The new-ish Bowser N5C, a mixed bag

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I received two Conrail Bowser N5C cabooses from eBay today. I have several from the origonal run and wanted to see how they have improved over the years.

First the good:
The paint is much improved. The first run didn't have enough paint on the ends. The ends on these is well covered and includes end numbers and "POOL CAR" written on the door. They did not include the Scotchlite panels on each side of the door. They also made the cupola sides blue. I have seen photos with both all black cupolas and ones with blue sides. I think it depends on when and where the prototype was last shopped. #23123 appears to be correct, but I could not find photos of #23139.

Paint details are really good... handrails, lube stencils all really well done.

They fixed the stovepipe! This was a minor quibble, but it bothered me. The pip protrudes through the cupola. Early Bowser N5C cars had it on the wrong end (with the short corner windows). This has been addressed.

Metal wheels and MTL couplers now standard.

Boxes are standard Atlas/BLMA/LBF/Exactrail/IM medium jewel cases. makes stacking them with other manufacturers easy.

Now the bad:
It is glued together. This appears to be new since production moved to China. These cars were designed to snap together. They simply don't need glue.

The car sits WAY too high. Same problem as the first run. What is interesting is that the bolsters appear to have been retooled since the first run. Why they chose to keep the ride height is beyond me. Originally they were designed with a funky Rapido box coupler that allowed for easy conversion to MTL couplers, but required a high ride height. They could have cut down the height with the recent tooling changes.

The FVM wheels have a large tread and flange. These are not the standard FVM wheels I'm used to. This dosen't matter much as I already replaced the trucks with Atlas RB swing motion trucks.

These are by far my favorite caboose types. I'm glad they are around again.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

That's great!

The originals were indeed quite the fixer uppers.

Lowering them should be easy enough, especially if got replace the couplers with the Z scale ones.

I was gonna sit these out but now I'll keep my eyes peeled for a good deal.

[peteski]

I was gonna sit these out but now I'll keep my eyes peeled for a good deal.

I thought that you graduated to larger scales Ed?   What happened? Still pining for the small stuff?

[OldEastRR]

What? When did Ed move to HO?? I never got the memo!!

[Point353]

I received two Conrail Bowser N5C cabooses from eBay today. I have several from the origonal run and wanted to see how they have improved over the years.

First the good:
The paint is much improved. The first run didn't have enough paint on the ends. The ends on these is well covered and includes end numbers and "POOL CAR" written on the door. They did not include the Scotchlite panels on each side of the door. They also made the cupola sides blue. I have seen photos with both all black cupolas and ones with blue sides. I think it depends on when and where the prototype was last shopped. #23123 appears to be correct, but I could not find photos of #23139.

CR 23139 then: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4993180

CR 23139 now: https://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/26497445021 

[peteski]

What? When did Ed move to HO?? I never got the memo!!

Actually, IIRC, he went even larger.  Or maybe it was just a dream . . .

[bbussey]

I always felt the Bowser N5 and variants were too tall in the body. They look too stubby to me, even when lowered to a more appealing ride height.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I thought that you graduated to larger scales Ed?   What happened? Still pining for the small stuff?

I'm all over the place man. Going to keep doing N, going to dabble in some O. Who knows what else.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I always felt the Bowser N5 and variants were too tall in the body. They look too stubby to me, even when lowered to a more appealing ride height.

I thought so too until I saw an image that compared them and they were actually correct. It was weird.

[MK]

I think he's going to invent his own scale.  E-Scale!   

[daniel_leavitt2000]

The compound curved roof and cupola really make it hard to visually translate the model to the prototype. The proportions are correct, though the cupola is slightly off in the same way so many models get the F unit nose... Off. It's not exactly wrong, but it's not entirely right either.

[Lemosteam]

I thought so too until I saw an image that compared them and they were actually correct. It was weird.

Yeah, I looked for that image on the other thread and the attachment is gone man. Must have been the recent crash, although that thread is over a year old.

Was going to post it here. Maybe I'll redo it.

[peteski]

Yeah, I looked for that image on the other thread and the attachment is gone man. Must have been the recent crash, although that thread is over a year old.

Was going to post it here. Maybe I'll redo it.

Yes, at some point in time, all (or bunch) is images attached to threads were wiped out. Gallery was unaffected. Another good reason to upload to the gallery instead of attaching to posts (the process is almost identical and gallery images, are gallery is easier to maintain).  @tom mann was notified about this (fairly recently last time), but he didn't follow up on it. Not sure if he can do anything about the missing images.

[prr7161]

A while back when MR did the big spread on the N5c I did a bunch of measurements.  Bowser kept the sides the correct size, and the overall height of the car correct,  But when they hiked up the underframe to deal with truck-mounted couplers, they flattened out the roof to keep the overall height.  So the "roll" at the sides of the main roof is flattened out, and the cupola roof on the N5c is nearly flat instead of domed.  That's why they look oddly stubby even though the overall dimensions work out,

Also I am pretty certain that the end platforms are too narrow.