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Athearn's 40ft flat car Athearn 40 foot flat car...
There are next to no completely accurate flat cars out on the market.  But, since any pike needs flat cars, this car provides a decent stand in.  The Athearn 40 ft flat car is a good stand in.  You should pay between $5-6 for one.  I got mine decorated for the C&O.  It has the old style Roman lettering and should be weathered heavily.  40ft flat cars were some of the older cars on the railroad.  This kit is only 70% accurate or so, but for such a little car that no one ever notices, it is acceptable.

Below is a real pic of a flat car.  It is a 40ft flat that has had end attached.

                                                                      Dean Heacock photo

The assembly is very easy for a flat car.  The big thing you need to do is weather the top.  The sides are so small no one will see them.   The Athearn kit did not come with the consolidated stencil decal, I added that, just like the one in the photo.  I also painted over the original capacity numbers and added new white decals with numbers in the newer block type font.  The numbers above "KE" in "Chesepeake" is what I am referring to.  This was a typical look for an old car that had been reweighed after an overhaul.  The stakes around the side just give it more interest than a plain flat car.