From my homework, it appears there were five different FMC 50' boxcar toolings produced by MDC Roundhouse. MDC also produced at least 3 different 50' PS boxcars, 2 BFF 50-footers and a Hi-Cube). All five of the FMC models seem to have been re-run by Athearn at different times over the years since the acquisition. The five are: Plug Door Plug/Sliding Door (a.k.a. Single Door?) Combo (1.5 door?) Double Door Offset Double Door Is this a correct summary? Were the Roundhouse versions all run with Rapido couplers or did they adopt some kind of knuckle coupler towards the end? Does anyone know if these toolings were modified or improved after Athearn acquired them? The acquisition occurred in June of 2004, according to this post: http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/horizon-acquires-mdc-roundhouse.11262/ Also, does one usually think of these series as MDC or Athearn toolings?
These are good stand ins for some of the FMC prototypes though others are starting to improve them. To my knowledge Athearn has not improved or redone the initial tooling. I seem to recall they had knuckle couplers (possibly Accumates or Mchenry's) for about a year before the Athearn purchase.
I don't recall MDC releasing cars with anything other than Rapido couplers...and half the time they were released with not the greatest trucks (no screw but a plastic retainer for the trucks). A search for MDC cars on Spookshow shows the following boxcars: 36' Old Time Box Car 50' BFF Peak End Box Cars 50' FMC Box Cars 50' PS-1 Box Car 50' Hi-Cube Box Car 50' PS Peak End Box Cars 50' PS Waffle Side Box Car I still miss MDC (even thought the trucks were not that good...they were usually replaced with MT anyways) and they had some cars that you couldn't get any other way...and we all know how often Athearn runs them. Also, Athearn has done nothing to the tooling since they acquired it (including just USING it). Dear Athearn, Why do you (and Walthers) buy N scale stuff that you rarely (if ever) bother to run? Please sell the stuff you don't want to someone who will provide it to the N scale community. Thanks...
In defense of the folks at Athearn, they HAVE run these molds. A lot! Perhaps I am biased because it took days to key all these releases in. However, in the five different FMC toolings, I have counted over 180 different products. In many cases, it doesn't seem like us consumers are buying them because Athearn has been forced to re-release excess stock with weathering applied. With that in mind, I think they are doing us all a service in releasing product despite the fact we are not buying it. I believe that demonstrates a true love for the hobby and for the models they acquired from MDC. Furthermore they are continuing to run them. The combo door body style is being re-released this December (along with coalporters and woodchip hoppers). http://www.trovestar.com/generic/index.php?Collection=4&Release Date=2016-12-01
Agreed that Athearn has run most of the MDC/Roundhouse tooled cars. But, they haven't to my knowledge rerun the 50' Waffle Side boxcar. Anyone know why that particular car hasn't been released by Athearn? I really like those cars. Mike
" Is this a correct summary? Were the Roundhouse versions all run with Rapido couplers or did they adopt some kind of knuckle coupler towards the end?" The "kits" that came in the small MTL size boxes had rapido's only. The RTR cars that came in the larger boxes (I think that's when production shifted to China) came with rapidos, but had a fixed knuckle coupler similar to a unimate included in the box. The RTR cars MAY have only been run in 4-packs as I don't recall any that were single car only. Hobby shops and dealers may have broken up the 4-packs into singles once received from MDC. Mike
5 FMC cars would be correct: Plug door Sliding door Combination door Double door Offset double door There were a total of 5 50' PS cars: X-post (with either separate PS or Youngstown sliding doors) X-post "waffle side" PS-1 w/sliding door PS-1 w/plug door PS-1 w/double sliding doors There was one Berwick car with either separate Youngstown or panel sliding doors, also the Hi-Cube. Some MDC cars came with optional dummy knuckle couplers. Two changes by Athearn are new trucks with McHenry couplers, also truck screws instead of plastic truck pins. Athearn has re-released the FMC cars, the 3 PS-1's, and the Berwick car (with some later releases having the wrong PS door from the X-post PS car instead of a Youngstown door for some unknown reason)
