# What is this car?



## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

So I bough this little thing on eBay, and neither me, nor the seller have any idea what it is, or who made it. The pictures are from the listing. Anyone have any ideas?


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## 65446 (Sep 22, 2018)

Your moniker picture is what this car carries; an army tank ! Ramps become bulkheads..


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Yep. What Telltale said. It would be on one end of a string of flat cars, serving as a ramp. It’s how you get 120 M1-A2s onto 60 flat cars.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

telltale said:


> Your moniker picture is what this car carries; an army tank ! Ramps become bulkheads..


But who made it? What brand is it?


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

It might be scratch built, but I’m not ready to suggest that. Is it plastic or metal? Is it possible to get a photo of the underside? It looks like it could very well be made of brass, by one of the Korean companies.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> Yep. What Telltale said. It would be on one end of a string of flat cars, serving as a ramp. It’s how you get 120 M1-A2s onto 60 flat cars.


Its made of plastic, and quite professionally made. It has a lot of detail on it


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> It might be scratch built, but I’m not ready to suggest that. Is it plastic or metal? Is it possible to get a photo of the underside? It looks like it could very well be made of brass, by one of the Korean companies.
> 
> 
> OilValleyRy said:
> ...


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## Jscullans (Jul 8, 2019)

if you can find a manufacturer I would like one of those cars for my layout. I think a 2-10-4 pulling 35 or 40 flats with military equipment would be a cool thing to model


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

How it was designed may yield a clue. Sounds like it has weights on the bottom of the trucks? Or I misunderstood. Sounds odd. 
Did Roco make freight cars? If so this is the kinda thing I'd expect from them.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)




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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

That’s the bottom of the car. The coupler mount looks somewhat familiar? I wanted to say Athearn earlier, but I can’t find any Athearn cars in my rolling stock that have the same mount


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Those look similar to Kadee coupler box covers having been glued on. Except they’re a little different from ones I’m familiar with. They jut out beyond the box end. In the photo you can see the area I mean right above the axle. Looks like, to me, Kadee covers glued on backwards and upside down.
Uhm. 
I’m stumped.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> Those look similar to Kadee coupler box covers having been glued on. Except they’re a little different from ones I’m familiar with. They jut out beyond the box end. In the photo you can see the area I mean right above the axle. Looks like, to me, Kadee covers glued on backwards and upside down.
> Uhm.
> I’m stumped.


Right?? And there is a weight on it, but it barely does anything. When I got the box, it felt empty! There could be a manufactering label underneath the “weight” but I don’t want to tamper with it


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> Those look similar to Kadee coupler box covers having been glued on. Except they’re a little different from ones I’m familiar with. They jut out beyond the box end. In the photo you can see the area I mean right above the axle. Looks like, to me, Kadee covers glued on backwards and upside down.
> Uhm.
> I’m stumped.


Actually…. Do you think it could be an old Kadee kit?


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

It's not Roco. It would be stamped on the bottom.

They are also not NEM coupler pockets. They remind me of the old Athearn F hooks mounts that use a metal clip to retain the coupler.


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

I feel confident it is scratch built, both by looking at the bottom and not finding anything similar on ebay.
My first thought was it is used to move those trucks with railroad wheels in a maintenance train then let them unload. The x in the serial number would support that would it not?
All the pics I could find showed normal flatcars for hauling tanks, both modern and WW2 except one German one, with the bumpers.
Coupler pockets are definitely Kadee parts.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

MichaelE said:


> It's not Roco. It would be stamped on the bottom.
> 
> They are also not NEM coupler pockets. They remind me of the old Athearn F hooks mounts that use a metal clip to retain the coupler.


You see, I thought it was Athearn too, but none of my older Athearn cars, or even my newer cars have similar mounts


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Murv2 said:


> My first thought was it is used to move those trucks with railroad wheels in a maintenance train then let them unload. The x in the serial number would support that would it not?


My thought also. Yes.

I don't think it's for loading tanks. I don't think you would drive a tank down the tracks, on top of the rails to load it.

In the first video there are makeshift timber grade crossings. I'll assume to keep the tanks from damaging the tracks, because a tank could surely traverse the tracks w/o them.

Second video has a bit of humor starting at 2:00

Third video says "unloading", but it's actually loading. Pretty interesting and some good camera work.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Murv2 said:


> The x in the serial number would support that would it not?


Not sure about that…..Great Northern cabooses were all numbered starting with ‘X’….


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Update. I was looking at the underside of the car, near the rear ramps, and I noticed the lack of the gray paint. The spot looks very similar to a 3D printer material, which could then mean, it was either professionally printed, or it’s some weird kit


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

Much of the Great Northern's non-revenue rolling stock starts with an X. Not sure how the army numbers cars.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I don’t think the army uses ‘X’ in their numbers…..and besides, the jury is still out on this car….we don’t even know if it’s for hauling tanks….could be for bull dozers or other construction equipment….


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

And we don’t know who applied the lettering, if they intended to be prototypical or not? I don’t think it’s something to base any hard conclusions on.


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

I do think it’s for tanks though. I’ve seen them loaded via a concrete stationary ramp, like at General Dynamics etc. But such infrastructure is often not where you need it to be. So taking your own ramp with you makes absolute sense to me. 
Same reason you see some 18 wheelers carrying their own forklift with them.

