Bachmann USRA twin hoppers back in stock @MBK; also great detail under the paint

[bbussey]

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...

That covers New Haven, which makes it easier for that road although there also were/are dry transfers available from Clover House and CDS (which is how I created my current MTL fleet).  What is being referenced above are the Pennsylvania markings, since the Bachmann artwork is inaccurate.  The jury is still out on the B&O, C&O, CRR and WM schemes, and decal availability for the remaining roads that had them (B&LE, CNJ, DL&W, D&TSL, IC, L&N, NKP, NYC, LIRR, PM, WAB) probably is insuffucient as well.

NH 120000-121499 is the proper series for the prototype, but the Microscale sheet works for them as well.

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

Yes, significantly.  More rivet detail also.  As an example, there is a Bachmann logo lightly embossed toward the bottom of one of the slopes that became visible after the cars were stripped.
 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Photos!

[bbussey]

When they are repainted and redecorated.  You'll just have to take my word on the detail relief. 

[OldEastRR]

Seems weird that there are no comprehensive decals sets commercially for the Pennsy CK versions. I got a X-29 REA set with a small CK herald from

http://www.greatdecals.com/

a while back. The small CK looks right for a caboose or hopper, but the X-29 set is no longer listed on that site.

[bbussey]

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

Looks like the CK artwork arrangement is similar to the H31.  MTL has released the scheme on their model over the decades, although I don't know how accurate it is.  So I guess hunting down a GLd photo will be necessary.

[bbussey]

CDS Dry Transfers has an N scale set for the GLa, #290, so that is a fallback option.  Also, purchasing the O scale set and using that to create artwork for N scale decals is an option, although I have all the PRR fonts/graphics so confirming the arrangement is what I need.

For creating decals, the lettering arrangement on this S scale model appears to be accurate.



And, after more digging, here's the straight-on prototype photo used for the above model.



Good enough for me.  Only three left in service by the end of 1958, but I'm only modeling one. 

[Lemosteam]

Brian, if you create decals, would you be willing to make multiple road numbers on a sheet?  I would make the artwork for you but I likely do not have the correct software to do so.  What can I do to help?

[bbussey]

I have everything I would need at this point.  I just have to find the time to do it.

[skm]

IIRC - The PRR GLd had a lever type brake rather than a wheel. Just sayin' 
I've contacted BLMA a couple of times to ask if they would offer the lever brake from their G31 as a separate part, but no luck so far!

[OldEastRR]

Regarding the MTL two-bay, what differences does it have to the 116000 series NH hoppers other than the gussets and not enough side ribs?

[bbussey]

Those are fairly significant differences, aren't they?  The MTL model is closer to the 115000 series rather than the 116000 series I would think.

[OldEastRR]

From the pictures I see of NH's P-S 2 bays, the hopper discharge chutes are farther apart than the USRA ones, and they are 60 ton hoppers instead of 55. The MTL car is at least two feet longer than the Bachmann, and as noted the chutes are farther apart. I'm wondering if changing the ribs on the MTL car will make it more like the NH's P-S hoppers.

[bbussey]

A better option is removing a bay from the Atlas smaller-capacity 3-bay PS-2 model when it hits the market later this year.  That's what I plan on doing.  In the mean time, the Bachmann model works for the 120000 series and it renders five MTL cars in my fleet as expendable.  If the MTL car is not a good fit for the 115000 series, I will be discarding the remaining cars also at some point.  They easily can be replaced with kitbashed Atlas PS-2 models representing the 116000 series, rather than waiting for a more accurate model to fit the 115000 series.

[wcfn100]

Anyone have a prototype for the trucks Bachmann is using on these cars?


Jason

[bbussey]

They look very similar to the caboose trucks used on Bowser's Pennsylvania N5 and N5C, according to the truck frames page on Spookshow's site.