Hmmmm ... (G41a coil car)

[amato1969]

What about a 40' round roof boxcar, PRR class X31 and X31A?  This is a unique / signature prototype that ran from the 1930's to the 1960's. 

Fine N Scale makes great resin kits of the X31 and X31a:

http://www.finenscale.com/rollingstock.html

  Frank

[ai5629]

I have five FNS X31 cars in my collection to complete.  They look good, but a RTR version might do well.  FNS also makes B&O wagon top boxcars, and FVM did those.  So I still am hopeful.  Sorry for the thread drift.

Jeff

[RSWController]

Before we get too far off track I'd like to request the Conrail version of the G41a be released without the hoods as during my modeling era of 1995, the hoods were not used.

[ai5629]

Conrail ran the G41a's with hoods only until about 1981-1982.  The AAR class of the car changed from GBSR to GBS when the hoods were removed.  The PC and CR cars were numbered in the 622xxx series when they ran with hoods.  When CR removed the hoods, they moved the cars to the 606xxx series.  However, many cars stayed in the 622xxx series even when the hoods were removed.  There were a lot of paint variations on Conrail.  These were originally repainted/reweighed at Altoona (P59), a practice started by Penn Central of re weighing GBSR cars there.  When Altoona closed (late 79), the work moved to Hollidaysburg.  I have seen a good amount of photos of cars repainted/reweighed at Hollidaysburg in 1981 (CR BL).  Thanks.

Jeff

[drgw0579]

Another PRR specific model that I hope will be done is the K9 stock car.  I tried to kit kitbash [ Guests cannot view attachments ] one from a MicroTrains car, but wasn't all that successful.  Just like the prototype, I found it real tedious to cut the holes in the side of the car.  I have a second car way back on the workbench which I could use brass for the car sides as the thickness of the plastic can clearly be seen.

Bill Kepner

[GonzoCRFan]

War emergency or not, gons don't sell well for whatever reason.

I wonder if choice of prototype has an effect on that. Not to be critical, as the G26 is a very nice model, but they were by no means a common car by the late PC/early CR era. My records have less than 300 cars going onto the CR revenue roster. BLMA's G31 were a bit more numerous, and from a vendor point of view, that's the best-selling piece of N scale rolling stock the CRHS has had to date. Plus, since Craig brought out multiple road numbers, we rarely have anybody purchase just one at a time. I think if you did a slightly more-modern car with a service life that spanned a wide time period, it would do well. My personal vote would be for a G43 or G47.

[bbussey]

It's unlikely that ESM will release another mass-market RTR gondola, let alone another Pennsy gondola.  Plenty of other avenues to explore before revisiting that one.  ESM also has done a significant part in increasing the amount of prototypical Conrail models in N, utilizing all four RTR bodystyles that have been released.  From a Conrail modeler's standpoint, the X58 should be a significant model, and ESM has released more variations and road numbers in Conrail on that body than BLMA has on the G31 gondola, by a lot.

[muktown128]

Another PRR specific model that I hope will be done is the K9 stock car.  I tried to kit kitbash (Attachment Link) one from a MicroTrains car, but wasn't all that successful.  Just like the prototype, I found it real tedious to cut the holes in the side of the car.  I have a second car way back on the workbench which I could use brass for the car sides as the thickness of the plastic can clearly be seen.

Bill Kepner

+1 on wanting this.

I have purchased a few extra MT cars to make this conversion. 
Sounds like this will be quite a challenge based on your experience.
Thanks for the heads up.

Scott

[GonzoCRFan]

  From a Conrail modeler's standpoint, the X58 should be a significant model, and ESM has released more variations and road numbers in Conrail on that body than BLMA has on the G31 gondola, by a lot.

I do know that, because I have felt the need to part with some of my disposable income on just about every unique X58 you have produced. The X58 is indeed very significant, and it's one of the few times we N scalers can brag about having something available before our HO counterparts. I would imagine the wider variety of paint schemes and road numbers on X58s would translate into more overall sales than 1 scheme with 5 numbers on the BLMA gondolas. But since 2 different body styles with 2 different levels of detail are being compared, we're not exactly comparing apples to apples. Like I said in my last post, not trying to sound critical (or ungrateful, for that matter). Just offering a dissenting opinion about N scale gondolas.

[bbussey]

... I would imagine the wider variety of paint schemes and road numbers on X58s would translate into more overall sales than 1 scheme with 5 numbers on the BLMA gondolas...

One would think so. Still waiting for the CR modelers to step up though. The GSC well car is the only CR model to have sold out. The G26 was over-produced, but not the other models.

Also, I will clarify my statement:  in general, for any given manufacturer, gondola models do not sell as well as the other models in the product line, for whatever reason.

[amato1969]

Like I said in my last post, not trying to sound critical (or ungrateful, for that matter). Just offering a dissenting opinion about N scale gondolas.

Hey, quit distracting Mr. Bussey from finishing up the X65 boxcar work!   

The LV versions are gonna be sweet.

  Frank