Long ago Bachmann made a really sharp tri-level auto carriers, they even came with 15 cars on the racks.
I always liked those auto carriers.
[hint hint hint if you make them they will buy them hint hint hint]
Any chance of ever seeing these for sale again? New Ones that is!
I have seen several mint in box on ebay, so there's always that option I guess if you're looking to buy one.
It would be nice if they made one again. I have one of the older ones (had it as a kid) but it is pretty brittle and the original couplers just won't stay hooked up through the corners and the cars that came with it had no detail and look very dated now.
Rather than shipping cars with a new carrier they should be seperate purchase packs. This has the advantage of letting you choose the era for your model (there could be cars from different eras) and the car packs would be useful to modelers that don't have or want an auto carrier.
I like BestSnowman's idea of separate packs of cars from different eras.
Making the cars an option extra would also allow you to have half your auto carriers empty. Generally they carry cars from the manufacturer to the dealer with very few the other way.
Jim
That is a good idea , but autoes are shipped in enclosed carrriers to reduce pilferage & damage is transit . They can only be seen through the perforated sides. John II.
John 2- As hard as it may be to believe, there was a time(not so long ago) that we didn't have to ship autos in enclosed cars, because people actually had more respect for the property of others... or at least for those protecting the shipments. I remember seeing long lines of carriers full of new vehicles in full view.-Mike
Quote from: Jhanecker2 on August 02, 2009, 07:20:57 PM
That is a good idea , but autoes are shipped in enclosed carrriers to reduce pilferage & damage is transit . They can only be seen through the perforated sides. John II.
True, but my railroad isn't constrained by what the railroads do :)
Aesthetically I prefer the open carriers myself , and I must admit that it normally doesn't rain on your model railroad layouts , with the possible exception of some garden railroads.
I also doubt model enclosed carriers can be loaded with vehicles. You are correct in your view that it is your railroad and you will do as you please. Closed carriers also prevent weather damage such as hail and wind damage. John II.
Quote from: Jhanecker2 on August 04, 2009, 08:10:40 AM
Aesthetically I prefer the open carriers myself , and I must admit that it normally doesn't rain on your model railroad layouts , with the possible exception of some garden railroads.
I also doubt model enclosed carriers can be loaded with vehicles. You are correct in your view that it is your railroad and you will do as you please. Closed carriers also prevent weather damage such as hail and wind damage. John II.
DId you know of the Accurail open cars? They make nice cars too, and don't come loaded. I liked the Bachmann I had, but it didn't age well either.
Accuready makes a B&M #99310 Tri-Level Auto Rack
The Bachmann ones i had in mind were made in the late 70s early 80s
and have been M.I.A. since. They show up on ebay now and then, usually
with something broken or missing parts and rarely have all 15 cars.
What I would like to see is a NEW run of these with the ez-mate couplers,
and metal wheels.
As some have suggested, maybe even a choice of cars, 50s,60s,70s ect.
Lifelike currently has a bi-level available with 6 cars with oldschool hornhooks on the trucks. Nice model, i got one, but it is a fraction of an inch
too short for the cars,,if it were just like an 1/8 or 1/4 inch longer it would be a great fit.
Athearn has some autoracks coming out,,these are to much like the Lionel
ones,,,i'll pass on those.
the Lifelike one
http://www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/PROD/433-8303
if you are quick,,,here is a photo
http://cgi.ebay.com/T21-OLDER-BACHMANN-HO-1265-TRI-LEVEL-SANTA-FE-AUTO-CAR_W0QQitemZ220396573125QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item3350a8d1c5&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
or
http://cgi.ebay.com/Bachmann-HO-Penn-Central-86-Tri-Level-Auto-Carrier_W0QQitemZ120385543796QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item1c07899e74&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
Quote from: jbsmith on August 09, 2009, 12:35:13 PM
The Bachmann ones i had in mind were made in the late 70s early 80s
and have been M.I.A. since. They show up on ebay now and then, usually
with something broken or missing parts and rarely have all 15 cars.
Well as you saw for yourself those 2 you posted yourself are not "broken or missing parts" and I've seen plenty that are pretty much like new, but in your defense some are missing parts. But there are always 1 or 2 in good condition that have all their parts. I was actually looking myself and was going to post the links for you, but saw you already had them.
Yeah,,i am surprised to see those NIB ones,,
I was at a Hobby Shop yesterday in Woodstock IL and while browsing I came across a two level unenclosed auto carrier but can't remember if it was Aethern or Walthers. I didn't see any vehicles . It was reasonably priced. John II.