Athearn N Scale: F89-F Bi-Level Auto Rack - Saint Louis - Illinois Central

MODEL FEATURES:

• Die-cast underframe
• Authentic undulating safety railing
• Accurate Whitehead and Kales Auto Rack
• End bridge plates per prototype and era
• Body mounted McHenry operating knuckle couplers
• Detailed deck
• Highly-detailed, injection-molded body
• Minimum radius: 10” — Recommended radius: 12+”

PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

• Introduced in the early 1960s, the Trailer Train (now TTX Company) F89F flatcar has been a mainstay of contemporary railroading. A product of Bethlehem Steel Company’s (BSC) Johnstown, PA plant, over 9,000 of these (89’ 8” over the strikers) cars were built throughout the 1960s. Visually distinctive from other long flatcars of their era thanks to their “C” channel side sills, these versatile cars were adapted for many types of service and loadings over the years, ranging from Trailer-On-Flatcar (TOFC), to autoracks, to structural steel loading. While the majority went to Trailer Train, many were built for various railroads, typically for autorack service. Many were “de-racked” in later years, being reassigned and equipped for other service - TOFC, vehicle loading, pipe service, etc.
• Operationally, these cars are appropriate for any layout set from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The Auto Racks would be fastened to the 89’ flatcar for auto service from Detroit.