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to work on the intermodal Flexi-Van cars [NS113] |
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Use the shopping cart button to order this car. Payment by Visa or Mastercard is also available through the PayPal cart button. |
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$16.99 . |
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$18.49 . |
This kit models another of the earliest autocarriers for railcars. These autocarriers were used to transport automobiles across the NYC and Milwaukee Road systems on their Flexi-Van system, although some other roads used Flexi-Vans in a limited way. The autotrailers were in use from 1959 to 1970 - latterly as circus loaded cars on intermodal cars with ACF hitches.
On the Flexi-Van process, however, trailers were loaded at 90° to the Flexi-Van car, using unusual turntables that allowed the trailer to be swung round onto the Flexi-Van cars.
The kits include an axle and fifth wheel and are designed to sit on the N Scale Kits Flexi-Van car. The axle bogie and fifth wheel is not used unless the trailer is unloaded or loaded on later hitch equipped cars, as the wheel assembly bogie was only attached as the trailer was unloaded from the Flexi-Van car.
A number of N Scale manufacturers make suitable Detroit vehicles to run as loads for this unusual trailer.
Details of the Flexi-Van cars are here.
Other autotrailers [including double axle trailers and Flexi-Van autotrailers] are available here
Unpainted example to show how the kit is glued or soldered
The kit comes with axle, wheels and fifth wheel
With thanks to Jim Hurley for permission to use his picture [others are linked to below]
Decals for the New York central paint scheme are available from N Scale Kits; and details are included in the Instruction Sheet
Prototype information on these trailers is scarce on the web but some pictures of the autocarriers in operation can be found in James Hurley's pictures of Flexi-Van operation at Highbridge in 1960 in his album [scroll half way down for Flexi-Van Autocarrier and other trailer images] |
