Bowser PRR H21a's in CK and SK In Stock

[towl1996]

In the past, each run of the H21's had 12 road numbers, so I'm guessing this "limited" run of 3 road numbers was a trial balloon of sorts to gauge the market. Hopefully, this means they haven't given up on N scale and new products may be a possibility, like an N8.

I would also like to see them make an N8.

+1

[rschaffter]

Just checked MBA Kleins and all 6 (3-SK, 3-CK) are out of stock.

I would really like to see Bowser do more of these, along with more GLa's and N5c's.  I would also like to see them make an N8.

Wow-I'm glad I ordered when I did!  There were a dozen of each, except one of the ck's had 9 and one of the SK's had 15 when I ordered.

I could use some more GLas, and I'd love some N8s.  I have a brass one, but I'll need to replace the trucks to run it on code 55....

[Dave V]

Crap, I didn't read closely enough...  That GLa was backordered.

[bbussey]

The painting and printing looks better on these, from what I remember.  The trucks and wheels look better also.  I have my full allocation of both classes from earlier releases, but the couplers wouldn't bother me as I would body-mount #1015s.

[muktown128]

Crap, I didn't read closely enough...  That GLa was backordered.

I looked several times on the Bowser site and could not find any GLa's listed as available or in stock.  Maybe I need to order the H21 SK's direct from Bowser.  I really don't like having to pay full list though.

[Cajonpassfan]

I received an email confirming what Bowser mentioned back in February.  The PRR H21a's are back and in stock at Bowser.  There are three road numbers in the CK and three in the SK.  Shop dates are P50 2-43 (Enola) for the CK and P50 10-58 (Enola) for the SK.

http://bowser-trains.com/new/freightcarkitsmarch2014.html

Thanks.
Jeff

The build dates on these are WHAT?
And for this non-slobbering uninformed Pennsy observer, what should they be?
Thanks, Otto

[ai5629]

H21 hoppers were built between 1909 and 1914.  All H21's were converted to H21a's (represented by the Bowser model) by 1925.  PRR had a maximum of 39123 H21a hopper cars in July 1947.  These facts are taken from Teichmoeller's PRR Steel Open Hopper Cars book.  CK = circled keystone paint scheme applied between 1930 and 02/54.  SK = shadowed keystone paint scheme applied between 02/54 and 1961.  (However, hopper cars were only painted "red" until mid / late 1957.)  The shop dates are the last time the car was weighed.  The CK car could be back dated or forward dated anytime between the times mentioned above and still be accurate.  The SK car would have been repainted/reweighed between 02/54 up until mid/late 1957.  The 10-58 shop date would represent a reweighing of the car, but not a repainting since PRR switched to black for hopper cars by 1958.  P50 is the code used by PRR to identify the scale at which the car was reweighed.  Not all locations that had a scale had facilities to repaint cars.  P50 = Enola Yard in PA.  I hope this helps.

Jeff

[Cajonpassfan]

Thank you Jeff, very informative. That makes me slightly less uninformed about Pennsy freight cars
Otto, modeling Cajon Pass circa 1950, with nary a Pennsy hopper in sight...

[tony22]

Back in stock at MB Klein's - at least all but one of the Circle Keystones that is now OOS! Sorry about that.

[ai5629]

My LHS emailed me today that my six are waiting for me to pick up.  I hope to get them on Friday.  Thanks.

Jeff

[rschaffter]

I just got mine.  They do appear to be McHenry couplers mounted in the Bowser Crown trucks.  Curiously, one car has an assembly error, one Crown and one roller bearing truck.  If someone has another one like it we could swap a truck.      Otherwise they appear identical with the previous runs...

[brill27mcb]

Just checked, and I have the same issue, on car 727188. Are both trucks types appropriate, or just one?

If this is widespread, it might be an issue for Bowser.

Rich K.

[rschaffter]

That's the same number as mine, Rich.  The Crown trucks were the original.   I suppose a roller bearing truck could have been put on as a replacement starting in the late 1950s, but I think a friction bearing truck would have been used in such a situation...

EDIT The CK hoppers are listed as sold out at Bowser...

[Chris333]

So who else has CK in stock? Man I blinked and they're all gone.

[brill27mcb]

Does anyone else have the mismatched trucks on their new hoppers?

Rich K.