #200]

Here is what I mean. Only difference is that I will use 4 bunks rather than 2. http://home.att.net/~lassen.logger/B10-84.htm