Suggestion for next ESM freight car

[samusi01]

Gondolas in general do not sell that well in N for some reason unfortunately.

Flat cars aren't much better in N demand-wise, which probably is one reason we haven't seen an F30 or F30D.

Interesting observations. I wonder if it's due to the era most N scalers model? Seeing Brian's comments caused me to spend a couple of minutes in my N.P. wheel reports for the very late 1960s and I found the following:

Boxcars (all types): 44% of total traffic.
Covered hoppers: 5%.
Flatcars: 11%.
Gons, all types: 3%.
Open hoppers: 13%.
Reefers: 10%.
Stock cars: 2%
Tank cars: 4%.
Intermodal (trailers, containers): 4%.

Most of the reports were captured in central North Dakota so - save for the tank cars and open hoppers - probably represent a good cross-section of transcon traffic. This may be part of why boxcars are so prevalent... Unfortunate for those of us who might need some other types on occasion. One of the items on my to-do list is composite Hart ballast gons, which were still used in beet traffic in the late 60s.

[bbussey]

I am also looking for more variety in my tank car fleet as my primary car is the 1927 ACF car from intermountain. I know at one point Bryan was looking to issue the Hooker acid car, I would get a half dozen of these.

There were only four 8k gallon Hooker acid tanks, but the prototype is appropriate for a lot of the plain-Jane black cars.  Still working on perfecting some of the etchings on the Hooker kit.  It would be nice to get that to market as most of the components have been on hand for a couple of years, including MTL special-run National B-1 truck frames with a centered bolster hole.  The stanchions and the big dome platform have been difficult to perfect, and the internal weight has changed as well.  Ironically the 3D parts and the triple-etched body and tank wrappers were perfected months ago.  Hopefully sometime this year.

[bbussey]

... One of the items on my to-do list is composite Hart ballast gons, which were still used in beet traffic in the late 60s.

Atlas twice released NP on their Hart ballast hopper model, albeit a while ago, but crossing the beet cars off your to-do list may be as simple as procuring the necessary stock-issue models.

[wazzou]

Atlas twice released NP on their Hart ballast hopper model, albeit a while ago, but crossing the beet cars off your to-do list may be as simple as procuring the necessary stock-issue models.

I think he wants the composite version which had wood sides and steel trusses similar to a war emergency boxcar in design.

[samusi01]

I think he wants the composite version which had wood sides and steel trusses similar to a war emergency boxcar in design.

This. I've managed to lay my hands on most of the NP gons that Atlas made. Lacking only one, I think.

Sam

[nkalanaga]

Those composite hoppers were still in beet service in Washington in the late 70s!  A lot of the BN's "obsolete" equipment ended up in the Northwest, pulled by a fleet of F units and Alcos.  Pasco quite often looked like the late 50s, if one ignored the modern covered hoppers.

For flatcars, how about a "standard" AAR 53' 6" ft car?  Those things were seen everywhere, ran for decades, and most major roads had at least a few.  Oddly, I don't think the GN was one of them, but it isn't an Eastern road, so that wouldn't matter to ESM. 

It would be nice if the frame could be cast in metal, or injection-molded in the new metal-filled plastic, with a separate wood or plastic deck.  One of the main variations was the deck, which could be over just the side sills, between the stake pockets, of as wide as the pockets, with cutouts.  A separate deck would allow modelers to customize it as they see fit.

[bbussey]

The Wheels Of Time flatcar doesn’t fit that notch?  It’s basically a P-S prototype, and I thought the AAR design is similar. We will be offering a laser-cut deck for the WoT model soon.

[sd45elect2000]

The Wheels Of Time flatcar doesn’t fit that notch?  It’s basically a P-S prototype, and I thought the AAR design is similar. We will be offering a laser-cut deck for the WoT model soon.

I have the set of eight from WOT that were shops built by the Milwaukee road in 1942. The issue is that they are unavailable now. Same with the Red Caboose 42' flat . I was pretty proactive in getting those picking them up whenever I had the chance.

I think the only currently available 42 flat is from Fine N Scale, I have many of these.

The biggest issue I have with flatcars is finding loads for them, it's always an extra cost and more often than not, extra work.

[bbussey]

"Unavailable now" isn't the same as "never tooled."  The tooling for both of those models still exists and is viable, so to tool additional models of those prototypes is counterproductive.  The Red Caboose model regularly appears on eBay.  The Wheels Of Time model is not as prolific but it can be found as well.  Both models had multiple releases with multiple car numbers per scheme, so they are out there.

[sd45elect2000]

"Unavailable now" isn't the same as "never tooled."  The tooling for both of those models still exists and is viable, so to tool additional models of those prototypes is counterproductive.  The Red Caboose model regularly appears on eBay.  The Wheels Of Time model is not as prolific but it can be found as well.  Both models had multiple releases with multiple car numbers per scheme, so they are out there.

I don't suggest tooling a new flatcar. All I am saying is that I would buy more.  Like I said before, I have no clue what I would make in mass. Other than the one or two off Made in America cars from ESM I can't think of anything. I need more two pocket coal hoppers but Bluford and Bowser have the tooling for those, Fox Valley has the tooling for my home road . The pickle cars from N scale architect were a nice surprise.

It is a great time to be in N scale. I started in the 70s, what a difference....

[wcfn100]

The Wheels Of Time flatcar doesn’t fit that notch?  It’s basically a P-S prototype, and I thought the AAR design is similar. We will be offering a laser-cut deck for the WoT model soon.

We could still use a riveted flat.

Flat cars should just go to 3D printing.  Gondolas too, to some extent.

Jason

[sd45elect2000]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

These are neat..

[bbussey]

They are neat, but limited.  I'm partial to the GTW version with the end doors.  But most of them are specific to their roads so that makes it tough to mass-produce.  Would make a nice kit though.

[thomasjmdavis]

(Attachment Link)

These are neat..

Those I would buy one or more of every variation made, but as Brian pointed out, every railroad had their own version.  That said, very popular in the Midwest and Southwest (and probably other places).  But beware the Howe v. Pratt truss arguments, and which of about 22 different ends and 5 different roofs.  40' and 50' cars. But offhand, I need ATSF, Wabash, GTW, and C&EI. 

For the moment, take a look at the ones done in resin by Rocket Express. Rock Island prototype of a 40' car. End door and standard versions.  Some details are a bit clunky (cast on), but a simple kit for a unique car. The trucks included were the old Intermountain kit ones with an accumate(IIRC?) coupler. I built a couple.

[Cajonpassfan]

They are neat, but limited.  I'm partial to the GTW version with the end doors.  But most of them are specific to their roads so that makes it tough to mass-produce.  Would make a nice kit though.

Whoa, the Grand Trunk (and other) Automobile cars may be specific to their roads, but they were often found in multiples on hotshot freights to the west coast and its automobile assembly plants, way out of their home turf. And yes, they would make a neat model.

As to the open top cars, I thought Bluford has been quite successful with their many models. But theirs do come with loads, which is nice. My challenge has been getting empty open top cars and flats in particular weighed properly. On my layout, I can’t be sending strings of gondolas loaded with coal both ways; they come loaded and go back empty, and most empties are way too light.

My 2 cents,
Otto K.