How 'bout USRA hoppers?

[hminky]

Bachmann makes them in HO. Bachmann makes steamers.

We need a good USRA hopper in n-scale that is AVAILABLE to go with the steamers.

Yeah I know Micro-trains makes a 33' twin but they are hit-n-miss.

Harold

[railtwister]

Having things "available" does not conform to today's business model, most things are announced, then must be pre-ordered, and then you must wait for them to be made. Nobody wants to store anything, not even the "stores". Bowser has some two bays listed, Atlas has fish-belly types coming (supposedly in Dec), but none are exactly USRA types. Even if Bachmann were to produce them, they would likely just do one road-number of whatever roads they make. What's needed is multiple road-numbers (or no numbers at all).

Are you doing N scale now Harold?

Bill in FtL

[skipgear]

That is actually a car I would rather not see Bachmann produce.  If you think MicroTrains are hit and miss, would you rather one road number each in 6 road names for years on end?

There are plenty of hoppers available in N....

MicroTrains -
055 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Offset Sides
056 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Rib Side
057 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Composite Sides
086 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Notched Arch End,
087 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Arch End, Offset Side
088 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Notched Peak End, Offset Side
089 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Notched Peak End, Rib Side
090 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Peak End, Offset Side
091 series 33' Twin Bay Hopper, Peaked End, Rib Side

Atlas -

55 Ton Fishbelly Hopper, Peaked End
55 Ton Fishbelly Hopper, Flat End
2 Bay Offset Side, Peaked End
2 Bay Offset Side, Flat End

Athearn / MDC -

3 Bay Offset Side
3 Bay Rid Side, Peaked End
3 Bay Rid Side, Arch End
3 Bay Rid Side, Notched End

Bowser -

GLa 2 Bay Rib Side
H21A 3 Bay Rib Side

Bluford Shops -

3 Bay Offset Side
3 Bay Rid Side, 14 Panel

This is not including all the older Atlas, Roco, Con-Cor etc.

I model B&O and C&O, between the two I have over 150 uniquely numbered steam era hoppers. There have been plenty made and more to be had in the future. You just have to look a little farther.

[hminky]

  If you think MicroTrains are hit and miss, would you rather one road number each in 6 road names for years on end?

If you want to do a coal road there aren't enough 2-bay hoppers available.

Yeah, I would go for one road number. That can be changed.

Been going around the net and 2-bay steam hoppers are in dribbles and drabs.

Trying N-scale again after a twenty year hiatus. Need something totally different.

Harold

[skipgear]

It has taken over 5 years to accumulate those cars. Lots of train shows, hobby shop trips, and some ebay. With the way things are produced now in any scale, there are very few cars kept in constant stock. Part of the fun of model railroading for me is the search.

My latest purchase was a 10 car set of B&O 13 Great States Bluford Shops 3 bays. I waited over a year for them after pre-ordering. It was worth it.

Keep in mind that Atlas, Athearn and a few others have been turned upside down by the manufacturing mess in China. Atlas is just now shipping product regularly again after a year and a half hiatus. Athearn doesn't expect to return to shipping N scale till 2013. Microtrains just requires patients or luck if they happen to make a runner pack of the road you need. Bluford has done ton's of poplular roads and some very obscure roads in multiple numbers in their 3 bay.

What road/roads are you looking for?

[hminky]

It has taken over 5 years to accumulate those cars. Lots of train shows, hobby shop trips, and some ebay. With the way things are produced now in any scale, there are very few cars kept in constant stock. Part of the fun of model railroading for me is the search.

Was doing that train show search stuff 25 years ago, don't want do that again and some of us might not have five years.

Just wish there was an available 2 bay steam era hopper to do coal roads.

Harold

[railtwister]

Hi Harold,

You didn't mention a road-name preference, but said renumbering could be always be done. How about decaling? If a fishbelly hopper in undec is acceptable, you could try ordering several now, since Atlas will be doing undecs when they run the new road-names and road-numbers in December.

