Available grain service hoppers in early 70s?

[cjm413]

Yeah, these were foobed my MTL with one of the early releases on their Evans car:

https://www.nscalesupply.com/MTL/MTL-09900020.html

None of these cars actually match the AHM/Concor car, if I get some time I'll post some pics of the relevant models to give some visual feeling for the size.

Mark

SAL had both the 4948 cuft 4 bay cars with round hatches and 4750 cuft 3 bay cars with trough hatches (which appears to be what MTL had in mind with their Evans 4780)

Exactrail offers both models in HO....and neither of them in N....

[nkalanaga]

Anything in GN, NP, and CB&Q would be fine, as all had quite a few 100-ton grain hoppers by merger day in 1970.  For the BN, ACF Center Flows, PS 4740, and the old MDC FMC car are all suitable.  You'll have to check the precise number to make sure that car is usable, the body styles are fine, and a lot of the grain came from the upper Midwest, where these were based.

[ntrakia]

I used the ahm car to do a southern big john based on an article by monty sweitzer in model railroading magazine.  basically just a repaint and decals are available.  close enough for me--and how many people today are even aware of the big john jumbo hopper let alone what it looked like. got a nice looking rare car without needing therapy sweating over the small stuff.   

[cjm413]

I used the ahm car to do a southern big john based on an article by monty sweitzer in model railroading magazine.  basically just a repaint and decals are available.  close enough for me--and how many people today are even aware of the big john jumbo hopper let alone what it looked like. got a nice looking rare car without needing therapy sweating over the small stuff.   

For anyone that doesn't know what the prototype is or remembers what it looked like, here's the Exactrail HO model:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0803/8369/products/ep_81701_01.jpg?v=1454616758

I just have to keep telling myself that they probably won't release a N scale version until and unless I finish the incomplete AHM car that I have sitting on my shelf

For the purpose of a quick and easy stand in:
1) Upgrade stock roofwalk, etc with Plano or Gold Medal Models parts
2) Remove weird grab irons between the ladders and the car body...I don't know why they added them when the prototype doesn't have them....; and
3) Add Trainworx body-mounted couplers (for Atlas 90T hopper) and 100T trucks.

Other potential upgrades would be to modify the ribs and roof overhang to better match the prototype, upgrading any oversized grab irons/ladder rungs that did exist on the prototype, adding brake detail to the Trainworx body-mount conversions, etc., but in my opinion, would be a wasted effort if Exactrail were to offer a N scale model of this car.

[nkalanaga]

I also have one of the AHMs in "Big John" paint, done MANY years ago, when the cars were still being sold by AHM.  Walthers used to make a decal set just for the Big John. 

CJM413's upgrades would be nice, but mine was done before etched roofwalks were made, and I didn't notice the extra grabs.  Walthers didn't include pictures, just a diagram.  Other than the roofwalk, the ugliest thing on the car is the brakewheel.  An MT wheel makes a nice addition.

I did body mount 1025s, on styrene center sill extensions, and add the diagonal braces next to them.  Mine has IM 100-ton trucks, as do all of my old AHM hoppers.  I bought a 10-pack to try them, they worked fine, and were never available again...  Atlas trucks should work fine, and maybe the new MT trucks.  The cars don't need to be lowered, so if you want to use BLMA trucks, you'll have to add washers.

At one time these, the Atlas 4-bay Centerflows, and the Bachmann Centerflow, were the only "Grain Hoppers" available in N scale.  The Bachmann was a little clunky, and the trucks were awful, but it was easy to convert to a 3-bay car.  Just take the floor out, cut the center bays loose, put both ends back in, and install ONE center bay in the middle.  It even had the vertical braces and solid end floor of the Centerflow, which the Atlas car doesn't have.

[cjm413]

I also have one of the AHMs in "Big John" paint, done MANY years ago, when the cars were still being sold by AHM.  Walthers used to make a decal set just for the Big John. 

CJM413's upgrades would be nice, but mine was done before etched roofwalks were made, and I didn't notice the extra grabs.  Walthers didn't include pictures, just a diagram.  Other than the roofwalk, the ugliest thing on the car is the brakewheel.  An MT wheel makes a nice addition.

I did body mount 1025s, on styrene center sill extensions, and add the diagonal braces next to them.  Mine has IM 100-ton trucks, as do all of my old AHM hoppers.  I bought a 10-pack to try them, they worked fine, and were never available again...  Atlas trucks should work fine, and maybe the new MT trucks.  The cars don't need to be lowered, so if you want to use BLMA trucks, you'll have to add washers.

At one time these, the Atlas 4-bay Centerflows, and the Bachmann Centerflow, were the only "Grain Hoppers" available in N scale.  The Bachmann was a little clunky, and the trucks were awful, but it was easy to convert to a 3-bay car.  Just take the floor out, cut the center bays loose, put both ends back in, and install ONE center bay in the middle.  It even had the vertical braces and solid end floor of the Centerflow, which the Atlas car doesn't have.

I went with the Trainworx trucks since they have offset kingpins rather than the centered kingpins on either the Atlas or MTL 100T trucks.

As you point out, the IMRC trucks are made from unobtanium...

[randgust]

Funny you should mention that.   I just bought a couple more Bachmann ACF's with the 'right' ATSF scheme on, with the intent of replacing the clunky cast-on stuff with GMM.   I've used their brass parts on cabooses and boxcars, and if you want to transform a injection-molded clunker into a car that will pass for Intermountain, that's where you start.    I'd already redone the roof hatches on a couple, but doesn't somebody make those now either in resin or FUD or something?     I'm continually dismayed by the Shapeways search feature, they are probably out there, but you can't locate anything.

[cjm413]

Funny you should mention that.   I just bought a couple more Bachmann ACF's with the 'right' ATSF scheme on, with the intent of replacing the clunky cast-on stuff with GMM.   I've used their brass parts on cabooses and boxcars, and if you want to transform a injection-molded clunker into a car that will pass for Intermountain, that's where you start.    I'd already redone the roof hatches on a couple, but doesn't somebody make those now either in resin or FUD or something?     I'm continually dismayed by the Shapeways search feature, they are probably out there, but you can't locate anything.

These might work, but it's hard to say for sure since they are now made from Unobtanium 

http://users.dwx.com/~jnjtrains/Aready/0385.jpg

[Missaberoad]

Why not track down a couple IMRC cylindrical kits? They come with all three styles of hatches... Or contact IMRC directly to see if they have parts...

[Mark5]

These might work, but it's hard to say for sure since they are now made from Unobtanium 

http://users.dwx.com/~jnjtrains/Aready/0385.jpg

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/JNJ-Trains-N-Stainless-Steel-Catwalk-p/jnj-344-0385.htm

[cjm413]

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/JNJ-Trains-N-Stainless-Steel-Catwalk-p/jnj-344-0385.htm

Purchase pending approval from the mother of my children

[Mark5]

Lol I got a downvote for posting that link.

[Missaberoad]

Lol I got a downvote for posting that link.

How dare you! 

[cjm413]

Lol I got a downvote for posting that link.

My finger hit the wrong button...d'oh! 

[nkalanaga]

The IM trucks, even with the centered pins, fit fine, and the original trucks were also centered.  I don't know if the Atlas or MTL trucks would work, as I haven't tried them.  Atlas don't fit the IM PS hoppers without some grinding on the slope sheets.