Amtrak rosters two types of MHC cars, or Material Handling Cars. They are known by modelers as MHC-1 or MHC-2. The original 1400-series MHC-1 cars were built by Thrall in 1986 utilizing rebuilt trucks from former REA express cars with a short wheelbase. In 1989 Amtrak began receiving a second version of the MHC, the MHC-2, which carry road numbers in the 1500-series. These cars differed in some notable ways. The trucks were a new design that had a longer wheelbase than the earlier cars. Further, there was a body snubber anchor mounted on the sides of the car above each truck. These two details are the most obvious differences between the two car series, however the body and roof are entirely different from the earlier cars
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Stock #
Description
Road #
Msrp
106-3512 Smoothside Baggage Car Set
Smoothside Baggage Car Amtrak Phase I
1075
$45
106-3512 Smoothside Baggage Car Set
Smoothside Baggage Car Amtrak Phase I
1076
$45
Different from the later Material Handling Cars, these baggage cars were painted in the original Phase I Amtrak paint scheme.
Stock #
Description
Road #
Msrp
106-3503 Material Handling Car Set
Material Handling Car Amtrak Phase III
1522
$40
106-3503 Material Handling Car Set
Material Handling Car Amtrak Phase III
1544
$40
Resembling a modern box car, Amtrak Material Handling Cars are freight cars which allow passenger trains to move additional package freight between destinations. Manufactured by Thrall, Amtrak’s MHCs had certain distinguishing features such as the side (as opposed to end) mounted hand brakes and their exceptionally low roofs in comparison to past box car designs.
Stock #
Description
Road #
Msrp
106-3509 Material Handling Car Set
Material Handling Car Amtrak Phase IV
1507
$40
106-3509 Material Handling Car Set
Material Handling Car Amtrak Phase IV
1524
$40
Resembling a modern box car, Amtrak Material Handling Cars are freight cars which allow passenger trains to move additional package freight between destinations. Manufactured by Thrall, Amtrak’s MHCs had certain distinguishing features such as the side (as opposed to end) mounted hand brakes and their exceptionally low roofs in comparison to past box car designs.