Author Topic: Bachmann USRA twin hoppers back in stock @MBK; also great detail under the paint  (Read 4089 times)

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bbussey

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The Bachmann USRA twin hoppers, which went very quickly when they first appeared, have now quietly been restocked at MBK by the dozens.  So, if you missed out initially or want more of them, there is an ample supply of all the roadnames.

As an aside — I tried to remove the lettering with isopropyl alcohol, to fix the PRR scheme and re-deco my five CRR cars as NH, but it was stubborn and started to affect the paint.  So, into the alcohol for a soak to remove it all.  Interestingly, the relief on the plastic is incredibly well done, with much of it hidden by a coat of factory paint that was thicker than it seemed.  There is no easy way to swap in MTL couplers, but AccuMates fit in the Bachmann pockets and are an improvement over the McHenry boxing gloves.  Andrews trucks will go on my NH cars and I'll have to check what the PRR cars ran on.  But these really are nice-looking cars.  The PRR car is brown plastic, while the CRR cars are black plastic, so only a thin coat of paint will be needed to cover.

With their recent freight car tooling ... Bachmann missed the boat on the two boxcars, but the NE caboose, USRA hopper and two tankcars are really top-notch.  The single dome tanks sit at the correct height over the rail and have a proper dome height, unlike the MTL counterpart, and the USRA hopper is more faithful to the prototype than the MTL equivalent.
Bryan Busséy
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sd45elect2000

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I agree the new hoppers are very nice !!

My biggest praise is for the tank cars you mention. These are gorgeous cars. I do not however like the underframes. What I have done is mount the nice Bachmann tanks on intermountain underframes and they look great !
The intermountain underframes make it easy to either body mount couplers or install complete Micro Trains trucks. Perhaps I'll find a use for the Bachmann underframes.

Randy

bbussey

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You also can substitute MTL tank car underframes, which do have finer detail than the Bachmann underframes and would allow you to body-mount your couplers of choice.  But you then would have to lower the bolsters so the car sits at the proper height.
Bryan Busséy
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NSE #1117
www.bbussey.net


Lemosteam

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Brian, what will you be using for decals after reprint on the PRR cars.  Been considering doing this too.

VonRyan

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I'll second that. Might get me to pick up a PRR one after all.

I may see about fitting 905s to my B&O one that I picked up. I was going to get a PRR one, but since I already have 40 H31s, I wanted something of a bit of variety to go in my mixed freights.


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bbussey

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Brian, what will you be using for decals after reprint on the PRR cars.  Been considering doing this too.

Probably will patch decals together.  If I can't find any, I'll probably print some up on the Alps since I have all of the Pennsy fonts and graphics.
Bryan Busséy
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www.bbussey.net


Lemosteam

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Brian, I'll buy some from you!!! (That is of course if you are willing).  I want to rapidly increase my hopper fleet with the price ay MBK.  Stripping, painting and decaling might be kinda fun, if the decals are made, piecing them together, I can't handle.

bbussey

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John, if it gets to the point where I have to design the decals, I can print you a sheet when the time comes.  Not a problem.
Bryan Busséy
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Lemosteam

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All of the GL classes here (of which I am quite sure you are aware) http://prr.railfan.net/freight/classpage.html?class=GL mostly CK used, GLd road numbers from 220000-220299.  2D-F3 "USRA" trucks listed.

Diagram: http://prr.railfan.net/freight/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=gld.gif&fr=cl

http://www.byz.org/~morven/Railway32/freight/hoppers/index.html

Ike the BN Freak

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There is no easy way to swap in MTL couplers, but AccuMates fit in the Bachmann pockets and are an improvement over the McHenry boxing gloves.

Bachmann uses their own coupler, the EZ Mate II.  McHenry, as far as I know, is only used by Athearn, as Athearn/McHenry are both owned by Horizon.

daniel_leavitt2000

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Photos of the stripped cars?
There's a shyness found in reason
Apprehensive influence swallow away
You seem to feel abysmal take it
Then you're careful grace for sure
Kinda like the way you're breathing
Kinda like the way you keep looking away

Mark5

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and the USRA hopper is more faithful to the prototype than the MTL equivalent.

I didnt know MTL did a USRA twin. The Bachmann USRA is the first of its type in N scale that I'm aware of.

I agree that the car is excellent. I plan to pick one up to use as a stand-in for this VGN class:

http://appalachianrailroadmodeling.com/photos/virginian-prototype-photos/vgn11234 (H6)

Good info on the USRA here:

http://www.trainlife.com/magazines/pages/441/32199/may-1995-page-5

Mark

OldEastRR

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As for decals, there ARE these

http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MD&Product_Code=60-1436&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

ones I went through a lot of effort to get MicroScale to make, which have every single prototype lettering marking needed for the 115000 series hoppers.  They are waaaay at the bottom of the NH decal listing pages, after the O scale ones.

Oh, for those of you wondering what my qualifications in N scale are, I submit this as example...

Sokramiketes

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Does the relief of the side ribs improve with the paint stripping? 

rschaffter

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I didnt know MTL did a USRA twin. The Bachmann USRA is the first of its type in N scale that I'm aware of.

The MTL car is a later one without side gussets...
Cheers,
Rod Schaffter