Pulpwood loads on Atlas Bulkhead flats

[gabby]

Anybody got any of the Atlas bulkhead flats with the pulpwood load on them.
If so can they be removed. Also can I get a bit of a rundown on the Atlas cars. Am thinking of getting 3 or 4. Talking about the HO cars

 

[diburning]

Yes, the loads can be removed

 

[gabby]

diburning thank you.

 

[ICG/SOU]

Are you talking about the GSC 42' pulpwood cars? If so, I have a couple.

1) the pulpwood load is improved from last time's run (this year, GM&O, last year ICG), but load is still kinda toylike
2) small grab irons need to be added (a little time consuming, but not bad...better than Walthers since they are already painted), so some glue and needle-nose pliers are good
3) the car is about a 1/2 oz too light. I put a 1/2 weight on the load to bring it up to NMRA
4) the Chooch load is nice, and gives the car plenty of weight, and looks better, but costs $10 per load.

It's a nice car overall, and is prototypical for two of my railroads (GM&O and ICG) compared to the Athearn pulpwood car they have.

 

[gabby]

Trey thank you. I'm afraid you have lost me re the GSC name. The ones I was looking at are the Atlas number 16111 (BN) and it says they are 42Ft.

I have a couple of the old blue box ones (no load) and the Atlas ones look much better. I was going to take the moulded load off and put my own load on. Have done it to a couple of N scale ones.

 

[ICG/SOU]

GSC=General Steel Castings

You're right, it was a 42' car.

 

[UP2CSX]

The Athearn BB "pulpwood" cars really aren't good representations of real pulpwood cars anyway. The Atlas model of the GSC 42' car is much more accurate for the 1960's and later. I've seen guys come up with nice looking loads using twigs and small branches for bushes and trees. If you have any crape myrtle where you live, they make especially realistic looking logs.

 

[gabby]

Trey thank you for the sorting out the GSC name.

Jim that was what I was thinking of doing. I saw an article in an N scale mag with that idea and that is where I got the idea. I think doing it that way would make it more realistic than the cast load supplied.