Introduction

ScaleTrains Rivet 40990 HO Scale Trinity 60′ 7500 12′ Plug-Door High-Cube Boxcar Atlantic & Western ATW 140198

Since the late 1990s, Trinity has built over 10,000 60 Plate F boxcars. Within these many cars are dozens of variations of door sizes, roofs, underframes, and side post arrangements. Today, everything from lumber, steel, beer, and appliances can be seen filling the walls of this staple of modern railroading seen on almost every manifest freight on the rails.

The signature of the Rivet Counter brand, this model of the Trinity 7500 Hi-Cube Boxcar features railroad, road number, and era-specific details including 5 side post variations, 2 horizontal stiffener types, 7 different doors, 5 unique end styles, 5 underframe variations, 10 roof patterns, and 2 truck options depending on the prototype.

FEATURES:

• All-new model
• Era: 2001 to present
• Series 140000 to 140199, built 7-01
• Road numbers 140150 and 140198
• Fully assembled
• Multiple road numbers
• Fully-assembled
• 6 left and 6 right side posts
• Single 12 plug door
• 4 over 3 rail non-terminating ends
• 10 & 12 door with split rail center sill underframe
• 11 x-panels with upstanding flange roof
• Finely detailed brake plumbing, linkage, triple valve, air reservoir, brake cylinder and actuator
• Brake wheel, stand, and chain
• Factory-applied wire trainline pipe with brackets
• Factory-applied, metal grab irons, coupler cut levers, and trainline hoses with silver gladhands
• Semi-scale coupler boxes
• Durable body-mounted die-cast metal semi-scale lower shelf Type E couplers with long shanks
• Highly detailed ASF Motion Control 110-ton trucks with finely rendered raised foundry data; rotating black Timken three-sided bearing caps; separate truck-mounted brake beams; and side bearing detail
• Printed reporting mark and road number on all four trucks
• 36 machined metal wheels with accurately profiled .110″ wide wheel tread
• Operates on Code 70, 83, and 100 rail
• Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Weighted to Industry standards for reliable operation
• Packaging safely stores the model
• Minimum radius: 22
• Recommended radius: 24

The 60 hi-cube boxcar has been a common sight on North American rails since the 1970s. Initially, these car types were designed for shuttling auto parts from various suppliers to auto assembly plants. Other common uses for these large boxcars were for transporting finished appliances from the factory to distribution centers. These cars were ideal for larger, lighter items that would traditionally cube out in a smaller 50 boxcar. Many of these cars were only rated at 70 tons.

Due to the extreme height of these cars, with many reaching 17 above the railhead, they were given the AAR clearance plate designation of Plate-F.

In the late 1990s, a new breed of 60 boxcars began to appear on the rails. These newer, more robust cars came along with a larger weight potential as well. Because of this, multiple commodities that were previously hauled in smaller 50 boxcars could now be loaded in these cars, requiring fewer carloads and reducing transportation costs. Common goods that these cars are used for today include lumber, steel, appliances, canned items, and beer.

Trinity has built over 10,000 of their 60 hi-cube Plate-F boxcars in the past 25 years. During these years, multiple variations have rolled out of the factory doors. At this time, we have identified 34 unique body variations! These variations include 8 different door arrangements, 7 different side post arrangements, 5 different ends, 5 different underframes, and 10 yes 10 different roofs.

From 1998 to 2000, Trinity used a more traditional tubular corner post design at the ends of the cars. We have come to identify these as the early body. This design was available in a single 12 plug door version with 6 side posts on either side of the door or the more common double 8 plug door arrangement with 5 side posts on either side. All were built with 5 over 4 rib non-terminating ends.

In 2001, Trinity revised the design to the late body now using a flanged plate corner post that is welded to the side sheet at the ends. This design has been used on all versions built up to today.

The late body cars came in the same plug door arrangements as the early cars which were still the most common but other variants came along. Norfolk Southern received 225 cars with 10 6 plug doors. 200 cars with 8 2 offset double sliding doors went to the Canadian National. The Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado Railway received cars with 8 double sliding doors, 10 plug doors and 12 sliding doors.

The non-terminating end patterns came in the common 4 over 3 rail design but also a 3 over 2, 3 over 3, and a 4 over 3 with a vertical plate. The 5 over 4 design was only used on the early body version cars.

The roof variations are unlike anything we have seen before on a boxcar. Most cars came equipped with various patterns of panels with 1, 2, 3, or 4 ribs with upstanding flange seams. Then there are roofs of all X-panels and some that are a mix of X and diagonal panels. Many of the latest-built cars removed the upstanding flange and now have ribbed panels with flat seams.

Another variation seen on the Trinity cars is the addition of horizontal stiffeners. These can be seen on cars delivered to BNSF with a single row of stiffeners placed down the middle of the car. Some deliveries of the TTX TBOX boxcars and all of the Laurinburg and Southern GATX boxcars were delivered with 3 rows of stiffeners.

This common and complex car is a staple of modern railroading and is a must-have for any layout set within the last 25 years.

NOTE: Road number may vary from picture shown.