Athearn #G69588 F89-F Bi-Level Auto Rack NP/BTTX #913435

MODEL FEATURES Die-cast underframe Authentic undulating safety railing Accurate Whitehead and Kales Auto Rack Early or late train lines and cut levers per prototype and era Customer installed end bridge plates (included in box where applicable) Detailed deck Wire-formed brake plumbing Separately applied hand brake per prototype Separately applied wire grab irons where applicable Prototypical ride height 70-Ton roller bearing trucks with animated rotating bearing caps installed Trucks with animated rotating bearing caps Minimum radius 22” — Recommended radius 24+” Accurately painted and printed for prototypical realism Highly detailed injection-molded body Coupler lift bars trainline hoses brake hoses and hardware Body-mounted McHenry® scale double-shelf knuckle couplers Machined metal wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO Introduced in the early 1960s the Trailer Train (now TTX Company) F89F flatcar has been a mainstay of contemporary railroading. A product of Bethlehem Steel Company’s (BSC) Johnstown PA plant over 9000 of these (89’ 8” over the strikers) cars were built throughout the 1960s. Visually distinctive from other long flatcars of their era thanks to their “C” channel side sills these versatile cars were adapted for many types of service and loadings over the years ranging from Trailer-On-Flatcar (TOFC) to autoracks to structural steel loading. While the majority went to Trailer Train many were built for various railroads typically for autorack service. Many were “de-racked” in later years being reassigned and equipped for other service - TOFC vehicle loading pipe service etc. This Athearn Genesis model was designed from the start to incorporate as many prototype details and variations as possible based upon field measurements and builder diagrams in order to appeal to modelers of multiple eras. Many new body variants and other separate details were created allowing us to accurately offer these cars in their different configurations over the years. With the addition of the Whitehead and Kales autorack The F89FH now has available Bi-Level and Tri-Level autorack variants. You can rest assured of its smooth performance thanks to a weighted frame for reliable tracking and our Genesis 70-ton ASF Ride-Control trucks and metal wheels. Operationally these cars are appropriate for any layout set from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The Auto Racks would be fastened to the 89’ flatcar for auto service from Detroit.