Review

Walthers has done a fine job of re-creating a unique car from the early days of rail container traffic with its model of a Flexi-Van flatcar and containers.

First tried by the New York Central in the late 1950s, the Flexi-Van system used a flatcar with special rotating platforms. Trucks carrying the special containers backed to the sides of the flatcars. The containers slid into place on the platforms and were rotated into position on the cars.

The Walthers models match prototype Mark III cars, which had end platforms and were built through the mid-1960s. The introduction of all-purpose flatcars and overhead cranes for loading doomed Flexi-Vans and their specialized equipment, and they were out of service by the early 1970s.

Walthers' Gold Line series model of the car uses a cast-metal center sill for weight, with plastic castings at the middle and ends to support the containers. The car is ready to run, but includes grab irons to be added by the modeler. The injection-molded styrene 40-foot containers come in two styles (with and without side doors), and feature separately applied door latch and logo board details. Walthers is also offering the containers singly with bogies (wheels) and landing gear.

The NYC was by far the largest Flexi-Van operator, but several other railroads ran the cars as well. All of the road names offered by Walthers ran Flexi-Vans, but some used other versions of the car.

The timeframe for the prototype cars and containers was rather limited (1961 into the early 1970s), but the Flexi-Van's distinctive appearance should make it popular with modelers of that period. Flexi-Vans could be found on dedicated trains (mainly on the NYC) and traveling in multiple-car sets on passenger and freight trains on the NYC and other railroads.