Hey, I didn't give it the name "Container Flat Car," Atlas did when they marketed these unusual Roco Austrian-made cars. I dimly recall that these were based on a Chesapeake and Ohio prototype, but don't quote me on that. At least C&O is one of the four roadnames offered. I won't comment on the prototypical fidelity of the other three. Suffice to say, though, there has never been anything like this car before or since. E-R Models has had many of the unique A1G designs rerun by Roco, but as of this writing the 3020 Series is not one of them. That can make finding all four of these a bit of a challenge. Not an expensive one, though. If you were to dissemble this car, you'd find a rather unusual looking floor casting. There are small circles molded into the top of the floor for the containers to fit atop. Kind of interesting, but not really necessary as the frame insures that the containers aren't going any place. It's a detail that no one would normally see, quite the thing to do in the late 1960's!

Key spotting features for this car are:
- underframe stamped "Atlas Austria" near center. Floor is recessed to allow for trucks to swivel
- 22 silver "containers" actually molded as one piece that fits between the floor of the car and the frame
- open top, no roofwalk
- no brake wheel (well, at least it can't get lost)

Note: The following information on conditions and "Approximate Value" prices are intended to be a guideline only and is presented with no warranties, express or implied. Caution: Definitions and prices can and do vary with collectors, buyers and sellers, and, of course, whether a person is buying or selling an item. That's the way a "free market" works...

A 3020 series container flat car in "as manufactured" or "AM" condition has:
- frame and cylinders intact with no visible damage
- stirrups at all four corners intact
- no weathering
- no abrasions, scratches or other damage to the paint
- the original Atlas trucks with the original metal wheels which were fitted to the axles
- "Rapido" type couplers, truck mounted (this is a case where changing to Micro-Trains® trucks and/or couplers is not a plus!).
Note that minor paint flaws on these cars were common and should not be considered especially "collectible"; in fact, I'd rather have a "perfect" paint job.

A 3020 series car in "mint in box" or "MIB," meets all "As Manufactured" criteria plus:
- no dust, dirt or wear on the car itself
- no wear on wheels (although discolored wheels are common)
- kept in the original Atlas box
- box itself is intact with no cracks, breakage or crazing, with original Atlas label (usually white with black printing), plastic liner (usually blue), and cover. Both inserts and labels vary as the A1G series was sold for years. Store price stickers may or may not detract depending on the placement, size and wear.

Because these cars are relatively scarce in as manufactured condition, there is an estimated value for "runner" cars in this series of from 30-40% of the as manufactured values. However, that's not much.

Table of Releases: Where available, click on "Image" to popup an image of the actual car.
Approximate Values Updated July, 2024.

Catalog #	Popup Image	Reporting Marks	Description	AV AM	AV MIB
3021	Image	SP 598051	Tuscan Red/White	7-9	9-12
3022	Image	C&O 81015	Blue/White	7-9	9-12
3023	Image	CN 63400	Black/White	7-9	9-12
3024	Image	MKT 9076	Tuscan Red/White	7-9	9-12

AV = Approximate Value (US$ range)
AM = As Manufactured (see above)
MIB = Mint In Box (see above)
Abbreviations: Hld=Herald, R/N=Roadname, L/R=Left/Right Side of Car