NEW BLMA Freight Car & Trucks!

[Craig Martyn]

Our second car is the PS-4000 Covered Hopper!  This is unlike any hopper car produced in N Scale currently...

- Features
•  Ready-To-Run
•  Injection-Molded Plastic
•  Fine-Scale Detail
•  Chemically Etched Roof Walk
•  Chemically Etched Coupler Platform
•  Accurately Painted/Printed
•  Prototypical Ride Height
•  Etched-Metal Brake Platform
•  ALL-NEW 100-Ton ASF Ride Control Trucks
•  ALL-NEW Scale Profile Metal Wheels
•  Body-Mounted Micro-Trains Couplers
•  Three Numbers per Scheme!



And, our ALL-NEW 100Ton Truck w/Metal Wheels will be offered separately as well...    (and a 70-Ton truck is coming too!)



Also, due in mid-2010 - 200' All-Brass Camel Back Truss Bridges:



Read more on our newsletter here:   http://www.blmamodels.com/newsletter

[GaryHinshaw]

Well done Craig!   I'll be sure to check out these hoppers.  I'll also start off the questioning:

Any plans to offer the trucks with couplers for those of us with sizable fleets of tankers & hoppers where body-mounting would be a bit of a pain?

It looks like the cross member on the truck sits quite a bit lower than the sideframes which will no doubt help ride height on many models, but will it interfere in a lot of cases?

It will be great to have these new options.  The wheels look real sweet too.

Cheers,
Gary

[Craig Martyn]

Well done Craig!   I'll be sure to check out these hoppers.  I'll also start off the questioning:

Any plans to offer the trucks with couplers for those of us with sizable fleets of tankers & hoppers where body-mounting would be a bit of a pain?

It looks like the cross member on the truck sits quite a bit lower than the sideframes which will no doubt help ride height on many models, but will it interfere in a lot of cases?

It will be great to have these new options.  The wheels look real sweet too.

Cheers,
Gary

Thanks Gary!

1.  Couplers:   

2.  You're correct; however, the trucks were designed to NMRA specifications, so there shouldn't be any big problems (and if there is, something like the Micro-Trains shim would work to increase the body...no problems yet and I've tested them on multiple cars).

[GaryHinshaw]

1.  Couplers:   

Does this mean there are no immediate plans to produce a BLMA coupler?  :-[

[wcfn100]

My new hero.


Jason

[ednadolski]

Wow, I coulda sworn those pics were HO!

As for proto ride height & body-mount couplers:

while [ true ]
do
       echo "THANK YOU!"
done

[wes_sutton]

Craig,
   What time frame will the PS 4000 covered hopper fall under?

http://www.blmamodels.com/cgi-bin/webstore/shop.cgi?ud=BgYMAQ0KBQEDBxQUEBEcHAUFAgMJAg0ECQkTEQAA&storeid=1&searchtext=PS4000&cols=1&&c=detail.red.htm&t=main.red.htm&itemid=PS4000-6

The Prototype
The Pullman-Standard PS-2CD 4000 cubic foot covered hopper was produced between 1962 and 1964, and remained in service throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico until the early 2000s.  One of the most distinctive Pullman covered hoppers, this common 100-ton car is used in grain, fertilizer, and other bulk services.  BLMA Models is the first manufacturer to offer this unique model in N Scale!  With more than 2,000 prototypes placed into service, the BLMA Models N Scale replica is a perfect addition to your layout or collection.

[pfs]

Craig,

Excellent news.

1. Will you offer the truck alone sans wheels? (will you offer wheels separate as well)

2. What is the axle length of your wheels?

3. Seeing there are a large amount of prototypes for this model, will you offer an undecorated unit or kit like the boys in NC do?

Thank you

[davefoxx]

Craig,

I've been waiting a long time to see a paradigm shift by the manufacturers of N scale cars to offer body-mounted couplers and prototypical ride height.  I really detest having to take the time to fix cars, and, often in many cases, the task is very difficult or even impossible (for me anyway).  Therefore, you've got my business, sir.

By the way, I'm loving the ACL car, in addition to that simple, but beautiful AT&SF scheme.  Any chance you will leak future roadnames that are to be released?

Dave Foxx

[bbussey]

You got the painted samples in, excellent!  Looking forward to seeing these hit the market.

[shawnleon]

Craig, Impressive looking car. Looking forward to more!

Shawn

[Mark5]

The car looks great! I am most impressed with the trucks - very cool. Will buy a set for testing when they are available.

The choice of MT couplers seems good - IIRC there is no slinky problem with the body mounted versions.

Next run - N&W?

Mark

[Dave V]

Body mounted couplers and low-profile metal wheelsets.  EXACTLY where we need to be in N scale now.  Very, very awesome.  Thanks Craig!!!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Very sweet. I was all proud of my Walthers PS2 4000, but now I'll need to get a few of these. The trucks look great! when do I get my samples for the article... yeah that's it

[TiVoPrince]

Looking good,
but will look even better with some nice vibrant grafitti on it...