HO FCA VersaCoil Gondola, NS #168599, #168666, #168700

HO FCA VersaCoil Gondola, NS #168599, #168666, #168700 Overview

The purpose is in the name, VersaCoils™ are versatile coil cars; able to carry multiple coils sizes from 30' to 72' in easy to load troughs. The transverse trough design is a departure from how steel coil cars were originally designed with coils aligned longitudinally and held into place with moveable bulkheads; loading and unloading took more time and the coils frequently incurred damage to their outer edges as they shifted forward and back from train slack action. The VersaCoil™ trough design increases efficiency and safety while holding coils of all sizes and weights. Originally these cars were constructed under the Johnstown America Corporation name, which later rebranded as FreightCar America.

Athearn has faithfully replicated four phases of the five transverse-trough VersaCoil gondolas. All cars include removable coils, detailed underbodies, numerous separately applied details including etched metal platforms, rubber train line hoses, coupler cut levers, and metal grab irons, and prototype dependent will come with removable hoods.