OScale Trains

REVIEW: X29 Boxcar, MSRP $64.95 (2-Rail) or $59.95 (3-Rail).Middle Division, PO Box 332, New Cumberland, PA 17070717-975-2698 • www.middledivision.comAtlas-O, 378 Florence Avenue, Hillside, NJ 07205www.atlaso.comreviewed by: Brian ScaceAtlas O and Middle Division have brought their secondcollaboration to market, this time the ubiquitous PRR X29 boxcar.I won’t get into the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad’sattempts to come up with an acceptable ARA (later the AAR)standard boxcar, but certainly the X29 was an icon of thesteam-era PRR. Not only should this car be represented onPennsy turf, but on every steam-era model railroad built witheven just a smattering of neurosis. There was just too many ofthe things to ignore.There have been several models of the X29 made over theyears, and I’ll just mention two of them for our purposes. Bothare brass renditions, the more common Precision Scale modelfrom the 1980s, and the much scarcer model made by SteveGrabowski. The Grabowski car was, hands down, the bettermodel, but uncommon enough so that the only fair comparisonhere is probably with the PSC X29.The Atlas/Middle Division car is very impressive. One of thegreat visual jars of the PSC model has been dealt with, here.The roofwalk needed lowering on every PSC X29 that passedthrough my hands, and it was a painful process (though worthdoing). The roofwalk on this new X29 is so much better.Everything else on the Atlas/Middle division car is as nicelydone. There is one thing that raises aquestion, for this neurotic (albeit non-PRR) modeler. Now, before I go on,this feature may be correct at sometime period or with some group ofthese cars. However, one characteristicthat shows in PRR drawings I haveon hand, and bear up in any photo Ihave of the brake-end of the car, is therouting of the retainer line. The Atlas/Middle Division car I have has the lineREVIEW: Display Cases, 48” long $250, 60” long $425Greenway Products, 139 Ramsey Road, Ligonier, PA 15658724-238-6268 • www.greenwayproducts.comreviewed by: Brian ScaceOne of the things I like to do is to show things that folksmay find useful, outside of the normal rolling stock/locomotive/kitregime. Here are some nice cases that might interestfolks who have too muchstuff for the railroad (No!),nifty pieces they wantto show off that may notreally fit in the scheme ofthings, or are (horrors!)just plain collectors.So many of the wallcases out there are justplain too flimsy for ourindustrial strength (andweight) loot. Some comewith a fit and finish thatcould only come straightout of a bad day at HighSchool woodshop.Now, these cases haverunning straight down to the left side of the draftgear box. Thedrawings, photos (and my hard-sought Grabowski X29) havethe line cutting diagonally across the car end to the right sideof the draftgear box. It’s one of those spotting features that I(knowing only enough about PRR stuff to be dangerous) pickout right away. Again, knowing enough to be dangerous, Ialso know that there were many many varieties of this car, so Icould be lamenting something that, although perhaps atypical,may well be correct. Myself, I’ll just take a little brass wire andre-route the retainer line where I like it, and touch it up with alittle freight car color.Arise Rejoicing, Ye Oppressed! Atlas has redesigned thetwo-rail truck! The new truck is a full six scale inches narrowerat the journal boxes. It looks soooo much better, and the sideframedetail is much nicer, by quick comparison to an Atlas ONew England Alcohol (Now, why did my hand just naturallygravitate to that particular car?) tank car. It’s nice to see commentstaken seriously and acted upon. Thank you.Also new on the O Scale plastic car front, the variousroadnames have different details reflecting the individual prototypes.The PRR car, in the photo, for example, has a stemwinderbrake staff and push-type cut levers, while the SAL carhas a power-winder geared brakewheel and lifting-style cutlevers.This is a nice rendition of a ubiquitous car. I hope the newstyletrucks will be available for separate sale, and I hope Atlas(and Middle Division, on the Pennsy stuff) will continue withthe detailed-for-specific-road concept in future offerings.solid oak frames with plywood backs rabbeted into the frame,rather than stapled in behind. The shelves are screwed into thebacks, for added strength. The backs are white on the insideso you can see your stuff. All the frame joints are dovetailedand pinned. When you screw these puppies up on the wall,there’s no worries that the backs will stay up, while the frames,shelves, doors, and contents come crashing to the floor. Lookat the photo. Figure ten pounds apiece for what I have in there.Do the math. These will hold up.The stock sizes are 48” long and 60” long. Each has fiveshelves and 4-1/2” clear shelf width. I asked for a pair of 42”long versions, to fit the space in the photo, and Greenway washappy to oblige. The fit and finish is nice, doors are temperedglass with ground edges, wood tracks, and the shelves aregrooved for O Scale wheels. No plastic, no cardboard, and nostaples here. I’m pleased with mine; they look nice and theyare stout enoughso I can sleepat night withoutwondering whenthe crashingsound will come.Sept/Oct ’06 - O Scale Trains • 57