The prototype. Gunderson, a freight car manufacturing unit of Greenbrier Companies, developed the Husky Stack in 1990. Double-stack container cars had been in service since the 1980s, but most were articulated three- and five-unit cars. The Husky Stack gave shippers more flexibility since it was offered as a standalone car as well as a multiple-unit drawbar-connected car.
The Burlington Northern RR received its first order of double-stack container cars from Gunderson in 1991. In addition to standalone cars, this order also included 31 drawbar-connected three-well Husky Stack cars. The BN received 100 more drawbar-connected Husky Stack cars in 1993.
In 1996 the BN merged with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. The Husky Stacks were relettered and renumbered for the new railroad, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (now BNSF Ry.). Many standalone and drawbar connected Husky Stack cars are still in service today.
The model. The main dimensions of the model matches prototype drawings in BNSF Railway Freight Cars Volume One by Robert C. Del Grosso (Great Northern Pacific Publications). The length of the model is 216′-8″ in N scale, and each unit is 68′-11″ long over the strikers. Each well is 9 scale feet wide and long enough for a 48-scale-foot container. However, containers aren’t included with the model.
The sides of the well are 9 scale inches thick. The bracing inside the well is 6 scale inches wide.
The quality of the molded detail on the plastic model is excellent, and the details match prototype photos.
The paint coverage on the N scale Husky Stack is smooth and even. All the lettering is straight and placed correctly according to prototype photos. Even the tiniest printing, such as the equipment trust stencils on the well sides, is legible under magnification.
The three units are connected by plastic drawbars. The two McHenry operating knuckle couplers on the end units are body mounted at the correct height.
The plastic RP-25 contour wheelsets are molded in brown plastic. All the wheelsets are in gauge. The plastic truck sideframes have well-defined spring and roller-bearing cap details.
Although the cars weigh well under the recommended weight for a car of its length according to National Model Railroad Association RP-20.1, the Athearn Husky Stack ran well on the 11″ radius curves of our N scale Salt Lake Route layout. The model looks better on a wider radius curve.
On the empty cars there’s limited room to conceal any extra weight. However, you could add weight inside a container when modeling a loaded car.
The Athearn Husky Stack is a great N scale model of a modern-era intermodal workhorse.
Manufacurer
Athearn Trains
2883 E. Spring St., Suite 100
Long Beach, CA 90806
www.athearn.com
Era: 1990 to present
Road names (multiple road numbers): Burlington Northern, BNSF, CSXT, GBRX, Southern Pacific, Trailer Train, TTX
Features
- Metal RP-25 contour wheels in gauge
- Minimum radius: 11″
- Operating McHenry knuckle couplers mounted at the correct height
- Weight: .9 ounces, 2 ounces too light per National Model Railroad Association RP-20.1