<http://www.atlasrr.com/NFreight/nfishbelly7.htm>

Bill in FtL

[hminky]

Hi Harold,

You didn't mention a road-name preference, but said renumbering could be always be done. How about decaling? If a fishbelly hopper in undec is acceptable, you could try ordering several now, since Atlas will be doing undecs when they run the new road-names and road-numbers in December.

<http://www.atlasrr.com/NFreight/nfishbelly7.htm>

Bill in FtL

The "fish belly" is an odd duck. I am not talking about what "I" want I am talking in a general overall view.

There really needs to be an "available" 2-bay USRA hopper. Bachmann would sell more "steam".

There actually need to be more "steam" era rolling stock but the hobby is divided into three groups: "gaugers" who are "it is my railroad and I can do what I want" and don't care, "collectors" who like the limited runs and  the small minority of "scalers".

Since the dominate group is "gaugers" nothing will change.

Harold

[railtwister]

Pennsy's GLa hopper was very close to the USRA design, the inside length was only an inch different, inside width was even closer. Same number of ribs, and straight side sills. The biggest difference was overall height, since the USRA was 8" higher, but the PRR side panels were 3" deeper, so the actual difference is more like 5". In N scale, 8" is about .050"(less than 1/16"), and 5" is .03125", which would be hardly noticeable, especially if you consider that most N scale freight cars sit higher than scale due to their truck mounted couplers needing clearance to swing.

Yes, it would be great if Bachmann made a USRA hopper in N scale, but at present they don't, so one must make allowances (maybe next year). The Bowser GLa is as close as we can get at the moment, other than MTL, and Bowser has recently installed new injection molding equipment to bolster their production capability in the USA.

Bill in FtL

[hminky]

Found this:

http://www.shapeways.com/model/379779/ttn3-gon-3pk.html



http://www.shapeways.com/model/611732/cnw-ore-car-four-pack-n-scale.html



There is always rapid prototyping

Then there is the issue of decals!!!

Harold

[skipgear]

You still really never named any specific roads...definitely willing to help you find what you need.

The MT hopper is a USRA 7 rib hopper clone so what is the problem? If you are looking for random hoppers...I just did a quick search of Ebay and found roughly 200 microtrains 2 bay hoppers between, ribside, war emergency, and offset side. I didn't check the various stores but I know our shop has at least a dozzen or so different roads in stock in a 2 bay steam era hopper.

The ribsides are in stock at MT and sell for $12 each undec. if you want to paint your own.

The fishbelly cars are not that odd. C&O used them, B&O got some on lease from Reading I think it was. There are a lot of stand in names done on them but in a long string of hoppers on a train, they aren't that noticable.

In these times, it is rare that you see somebody create a car that is already in production. Now there have been a few recent simultaneous announcements of the same car but not many are willing to duplicate what is already a pretty good product.

As far as other steam era cars..... Microtrains and Atlas have that covered pretty well between a couple different single and double sheathed box cars, some steel rebuilt cars and the new PS-1 coming form Atlas that will be similar to the Kadee in HO with multiple ends, roofs, doors, etc. available. Don't forget the Intermountain 1937 AAR boxcar and the Red Caboose X-29. Intermountain also has wood side coal cons available like you have in the picture above.

The only thing really missing would be the early 1900's smaller cars.

BTW - I run 70-80 car trains of hoppers behind a custom built 2-10-2. I like coal hoppers and am a sucker for anything B&O or C&O produced. In the past 5-6 years, there have been plenty produced, my wallet has suffered from it.

[inkaneer]

What is missing is the rebuilt channel side hoppers.  Thousands of 2 bay rib side and offset side hoppers were rebuilt with a "U" or "C" channel exterior post and enabled these cars to continue in service into the 50's, 60's, 70's and in some instances longer, especially in MOW service.  Sell them in packs of ten with no trucks or couplers [so the modeler can add his own preferred brand]

[hminky]

Thank you Bachmann

Harold