Hoppers A Go Go

[wm3798]

Well, in the past two weeks I've been able to come into possession of a slew of coal hoppers.  My fleet will tip the scales at over 100 cars once I have the latest batch on line.  I ordered my decals today so I can quickly and efficiently renumber this pile, as well as update some of the numbers of the existing fleet.

The Atlas Fishbelly cars have been a great boon to WM modelers everywhere, but the numbers they've used represent the earliest series of them.  By the early 1960's, WM started rebuilding their fleet, and renumbering them into 21000 series as a new classification.  So, in addition to the 30 or so new cars, I'll be renumbering a bunch of the older cars.  Anyway, enough of my blather.  You guys pay the big bucks to see the pictures!



Here's the frames for the latest batch of MDC hoppers.  They only produced these as kits, which is fine by me.  I love tinkering, and they are pretty easy to put together.  Here's one from the batch I worked on earlier in the week.



For the renumbering, I prepare blocks with the numbers already set up, then have a guy print them on his ALPS.  Gives pretty good results, and spares me the grief of having to manipulate individual digits...



The font isn't perfect, but so far no one in the car shop has complained.

Next I'll have to get some foam rubber and start mass producing loads for these things.

Lee

[Bruce Bird]

Lee,

I've been waiting for Athearn to run these out again on the old Roundhouse shell but with the improved paint that they've put on their many other WM cars.  Especially awaiting the yellow-ended roller bearing yellow R-ball scheme, but so far denied!  You would think with all of the variations of WM speed lettered cars they've done in the last few years they would manage to run some hoppers.  They've managed to rerun just about every roadname that Roundhouse did EXCEPT WM.

Or maybe their waiting to release them with an updated shell and body-mounted couplers.  Fingers crossed.....

Bruce

[wm3798]

They're waiting for me to finish my fleet so I don't need anymore... :-\

Lee

[Mark5]

They've managed to rerun just about every roadname that Roundhouse did EXCEPT WM.

There is another road they've heavily neglected, one that hauled a bit of coal now and then ...

(I would like a see a run in WM too!)

[chuck geiger]

Lee - How do you make the loads?

[wm3798]

Mostly I use the dense foam rubber that you buy as an air block for window unit air conditioners.  You get about 3' of black foam rubber that's about 1/2" x 1-1/2".  I cut out chunks that are roughly 3/4" wide by the length of the car, then use scissors to shape the foam into a mound of coal.  I then shoot the top of the load with black spray paint.  The load easily pinches into the top of the hopper, and can be just as easily removed.

Of the hundred or so hoppers I have, I don't really have a good picture, but some of the Laurel Valley cars shown in the magazine article have these loads in them.

Lee