Model Railroading > Update to Walthers Well Car Review

   A few days ago I hastily wrote a favorable review on my Walthers 53'  Rebuilt All-Purpose Well Car. I still like the car and with weathering it will look quite nice. However, I thought I'd see how it looks with 53' containers installed. Wouldn't you know it----the containers (Athearn and Atlas) DO NOT fit!

  Although the width of the well is snug, there are metal crossbars at both end of the car which prohibit a 53' container from seating within the well. Therefore I had to use a Dremel tool (couldn't use a file) to shave away portions of the crossbars. As a result my Athearn Jindo 53' container now fits------to insert an Atlas CIMC I'd have to take off even more material.

  My apologies if I got everyone's hopes up----hopefully Walthers upcoming 53 footers will fit their car.........



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/15 13:54 by CSX_ENG.

I would have to think if the new Walthers containers are in fact 53' long, they won't fit either.  Make me wonder if the Athearn/Atlas containers are too long, or if Walthers is going to shorten their containers. In looking at photos of the car, it may be advantages just to cut them off and re position them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/15 14:47 by needles_sub.

Atlas had a similar problem with some of their well cars a few years back.

Posted from Android

This is exactly what Walthers did with their 48' well cars years ago.  At that time, they made their 48' containers shorter to mask their screwup.  For this reason alone, I developed a distrust for Walthers and have not bought their containers.  Funnily enough, the 53' NSC well cars which they produced are fine.

Isn't the Walthers car that you are speaking of a Gunderson prototype and, if so, would the Athearn be a better choice?  I am not sure of what was done in the re-build that you've mentioned as I am not current with the well cars runnig around of recent - living overseas.

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/15 15:42 by rschonfelder.

rschonfelder Wrote:
  I am not sure of what was
> done in the re-build that you've mentioned as I am
> not current with the well cars runnig around of
> recent - living overseas.
>
> Rick

  On the prototype the cars were originally built to handle a maximum container of 48'. Later TTX developed a method to add 5' extra feet to stretch the well for 53' containers. On other cars they also reduced the well size from 48' to 40'---hence all the rebuilt cars have noticable seam lines towards the ends portions of the cars. Additionally, these cars also had hitches at both ends to make it "all-purpose"-----during the rebuild the hitches were removed on the DTTX version (but not the SMW)......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/15 16:02 by CSX_ENG.

That sucks to hear i was looking forward to this well car, you think there would have noticed this problem considering this car was cancelled once allready i am glad i dint get any. its almost pointless to buy if u cant fit any 53' containers in the bottom section.

That's certainly bad news and quite major.   Mine arrive next week and if they aren't going to take other brand's 53' containers, they will be hearing from me.    It's bad enough we went through this with Atlas.  

Looking at the pictures you posted in your original review of these, you can see that the cross bar inside the well is inside of the 53' mark on the side of the car.  Couldn't you just cut out the cross bar and move it out a little bit or cut it out completely.

Ron Evans
Golden Valley, AZ

Just so there's no confusion - the 53' NSC well car that Walthers most recently released, and which is also die-cast metal takes non-Walthers 53' containers just fine. I believe rschonfelder noted that in one of the posts above, but not sure if folks picked up on that.

Posted from iPhone

sandmanre Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
 Couldn't you just
> cut out the cross bar and move it out a little bit
> or cut it out completely.

  It appears that removing the bar altogether would be just fine without compromisng the strength of the car.

I'm not sure why yours aren't fitting.  Walthers posted photos of different containers from Atlas, Kato and Con Cor containers in their well cars.  The new Walthers containers fit as well.

Regards,
James Wright (JLWii2000 HO Scale Product Reviews on YouTube)
Omaha, Nebraska

 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/15 05:56 by JLW2K.

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JLW2K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not sure why yours aren't fitting.  Walthers
> posted photos of different containers from Atlas,
> Kato and Con Cor containers in their well cars. 
> The new Walthers containers fit as well.
>
> Regards,
> James Wright (JLWii2000 HO Scale Product Reviews
> on YouTube)
> Omaha, Nebraska
>

Have you tired putting Atlas, Con Cor, and Kato containers into the car?  Pictures mean nothing.
>  

I got my four well cars and tired various 53' containers, no Con Cor though. 53' containers  fit in two of my cars, very, very snug in one other car, and not at all in the fourth car. Shrinkage of the  the metal maybe. Oh well. They are nice ars though.

