Roundhouse - 8460 - Tank Car, Single Dome, Shorty - Undecorated

Model Information: This body style is MDC's knock-off version of the tremendously successful Atlas 29' Beercan tank car. Given that the tooling is about 20 years newer than the Atlas version, this car is actually the better model of the two. Details like the stirrup steps really highlight the improvements in the injection molded plastic industry. The printing is very high grade and the trucks and couplers are higher quality than the contemporaneous Atlas releases. Unfortunately, MDC never ran very many versions of this car and Athearn, so far, has neglected to re-release the cars under their own name since the acquisition of MDC by Athearn in 2004.

The first release of this car (with the 4-digit product code) was available in kit form. Do not be scared off by this if your modeling skills are not great. The car assembles without any glue or paint. You simply need to attach the frame to the body (using friction), add the ladders (again with friction) and then simply pop in the trucks. The later (5-digit product code) release were made and assembled in China as RTR (Ready-to-Run) models.

Prototype History: These cars transport higher value commodities which typically are shipped in smaller amounts. One example is corn syrup. Some carry petroleum refining catalysts, sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide. The typically ride on roller bearing trucks with 33 inch wheels.

Road Name History: Although they may be molded in color, unpainted and unlettered, undecorated products are marketed to modelers who seek to custom decorate their models for private roads and/or road and/or company names that were not commercially produced by any of the major manufacturers.

Undecorated models are frequently also unassembled or only partially assembled and required modelers to be comfortable with glue, paint and sometimes solder in order to prepare their models for display. Materials for these models can vary but often include plastic, pewter and resin. Models may or may not come with decals or other decorations such as plastic signage, railings and ladders to enhance the appearance of the final product.

Brand/Importer Information: MDC Roundhouse was founded in California in 1938 and relocated in 1993 to Carson City, Nevada due to statewide restrictions on painting. MDC Roundhouse was a producer of both RTR (Ready-to-Run) and kit versions of N Scale rolling stock as well as RTR locomotives. They entered the N scale market in 1979 with a Thrall Hi-Side Gondola and a Hi-Cube Single Door Box Car. MDC Roundhouse was purchased by Horizon Hobbies in June of 2004, when its owner since 1938 C. H. Menteer retired, and merged into their Athearn line.

Unlike many of their contemporaries which contracted with European firms to produce their products, MDC made their own toolings. They made several popular body styles and produced them for road names that many other vendors (even Micro-Trains) wouldn't touch. This made them popular with modelers. Also, their un-assembled "kits" permitted a lower price point so they were popular with "runners" as well as "modelers".

Of particular interest was the attention given to modern 50 foot steel boxcars. They made some attempt to accurately mold the differences into distinct models to represent each of the major prototype manufacturers products. They have distinct toolings not only for the different products from FMC, BFF and PS, but also multiple models for each of these manufacturers including "standard" vs "Youngstown" doors and "waffle" vs. "rib" sides. In total they produced 13 different versions of the 50 foot steel boxcar.