Micro-Trains - 072 00 050 - Flatcar, 89 Foot, COFC - Ferrocarril Del Pacifico - 2286

Specific Item Information: These NdeM 89’ flat cars were used in COFC service, and painted in the 1980s NdeM paint scheme. Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México, also known as NdeM, was Mexico’s government-owned railroad from 1938 until 1998, when the company was divided into four private railroads and regions.

Prototype History: A flatcar (US) (also flat car (US) or flat wagon (UIC)) is a piece of railroad (US) or railway (non-US) rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck mounted on a pair of trucks (US) or bogies (UK), one at each end containing four or six wheels. Occasionally, flat cars designed to carry extra heavy or extra large loads are mounted on a pair (or rarely, more) of bogeys under each end . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads. Flatcars designed for carrying machinery have sliding chain assemblies recessed in the deck.

Flatcars are used for loads that are too large or cumbersome to load in enclosed cars such as boxcars. They are also often used to transport intermodal containers (shipping containers) or trailers as part of intermodal freight transport shipping.

COFC (Container On Flat Car) cars are typically 89' long and carry four 20' intermodal containers or two 40'/45' shipping containers (the two 45' containers are carryable due to the fact that the car is actually 92' long, over the strike plates). With the rise of intermodal freight transport-specific well cars that allow double stacking, and given the age of most of these flats, numbers will decline over the next several years

From Wikipedia

Road Name History: FCP was formed in 1951 when Southern Pacific, fearing the changing political climate in Mexico would lead to the nationalization of their Southern Pacific of Mexico subsidiary, sold the line to the Mexican government. FCP ran from the Arizona border at Nogales south, not far from the coast to a connection with NdeM in the Guadalajara area. The line became known for moving produce on fast TOFC trains to American markets. They ran a popular passenger train from Nogales to Mexico City jointly with NdeM. In 1987, the government owned railroads of Mexico were combined and reorganized into a larger National Railways of Mexico (FNM.)

Brand/Importer Information: Micro-Trains is the brand name used by both Kadee Quality Products and Micro-Trains Line. For a history of the relationship between the brand and the two companies, please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide.

Manufacturer Information: Micro-Trains Line split off from Kadee Quality Products in 1990. Kadee Quality Products originally got involved in N-Scale by producing a scaled-down version of their successful HO Magne-Matic knuckle coupler system. This coupler was superior to the ubiquitous 'Rapido' style coupler due to two primary factors: superior realistic appearance and the ability to automatically uncouple when stopped over a magnet embedded in a section of track. The success of these couplers in N-Scale quickly translated to the production of trucks, wheels and in 1972 a release of ready-to-run box cars.

Micro-Trains Line Co. split off from Kadee in 1990 to form a completely independent company. For this reason, products from this company can appear with labels from both enterprises. Due to the nature of production idiosyncrasies and various random factors, the rolling stock from Micro-Trains can have all sorts of interesting variations in both their packaging as well as the products themselves. When acquiring an MTL product it is very important to understand these important production variations that can greatly enhance (or decrease) the value of your purchase.

Please consult our Micro-Trains Collector's Guide