Recommendations For Custom Etched Stirrups

[Denver Road Doug]

All,

I am working on custom detailing and painting a large quantity (24-48 from the outset) of Walthers ballast cars.   One piece of this upgrade is shaving off the stock stirrups and replacing them with etched metal versions.  The prototype has basically two different types.  One is predominant, but neither seem to be available in n-scale.   Here are some pics...

The more common version:




The less common:


The BLMA set ( http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/402a.jpg ) has some good *close* options--sans one very notable horizontal step--but I'm curious about getting one or both of these specific stirrups done as a custom run.   Settling on the BLMA versions will still cost $2-3/car so I'm just wondering what I would be looking at if I could get a fret done with, say, 16 common and 4 less common per fret.   I would need 10, would probably run 20-30 minimum assuming I had no other outside interest.   I figure there is some magic number for minimums and maybe I'm not in the ballpark....I just don't know.   So, any help from those experienced in this type of deal would be appreciated....thanks!

[Chris333]

The good thing about etching with PPD is that they have no minimums. You can get a piece etched the size of a postage stamp.

http://www.ppdltd.com/page_1_intro.html

[Denver Road Doug]

The good thing about etching with PPD is that they have no minimums. You can get a piece etched the size of a postage stamp.

http://www.ppdltd.com/page_1_intro.html

That's good information.   Thanks.   That looks like something I could make work pricewise...guess I'll start working on dimensions and put together a drawing and see what I can come up with.

[Chris333]

You can ask for a quote before you order. The first time you pay for the artwork negative and the etched sheet. Any more ordered after that you only pay for the sheet. Some times it may seem expensive, but when you figure out what each piece costs per car it is pretty cheap.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Doug,
If you decide to go forward with the getting etchings, let me know. I have a dozen SP/GVSR walthers ballast cars I'd like to upgrade.

[Catt]

I could use some of those too ,if you decide to do them.

[6axlepwr]

You will do good with PPD. I have had a load of stuff made by them.

[nsbob]

The top two pictures show a common stirrup used on many types of hoppers and as well as NS Top Gons.  These would be great for converting Atlas
hoppers.  At least Life Like - Con Cor got them right on their hoppers even if it's a pain lowering the frames to prototype height.  I was planning to use the Micro Trains hopper end frames with stirrups on my Atlas cars, but I like these much better.  If someone decides to make them, I'm sure they would be very popular.

[Denver Road Doug]

The top two pictures show a common stirrup used on many types of hoppers and as well as NS Top Gons.

Wait a sec, so for those of you who have the BLMA Top Gons, are those stirrups etched?  (or, otherwise usable in this instance?)   I wonder if Craig could make those available somehow?   EDIT: Oops, I was apparently looking at an HO car...the N-scale version looks like it has a molded on plastic stirrup.

Anyway, I will definitely keep everyone informed of the progress I make.