Athearn Genesis HO scale modern 60-foot hi-cube boxcars

Athearn has released a series of ready-to-run HO models of 60-foot hi-cube boxcars, which are part of the firm’s Genesis Line of limited-run models. Our samples represent prototype double- door cars with a variety of different sides, roofs, and ends built by Berwick, Gunderson, and FMC from the late 1970s through the 1990s, mostly for automobile parts service.

Athearn’s model of the Western Pacific car closely matches dimensions shown in a small diagram of the Berwick car in Simmons-Boardman’s 1980 Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia. The others match similar dimensions listed in the Official Railway Equipment Register including:

• Cotton Belt (SSW) 62649, an FMC smooth-side car with double eight-foot Youngstown sliding doors.
• Norfolk Southern 469350, a Gunderson single-sheathed car with double eight-foot Youngstown plug doors.
• Western Pacific 3768, a Berwick single-sheathed car with double eight-foot Youngstown plug doors.

All of the prototypes are listed as “Plate C” cars, which means they’re about a scale 6″ taller than regular boxcars. The white band across the top of the end calls attention to this excess height and the cars are restricted to railroads with appropriate clearances.

Model Railroader’s sample cars came assembled and ready-to-run. All of the models share the same design and a number of detail parts, including the floor and underframe, brake system, and safety appliances (ladders, stirrup steps, and uncoupling levers). Using the same underframe on all three models is a production shortcut as three competitors would not produce the same item.

The carbodies are one-piece castings with different end and roof details which match the specific carbuilder’s designs. Separate added details include door latch bars, four-rung corner ladders, and etched metal safety platforms. Formed wire grab irons are used on the single-sheathed cars.

The plastic floor has planking details, and a steel weight is mounted on top. Our samples weigh six ounces each, .5 ounces heavier than the National Model Railroad Association’s recommendation of one ounce plus .5 ounces per inch of length.

Appropriate 100-ton roller bearing trucks come on the models. They have rigid frames and wheelsets with rotating roller-bearing end caps. The RP25-contour wheelsets have turned metal wheels pressed into acetal plastic axle tubes. The wheel treads are .088″ wide, which is closer to scale size than the NMRA Standard .108″ width. Even so, these wheelsets still fit the NMRA gauge and will operate on regular track.

Bachmann’s E-Z Mate knuckle couplers come mounted in coupler boxes molded in the simulated cushion underframe. The coupler box covers are top-mounted and secured with friction pins. A small illustrated instruction sheet is included which explains how to remove them if a change is necessary.

Our samples came neatly spray-painted in a variety of boxcar reds. The white excess height panels at each and were cleanly masked and sprayed and all of the lettering was clear and sharp.

These modern auto parts cars are great representations of many cars operating in today’s freight car fleet. Their fine detailing sets a new level of quality for Athearn’s Genesis Line.

HO 60-foot hi-cube boxcars

Price: $24.98 each

Manufacturer:
Athearn Inc.
19010 Laurel Park Rd.
Compton, CA 90220
www.athearn.com

Description:
Ready-to-run plastic freight cars

Road names:
(Two car numbers in each scheme)
Berwick waffle-side car:
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Conrail
Denver & Rio Grande Western
Milwaukee Road
Missouri Pacific
Norfolk & Western
Southern Pacific
Western Pacific
FMC smooth-side car:
Golden West Service
St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt)
Gunderson single-sheathed car:
Coe Rail (CRLE)
Kansas City Southern
Norfolk Southern
Progress Rail Services (SLGG)
Union Pacific (CHTT)