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New Release: HO ACF 70-ton Gondolas

Tangent Scale Models is pleased to announce that our ACF 52-6 welded 70-ton drop-end gondola is available now beautifully-decorated in 7 paint schemes! Our HO scale precision models cater to both steam and steam-diesel transition modelers with original delivery schemes from car builder ACF, and for later era modelers we offer repaints! These beautiful scale replicas are available for sale NOW directly from www.tangentscalemodels.com in the following seven RTR schemes:

– Erie Lackawanna (EL) “Gothic Marks” 1974+ in the repaint black scheme with white stenciling. These cars have the EL diamond with other EL-specific notations in the lettering, including the W circle designating a wood floor and the large Erie Lackawanna lettering across the car. These cars also include Tangent’s separate ACI label plate on the side of the car, just like the prototype cars did. These simple stunners are available in 4 road numbers.

– Erie Lackawanna “Rail Train” 1964+ in black paint for rail train service. The end doors are missing from these cars for rail loading – just like the prototypes – and the cars are labeled for rail service like the prototypes. These unique cars are available in 2 numbers, and we also offer unnumbered cars with a decal set available separately tailored for use with these cars so you can number the cars individually. Build yourself a unique and prototypical rail train with Tangent EL rail train cars!

– Penn Central “G31B” 1971+ in “PC green”, with 6 all-new road numbers that have never been available before.

– Southern Pacific (SP) “Original” G-70-8 1951+ in the original black paint scheme with white stenciling.   We are proud to re-offer these SP replicas with 4 all-new road number choices!

– Southern Pacific (SP) “Original” G-70-12 1953+ with a SP Freight Car Red carbody and white stenciling. These cars are available with 4 all-new road numbers.

– Southern Pacific (SP) “Gothic” with a 1966 repaint date, available with 3 all-new road numbers.

– Allagash “Spruce Green” with gold lettering and modern “A” saw-tooth logo. Allagash is a modern example of a high-quality proto-freelanced model railroad. The brainchild of modeler Mike Confalone, the Allagash is a regional carrier based in west-central and northern Maine in the mid-1980s. Mike’s layout has been featured prominently in Model Railroad Hobbyist Magazine and Model Railroad Planning. Tangent’s first car representing a proto-freelance railroad means that you can have Allagash run-through cars on your layout too. We know these cars may be outside of your specific interests, but we have had many requests for cars from well-known proto-freelance railroads, so we are happy to offer these attractive gondolas in two numbers, representing a group of former PRR cars that Allagash purchased on the second-hand car market in 1970.

Want to see photos of our spectacular replicas? Click here for a link to the new models!

First produced in 1948 for Pennsylvania Railroad as class G31, PRR alone purchased 11,600 welded cars of this body style in the G31/G31A/G31B/G35, serving the “Standard Railroad of the World” in every corner of North America in many customer applications. If you model somewhere in North America, you can use a PRR model; PRR had more of these gons than some railroads had cars! Besides PRR, other railroads purchased these gondolas from ACF, and some former PRR cars were purchased second-hand by various railroads. Most of these gondolas were phased from revenue service during the 1990s.

The Tangent Scale Models prototype replica of the ACF-produced PRR G31B is a first of its kind in HO scale, making it a distinctive addition to any freight car fleet. And as typical of our products, we take the time to focus on execution of all the small details. We studied the prototype to accurately reproduce it with the following:

– Dimensional accuracy – designed from ACF plans
– Highly correct “true to life” colors
– “Hyper-Accurate” lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement
– Scale-sized side tie-downs
– See through tie down holes
– Stand-off ladders
– Wire grab irons and coupler lift bars
– See-through brake platforms
– Interior detail
– Road-specific handbrakes applied to match production specifications
– Separate air hoses
– Improved design for better clearance of wheels underneath the car
– Genuine Kadee® scale couplers

Our new gondola is equipped with the well-executed Tangent Scale Models 70-ton ASF A-3 Ride-Control trucks with free-rolling ALL-METAL wheels. Our ready-to-operate replica is finished with coupler lift bars accompanying Kadee® scale couplers and sufficient hidden weights to ensure the model operates as good as it looks.

Pricing for our new RTR gondolas is $34.95 each, with quantity discounts for direct purchases from Tangent Scale Models. These cars are available for sale right now.

That wraps up our update for today, and thank you for supporting the family-owned businesses in our industry!

David Lehlbach