Introduction

Atlas has released a new HO scale model: FMC 5347 Double Door Box Car. It is ready-to-run, featuring knuckle couplers, crisp printing, and metal wheels. This particular model is item 20 004 338 of the Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern Railroad.

Fifty-foot box cars showed up in increasing numbers on railroads before the Second World War. They were mainly for lumber, furniture, and the burgeoning automobile industry. After WW2 more 50-ft box cars were built for greater capacity.

FMC Corporation built railcars in Portland, Oregon and Charleston, West Virginia from 1958 through 1984. FMC built numerous types and varieties of railcars and other transports such as barges. The number 5347 represents the internal capacity of 5,347-cubic-feet. The company was bought by Greenbrier and rebranded as Gunderson.

This is FMC’s entry into the Plate B IPD (Incentive Per Diem) box car era. The design was intended to be the “most universal”, interchangeable on most common railroad clearances. The cars were available with and without end-of-car cushioning, and were offered in several door configurations. - Atlas

Master FMC 5347 Double Door Box Car

This boxcar body has 13 panels behind 13 ribs, 3/3 non-terminating ends, and 5/5/5 Youngstown doors under a X-Panel Roof. Atlas makes other body styles for this model, too. The plastic parts are crisply molded and have no visible flaws such as flash, mold seams, sink marks and ejector marks. The trucks are molded with rigid acetal. While I did not pry it apart I am certain it is a one-piece body. It is ready-to-run. Other features are metal wheels, Accumate plastic knuckle couplers, and many separately applied parts. Atlas also includes optional bolster and draft gear for replacing the couplers with Kadee 'whisker' types. What vaults these models into Atlas' Master Line are all of the extras listed in the next section. Atlas advertises these features:

Double Door
Multiple body styles
Wire grabs
Etched parts
Plate C Box Car
X-Panel Roof

While I did not find an image of TO&E 5050 I did find sister TO&E 5045. (See Click here for additional images for this review at the end of this review.)

Trivia for the car is;

Type: Box Car
AAR Class: XP: Boxcar similar in design to "XM", but which is specially equipped, designed, and/or structurally suitable for a specific commodity loading; except, boxcars (XF, XM, XMI) dedicated to the transportation of commodities in paragraph A, Rule 97, AAR Interchange Rules, must be designated "XP".
AAR Type: A403
Detail Info: Equipped Box Car, Inside
Length: 49' to 59', cushion draft gear/underframe, Sliding door, opening greater than 11 feet
Plate: C*

Detail

Rail-up, Atlas rolls this model upon metal RP-25 wheels held by rigid acetal trucks. They look good with detail above basic. They represent 100-ton ASF Ride-Control roller bearing trucks.

The underside includes a single piece underframe molded with crossties, center sills and crossbearers. Hanging from that are the modern air brake system components - another single part of the air reservoir, brake cylinder, triple valve and actuator levers with chains and rods. They are held by molded support brackets. The brake rods are metal wire and run along the frame towards the trucks. The system is visually complete except for the train line and air hoses on each end.

Moving up to the body we find many separately applied parts including the bottom door tracks held away from the sides with brackets. Individual ladders and grab handles are individually attached to the sides and ends; these have a near-to-scale diameter. The only problem I spotted is that the connecting railing between the end ladders on the B-end is bowed. Atlas also enhances the model with photo-etched crossover platforms. Those assist our HO switchmen in assembling a train or spotting the car, with safer access to the separately applied brake wheel and housing. Other individual parts include the cut levers and cushioned draft gear. Spiffy!

Now that we've drooled over the attached pieces, lets look at the molded-on detail like the tack and route boards on the doors and ends. Just look at those Youngstown doors: Rivets; levers; lock bodies; wedge pins; hasps; pusher block brackets; open door stops; handles.

So much on this model just begs to be abused with beautiful rusty grimy scratched paint, then covered with road dust and soot! That is, if you can bear to weather the fine finish.

Paint and Markings

Atlas' finish is uniformly excellent. The paint is opaque yet doses not obscure detail. This car features strips of reflective tape along the sills. Stencil printing is excellent, sharp and legible. 2 Inch HF Comp Shoes. Built date October 1978. Door size 8 feet wide, 10-foot 4-inch high. Security Device Only; Secure both hasps before moving car; Starboard Door Seal Only. I will let you read the rest of the lettering yourself.

You can choose from six road names:

East St. Louis Junction
Oregon, Pacific & Eastern
Port of Galveston
Port of Tillamook
Sabine River & Northern
Texas, Oklahoma & Eastern

An undecorated model is available, too. Each railroad is offered with four road numbers.

The only discrepancy I can see is that on sister TO&E 5045 the crossover platforms are painted the body color. Atlas left them natural metal finish. It also looks like No. 5045 has stenciling above the couplers.

Those are issues I can live with next to the rest of the great paint and finish.

Performance

My model weighs in at 4.8 ounces, .3 oz heavy per NMRA RP-20.1 Car Weight. The couplers are mounted at a perfect height and the trip pins clear the track. It rolls well along code 83 track and tracked through an Atlas No. 6 switch and Peco code 80 single-slip switch without a hitch. Check back for the video!

Conclusion

Atlas' HO Master FMC 5347 Double Door Box Car is a very impressive model that enhances the reputation of Atlas' Master Line. It has excellent molding, fine gauge parts, dozens of separately attached pieces, sharp and crisp detail from rail to roof, and excellent paint and printing. The boxcar rolls freely across the track and through turnouts.

There are the couple of minor flaws such as the bowed connecting rail between the ladders on the B-end, and the unpainted crossover platforms.

Modelers of the railroad resurrection of the Staggers Act era should appreciate this model. It is an excellent example of a common heavy duty boxcar. Highly recommended.

Please remember to mention to Atlas and retailers that you saw this model here - on RailRoad Modeling.
Source

* RR Picture Archives. Pictures of TOE 5045. [Web.] 1/17/2006 6:44:47 PM.