Bowser Covered Hoppers: improved versions of the DI ones?

[OldEastRR]

I was at Bowser's site and it looks like the 70t covered hoppers (ACF?) have been tweaked from the old Deluxe Innovation ones, which needed a lot of work. What with NH covered hopper decals now available I'm wondering if these are worth buying.

[Ike the BN Freak]

I don't see any 70T covered hoppers in N scale, sure you aren't looking at HO cars?

[jmlaboda - RIP]

You're confusing DI with someone else and Bowser doesn't have anything to do with the 70T covered hopper.  The ACF 70T covered hopper was designed and initially produced by a company called V-Line, which sold their car designs to DI when they got out of the business.  Bowser did acquire several N-scale cars from Delaware Valley as a way to start tapping the N-scale market but apparently have begun to think differently about N-scale since, what with a huge lack of commitment to doing anything else in N.  Not the only casualty of their modern day philosophies since they have also abandoned their great line of HO steam and trollies as well... seemingly spoiled by the success of the Stewart ALCOs.  Too bad... would have been great to have them doing more but thankfully several more manufacturers entered the fray since they abandoned plans for anything more in N so maybe we are the better for it!!!

Check this page for more info on these covered hoppers...

http://www.spookshow.net/freight/di2bay.html

You also might want to check out Kato's offerings of the same type of car...

http://www.katousa.com/N/Hopper/index.html

[Chris333]

I have one of these cars. Has anyone "fixed" it yet. Something just doesn't look right.

[Sokramiketes]

Bowser does have these listed under HO on the HO/N page.  Only the first two entries are N scale...

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

[bbussey]

Buy the Kato ACF 70' covered hoppers and cut out the triangle openings to backdate them.  Then they are a match for New Haven.  The Kato models remain readily available, as are undecorated parts directly from Kato.

[PGE-N°2]

Not the only casualty of their modern day philosophies since they have also abandoned their great line of HO steam and trolleys as well... seemingly spoiled by the success of the Stewart ALCOs.  Too bad... would have been great to have them doing more but thankfully several more manufacturers entered the fray since they abandoned plans for anything more in N so maybe we are the better for it!!!

It is really too bad. I have one of their PCCs in HO, and had wanted to get a small fleet before it turned out that running anything In HO would be pretty impractical for me. But wouldn't it have been great if Bowser had scaled them down and done a nice run of well detailed PCCs in N scale? I would definitely by a fleet.

I do have a few of the Delaware Valley/JNJ/Bowser 50' Airslide Hoppers, which are okay except for the hugely oversized roofwalks.

Looking at the Bowser website, and viewing the listings in Excel form, It appears only the H21 Hopper is going to be in N scale. Although, maybe this is just a sampling, or a teaser of more that they might be releasing soon in N scale.

[sirenwerks]

I do have a few of the Delaware Valley/JNJ/Bowser 50' Airslide Hoppers, which are okay except for the hugely oversized roofwalks.

I beg to differ with you there.  The outlets detail of the Bowser car, compared to the Athearn single bay, pails in comparison.  That two-bay needs a serious updating from roofalk to outlets.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Yeah the DI/V-Line cars are pretty bad. Certainly not up to todays standards. I would put them maybe as high on the list as Lima/Model Power cars. Huge ladders, clunky roof walks, poor discharge door detail etc.

This would be a great car for someone to tackle, rather than the 40' plug door box mentioned in another thread. These cars lasted forever and were iconic. Although Kato made the later model... they never really released it in as many road names as they could. They were also high priced at a time when people were looking at price over quality. I think the maket has changed enough to support a rerelease of this car.

[OldEastRR]

OK, I completely missed the quick changeover in the "Kits List" from N to HO. I kinda thought that ACF hopper looked a little too detailed for N.. sorry.
And another manufacturer decides to leave N scale ...

[jmlaboda - RIP]

It appears only the H21 Hopper is going to be in N scale. Although, maybe this is just a sampling, or a teaser of more that they might be releasing soon in N scale.

They have had the H21s for a while... they are just rerunning two of the six PRR paint schemes that they previously have offered... all of which are sold out.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

The Covered Hopper in the Sppokshow page is the old VLine Covered Hopper that has been drawn into the Delux Innovations stable.

[PGE-N°2]

I beg to differ with you there.  The outlets detail of the Bowser car, compared to the Athearn single bay, pails in comparison.  That two-bay needs a serious updating from roofalk to outlets.

So SOO me, because I just picked up another one since it was lettered for the Milwaukee  .

Get on Shapeways with that redesign.