First shots of MTL Airslide Hopper

[RockGp40]

There are a few left. Many of them are in the light blue with vertical GATX logo.

I caught one in Dover, Delaware, two weeks ago with the GATX logo. Presumably was coming or going to Kraft foods. I had to do a double take.

[nkalanaga]

Ryan:  Amen on ride height.  I'd rather lower the car than have to raise the roof.

[Glenn Poole]

Ryan:  Amen on ride height.  I'd rather lower the car than have to raise the roof.

And why should we have to do either?  It has been pretty easy to lower them in the past by just changing to BLMA trucks and then body mounting MT 1015 or 2004 couplers, however, the BLMA trucks have not been available recently.  And, of course, it costs server more $$ to do that.  I wish to see all new cars at the proper prototypal dimensions.  I have bought very few Mt cars in the last few years as most of them are reruns and sit too high off the rails.  I don't care about the top of the car height. 

[bbussey]

... I have bought very few Mt cars in the last few years as most of them are reruns and sit too high off the rails.  I don't care about the top of the car height.

Ditto on buying cars and proper ride height, but I care about the accuracy of the body height as well. While some compromises have to be made in N scale, ride height and body height are not among them — especially in this day and age.

[Missaberoad]

And why should we have to do either?  It has been pretty easy to lower them in the past by just changing to BLMA trucks and then body mounting MT 1015 or 2004 couplers, however, the BLMA trucks have not been available recently.  And, of course, it costs server more $$ to do that.  I wish to see all new cars at the proper prototypal dimensions.  I have bought very few Mt cars in the last few years as most of them are reruns and sit too high off the rails.  I don't care about the top of the car height.

In a perfect world I agree with you completely... ...but many manufacturers to this day do not provide correct ride height (not just Micro-trains) and in the past a common solution was to compress the car to have a correct overall height (Micro-trains 50' and hicube 60' boxcars are a good example of squished cars that simply look wrong  )
I'm simply stating that IF a compromise must be made keep the dimensions correct and have the car ride high...

[Missaberoad]

Ryan:  If they make a 1015 compatible 903, they could sell it with a thin box, for looks, or as just the coupler and spring, to replace factory-supplied couplers.  It wouldn't be any more work for them, and would make both camps happy.

I'd be happy with that solution as long as I have a coupler with a shank I can put into an existing 1015 box I'd be happy...

[Mark5]

If I recall correctly, the Wonder Bread Airslides were a slightly larger version (4566 I think) than the 4180.

Here's my suggestion for the MTL 4180 - Brachs!

https://www.tangentscalemodels.com/product/gacx-brachs-candy-1974

There is also a cool Champion Spark Plug scheme (GACX 46439-46441 I think), gotta see if I can dig up some pix (EDIT: dug one up!):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4391653 This is the as built scheme, there is a later scheme which is also cool:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3975049

Mark

[asarge]

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Brachs was the first scheme. But then again, I'm still waiting for an Erie Western Evans 4780 how many years after the first realease of that car.

[Mark5]

There is also a cool Champion Spark Plug scheme (GACX 46439-46441 I think), gotta see if I can dig up some pix (EDIT: dug one up!):

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4391653 This is the as built scheme, there is a later scheme which is also cool:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3975049

Mark

Found some more of these in "Champion" (45881, 46479, & 48441):

As delivered:
46479 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/gatx/gacx46479.jpg

Later scheme:
48441 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/gatx/gacx48441akr.jpg
45881 http://www.boxcars.us/Boxcars_A_M/G/pages/image018.html

Mark

[johnb]

Found some more of these in "Champion" (45881, 46479, & 48441):

As delivered:
46479 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/gatx/gacx46479.jpg

Later scheme:
48441 http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/gatx/gacx48441akr.jpg
45881 http://www.boxcars.us/Boxcars_A_M/G/pages/image018.html

Mark

I am going to want one of these. Too bad there isn't a date on these