Introduction

Exactrail Evolution EE1764-1 HO Scale Depressed Center Flatcar Norfolk & Western NW 70104

General Steel Industries (GSI) offered one-piece cast-steel under-frames in which the sill, body bolsters, cross bearers, draft pockets, couplers and carriers were combined into a single steel casting. These under-frames were popular for Depressed Center Flats because the design maximized load strength while minimizing vertical height of fabricated under-frames.

Generally designed with a specialty commodity in mind, Depressed Center Flat Cars are unique. In addition to the GSI cast steel designs, Depressed Center Flats were frequently fabricated by a railroad’s home shop and familiar builders such as Thrall, and were also built by a host of specialty builders, such as Maxson, Norca and Kasgro.

Given the rarity of all designs, ExactRail combined elements common to key prototypes to offer a Depressed Center Flat with both interesting and characteristic features. Perhaps closest in design to the Conrail (ex-Erie Lackawanna) FE42A Class Depressed Flat, ExactRail’s Depressed Center Flat is a good stand-in for similar TTX/QTTX, NYC, UP, CR, & P&LE cars. With perforated GSI-style decks and intricately lettered car sides, ExactRail’s 48′ Depressed Center Flat will turn heads just like the prototypes.

The Norfolk & Western had three of these attractive black depressed center flats that they acquired in 1982. These lasted through the 1990s in this scheme until eventually being renumbered and repainted by Norfolk Southern in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

FEATURES:

• Precision micro-tooled!
• Designed, engineered and tooled in the United States!
• Factory installed Kadee No. 5 couplers
• Narrow-style draft box featuring shank wedges, & striker casting and full nut and bolt detail
• ExactRail’s exclusive ASF 100 Ton Ride Control Trucks
• CNC-machined metal wheel sets
• Razor sharp painting and printing
• Wire grab irons and GSI-style perforated deck