Covered Hopper Identification

[garethashenden]

What is this and does anyone make one in N? http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1632077
I'm guessing it was made in the early '80s, still in service.

[GaryHinshaw]

Apparently this is a 3000 cuft. capy. car built by Portec.  The closest model I'm aware of is Athearn's PS2 2600 cuft. hopper:

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH12079

I don't think they've ever offered it in B&M though.  (Too bad that Athearn photo shows the roofwalk bowing up.    It's a really nice model, in general.)  Atlas also makes a PS2, but again not in this scheme.

-gfh

[garethashenden]

Thanks! I knew no one made any in B&M. I'll look into converting a PS-2. Looks like I'll have to reposition the ribs.

[mu26aeh]

Not certain if it's correct or not but Red Caboose had what they marked as a 3000 cu ft 2 bay covered hopper.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/N-MKT-3000-Cu-Ft-2-Bay-Covered-Hopper-Rd-523-Red-Caboose-RN-15028-4-/140977782554

One noticeable difference on the model is the roof, the RC car has roof walk around the perimeter of the car, whereas the car in your photo does not.

[central.vermont]

Personally I think I would go with the Athearn car. It is the best match but with the wrong rib count. You could remove all the ribs on it and then make your own and come up with a very nice car then.

Jon

[garethashenden]

I've got an Atlas PS2 that I'm willing to sacrifice. I'll do that first, but I need a few of these so I'll use the Athearn model for the following ones.

Thanks for all your help!!

[SkipGear]

You could cut the center section out of Thrall 4750 and get the rib count right but the squared off end of the slope sheet would be wrong.

[central.vermont]

You could cut the center section out of Thrall 4750 and get the rib count right but the squared off end of the slope sheet would be wrong.

..............also the roof hatches would be wrong. Need to be round not trough hatches.

Jon

[central.vermont]

What is this and does anyone make one in N? http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1632077
I'm guessing it was made in the early '80s, still in service.

Are you actually doing the B&M? If so where did you the decals for this?

Jon

[garethashenden]

Jon,

I'm planning on using Microscale decals. They do a block lettering set for locomotives and another for boxcars. One of those should work. If not I'll figure something else out.

[Ian MacMillan]

You could probally use Highball decals set:
http://mgdecals.com/F-121.htm

That way you have the right font. You will need to do some cutting and adjusting.

[Robbman]

A Portec/Midwest Freight Car 3000 is a hard kitbash, mainly because of the ends.  I have all the drawings for them, including the offset hatched N&W version, so one day you may see a model of them in N.

[garethashenden]

A Portec/Midwest Freight Car 3000 is a hard kitbash, mainly because of the ends.  I have all the drawings for them, including the offset hatched N&W version, so one day you may see a model of them in N.

What am I missing about the ends? They don't look that hard...

[SkipGear]

What am I missing about the ends? They don't look that hard...

The frame steps down at the bolster.
The slope sheet stops short of the end of the car.
The slope sheet is filled in where the side overlaps and goes straight down to the frame.

There are a lot of angles and small parts to fit to build one from scratch.
Nothing else out ther has an end quite like that car.