Price: Flatcar only, $43.99; flatcar with 45-foot trailer, $69.99
Manufacturer
Athearn Trains
2904 Research Rd.
Champaign, IL 61822
athearn.com
Road names: Trailer Train (mineral red and yellow schemes), Kansas City Southern, and Southern Pacific. Three road numbers per scheme (two without trailer, one with).
Era: 1960s+ to 1990s+ (varies by paint scheme)
Comments: Athearn recently released a new run of its N scale F89-F flatcar. The upgraded model, part of the Genesis line, has new details. In addition, one road number per paint scheme is offered with a newly tooled 45-foot Fruehauf Z-Van trailer.
Our review sample is decorated as TTX 153322, part of the freight car leasing company’s 153242 through 153566 series built by Bethlehem Steel Corp. under Lot 3400-010 in May 1966. The car was assigned to the TTX F89-F class (F = flatcar, 89 = car length, and F = subclass).
The Athearn model features a die-cast metal body that’s neatly painted mineral red with a white deck. From the box, the channel-side flatcar has two factory-installed raised trailer hitches and a bridge plate on both ends. Other separate, factory-applied parts include plastic riser boards, formed-wire side grab irons, and a brake ratchet. A pair of modeler-installed lowered trailer hitches and Automatic Car Identification plates are included.
Among the end details are newly tooled plastic uncoupling levers and rubber train line hoses with the glad hands painted silver. The stirrup steps and end grabs are cast as part of the carbody.
Underneath, the flatcar has cast stringers and crossmembers. The air reservoir, brake cylinder, control valve, and related pipes and levers are freestanding plastic parts. A plastic plate, which covers the center sills between the trucks, is attached with glue and three screws.
The mounting pins for the riser boards are visible on the bottom of the car. Touching up the pins with some mineral red paint would make them a bit less noticeable.
The flatcar is equipped with screw-mounted 70-ton roller-bearing trucks with correctly gauged machined metal wheelsets. The body-mounted McHenry scale couplers are at the correct height. At 1.3 ounces, the F89-F TOFC flatcar is .2 ounce too light per National Model Railroad Association Recommended Practice 20.1. Adding a single trailer brings the weight up to 1.6 ounces.
The model’s dimensions closely follow data published in the Trailer Train Equipment Guide (Trailer Train Co., November 1987). At more than 6-1⁄2“ long, the flatcar will need some room to stretch its legs. The model has a minimum radius of 9-3⁄4” and a recommended radius of 12+”.
Whether loaded or empty, the upgraded Athearn Genesis F89-F flatcar will be an attention getter on your N scale layout.