I bet my bottom dollar it’s a mobile loading/unloading ramp for those destinations in the middle of anywhere you want.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Upon further inspection of it this morning, it was definitely a micro scale decal sheet. It could be an old small company kit


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

OilValleyRy said:


> I bet my bottom dollar it’s a mobile loading/unloading ramp for those destinations in the middle of anywhere you want.


I think you nailed it! Notice the ramps at each end are at different heights and pivot points, so it can load in any given situation….

I think it’s a loading ramp, and just that….don’t think it’s meant to actually carry a load, just to act as a portable loading ramp….it’s too short to carry present day armour…..


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Could be a corporate owned car too, like at a Caterpillar plant, John Deer plant, etc. for their factory rail spur(s).


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Even still, no matter what if it’s, as we’ve kind of nailed that; who made it? There has to be some kind of giveaway or clue from the construction of the car. Maybe the trucks?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

If it truly is a custom job, they could have used anybody’s trucks….doesn’t appear to be any identifying wording on the trucks upon close examination…..

Is it possible to get a side shot of the trucks?


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Actually, regarding my latest statement, there may be something to regard with the trucks


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)




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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

Sumthin' about this one whispers "one-off, 3d-printed" ...


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

J.Albert1949 said:


> Sumthin' about this one whispers "one-off, 3d-printed" ...


Agreed. After that last photo I'm convinced it's scratch-built. Can't tell if it's foundation was a flat car, 3D printed or scratched. Although if it was 3D printed there was a lot of careful fill or sanding.

Reporting mark PI is Paducah & Illinois.

Interesting car.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Stumpy said:


> Agreed. After that last photo I'm convinced it's scratch-built. Can't tell if it's foundation was a flat car, 3D printed or scratched. Although if it was 3D printed there was a lot of careful fill or sanding.
> 
> Reporting mark PI is Paducah & Illinois.
> 
> Interesting car.


I honestly think it’s a shapeways product. Someone created it, had shapeways print it. Sold it, it was sold two more times, now I have it


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

It just seems that it’s too detailed and specific to not have been modelled after an actual prototype….must have been modelled after something…..


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Stumpy said:


> Agreed. After that last photo I'm convinced it's scratch-built. Can't tell if it's foundation was a flat car, 3D printed or scratched. Although if it was 3D printed there was a lot of careful fill or sanding.
> 
> Reporting mark PI is Paducah & Illinois.
> 
> Interesting car.


Is the Paducah & Illinois an actual line? I know there’s the Paducah and Louisville short line


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)




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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

I’m going to ask a currently serving NCO friend if they’ve ever seen anything like this. They’re not in an Armor battalion but ground pounders see a lot of different things.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

OilValleyRy said:


> I’m going to ask a currently serving NCO friend if they’ve ever seen anything like this. They’re not in an Armor battalion but ground pounders see a lot of different things.


Awesome! I’ve been trying to find more on that short line railroad from a previous comment, to no prevail yet


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

I’m not 100% certain the PI are reporting marks. It’s an odd placement if they are. Could be anything from a military designation of some sort, to being something sentimental to the builder (i.e. Private Irwin).
Because it appears scratch built, and clearly by someone who is familiar with the prototype, add to the fact it’s such a rare sight that we’re all just making logical deduction here… I’d say the car was built by someone who was a veteran *and* worked around said rail car… But added & omitted things at their discretion or memory gaps; the lack of a brake wheel for example.
Paducah & Illinois was just a line of trackage, no equipment. There’s no listing in Fallen Flags. PAL operates in the area now, and does some trans loading, but if it was that it’d say PAL. I think the PI isn’t what we think it to be.
again, just deductive reasoning being my guide.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I’m still not convinced it’s a military car/apparatus…..


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I'm not either considering how many vehicle industries could have used this.


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Looks to me like one end goes all the way to the ground for a loading ramp and the other end acts as a bridge to the next car.


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## OwenMccarthy14 (8 mo ago)

Lemonhawk said:


> Looks to me like one end goes all the way to the ground for a loading ramp and the other end acts as a bridge to the next car.


That is exactly what it does. The car to car ramps line up perfectly with Athearn flat cars. I originally thought it could be an Athearn when I saw this


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Modern version?


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Well my NCO friend said he hasn’t seen a loading ramp like that before. But they have limited armor.

Those Scorpions that Stumpy posted a bid of are pretty cool.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

It's scratch/hand built not printed.

In the last photo you can actually see the edges of the styrene sheets used to construct it. It's pretty subtle because it's pretty well done, but with that amount of magnification you can see it if you actually look closely.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

OilValleyRy said:


> Well my NCO friend said he hasn’t seen a loading ramp like that before


Maybe because it’s not a military ramp…..?


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Old_Hobo said:


> Maybe because it’s not a military ramp…..?


I concede that it might not be, but I’m confident that it is either based on one or intended (no prototype) to be that. Modern portable tank ramps are set up exactly the same, except they are a modular stacking system that can stow in a flat car. The similarities are too great IMO. Although, odd that it is painted in a USN type color. 
If this were Poker I’d bet the farm… _pushes all chips forward_… and the car too _tosses in keys_. Pretty confident.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

What kind of car is it that I will be driving….? 😁


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