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JLW2K Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'm not sure why yours aren't fitting. 
> Walthers
> > posted photos of different containers
> from Atlas,
> > Kato and Con Cor containers in their well
> cars. 
> > The new Walthers containers fit as well.
> >
> > Regards,
> > James Wright (JLWii2000 HO Scale Product
> Reviews
> > on YouTube)
> > Omaha, Nebraska
> >
>
> Have you tired putting Atlas, Con Cor, and Kato
> containers into the car?  Pictures mean nothing.
> >  

Yes, actually I have put Atlas and Kato in the car.  If a manufactuer goes out on a limb and photographs the cars with the containers seated then I intend to believe them.  There isn't a mass conspiracy theory where Walthers is making this stuff up to push for sales.  Pictures can be used in trials, so yes they do mean something.  Pictures can be manipulated and photoshopped but if you're suggesting Walthers would mislead and put their reputation on the line I would be more concerned with your state of mind than Walthers.

Regards,
James Wright
JLWii2000 HO Scale Product Reviews

JLW2K Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > JLW2K Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I'm not sure why yours aren't fitting. 
> > Walthers
> > > posted photos of different containers
> > from Atlas,
> > > Kato and Con Cor containers in their well
> > cars. 
> > > The new Walthers containers fit as well.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > James Wright (JLWii2000 HO Scale Product
> > Reviews
> > > on YouTube)
> > > Omaha, Nebraska
> > >
> >
> > Have you tired putting Atlas, Con Cor, and Kato
> > containers into the car?  Pictures mean
> nothing.
> > >  
>
> Yes, actually I have put Atlas and Kato in the
> car.  If a manufacture goes out on a limb and
> photographs the cars with the containers seated
> then I intend to believe them.  There isn't a
> mass conspiracy theory where Walthers is making
> this stuff up to push for sales.  Pictures can be
> used in trials, so yes they do mean something.
>  Pictures can be manipulated and photo shopped but
> if you're suggesting Walthers would mislead and
> put their reputation on the line I would be more
> concerned with your state of mind than Walthers.
>
> Regards,
> James Wright
> JLWii2000 HO Scale Product Reviews
James relax. While the containers may fit in publicity photo's, until i get a car in my hands, they do mean nothing to me. I don't think they have been photo shopped. You apparently are taking it very personal I questioned your response. Remember, it's all toy trains, and in the end we all die, and at that point, nothing matters, I have four cars, two cars are no problem, one is very, very snug. I think ounce the container goes in, it maybe a permanent fixture in the car. The forth car, the containers won't fit, period. Maybe the metal car contracted a bit more, maybe the paint is thicker than the others, I don't know. I just returned the car, I'll let Walthers figure it out. As for the state of my mind, well that's always been in question. Insanity is the last refuge of a sane mind.

I picked up my FEC well car Saturday and tried fitting an Athearn 53' container in it. It didn't fit with out appling pressure to one end after placing container in the well. Had a heck of a time getting it in then getting it out. I guess once loaded it will stay that way. I only have Athearn containers so other mfg, not sure if they fit.

Stanley Jackowski
Valrico, FL

> James relax. While the containers may fit in
> publicity photo's, until i get a car in my hands,
> they do mean nothing to me. I don't think they
> have been photo shopped. You apparently are taking
> it very personal I questioned your response.
> Remember, it's all toy trains, and in the end we
> all die, and at that point, nothing matters, I
> have four cars, two cars are no problem, one is
> very, very snug. I think ounce the container goes
> in, it maybe a permanent fixture in the car. The
> forth car, the containers won't fit, period. Maybe
> the metal car contracted a bit more, maybe the
> paint is thicker than the others, I don't know. I
> just returned the car, I'll let Walthers figure it
> out. As for the state of my mind, well that's
> always been in question. Insanity is the last
> refuge of a sane mind.

Sorry, it just seemed you were implying some sort of foul play. Or that's how I percieved it anyway.  You would be surprised at how many people are conspiracy theorists out there.  Back on subject maybe the metal is expanding or contracting depending on the temperatures the model was subjected to?  I don't know, its a mystery to me.

-James