TheRailwire
General Discussion => N and Z Scales => Topic started by: Craig Martyn on September 18, 2010, 03:22:20 AM
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I figured this could use it's own thread...
(http://www.blmamodels.com/images/misc/Gondola_Header.jpg)
Coming early next year, the ACF 70-Ton 52' Gondola in FOUR paint schemes!
- Features
• Ready-To-Run
• Injection-Molded Plastic
• Fine-Scale Detail
• Separate Brake Detail
• Chemically Etched Brake Platform
• Accurately Painted/Printed
• Prototypical Ride Height
• ALL-NEW BLMA 70-Ton ASF Friction Bearing Trucks
• ALL-NEW BLMA Fine-Profile Metal Wheels
• Body-Mounted Micro-Trains Couplers
• SIX Numbers per Scheme!
(http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/GON52PRR1b.JPG)
(http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/GON52SP2b.JPG)
(http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/GON52WAB3b.JPG)
(http://www.blmamodels.com/images/store/GON52PC4b.JPG)
Watch for the video coming soon...
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I'm in for three. And thanks a lot. A much needed car in N.
Frank
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Guess I get a PRR since they were built the year I model. Man I've got a ton of PRR.
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So is that a 1015 with part of the coupler box cast into the floor/underframe?
Can't wait for the later Espee paint scheme.
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Nice looking car Craig!! Looks like three of the four will fit my mid fifties layout.
So what will the price on these be? Couldn't seem to find it listed on your site.
Jon
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I'll be pre-ordering both the PC and PRR cars.
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This car is a must for me, so I immediately placed an order for PRR cars with my dealer ;D :o
Craig, this car should be a hit, most of us need more than one of them.
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Lotsa cool load idea's for these cars!!!
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fantastic, much needed car. Will be purchasing all 6 PRR, at least one Wabash, and several of the PC.
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Nice car Craig.... I might find room for a Wabash....
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Holy cow this is just awsome thanks Craig!!!!!
Will be putting in my preorder as soon as I can.
Allen.....
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Pre-ordered with Chulvis already... ;D
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I will be in for all six Penn Central cars. I may have to order the PRR cars just because. I cannot wait for some Conrail cars. Dave said you just made five MTL gons useless for him. I have painted and decalled 20 Conrail, 5 Penn Central and 5 Pennsy (PK) MTL gons whose futures are now in question. That is two years of work and a ton of Microscale decals that are useless for me now. I am glad I never wasted my time lowering them. Are the trucks going to be available to purchase? Thank you for producing these cars.
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BRAVO!!!
(Now when do the WP and SN cars get released?)
ENCORE! ENCORE! Perhaps the PS 4427? (Lots of paint scheme potential with that one) Or a 60s era large capacity tank car? Some PC&F box cars?
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I was wondering on the trucks myself I can use many of these 70 ton frictions bearing trucks for various projects as Atlas will not release there 70 ton trucks separately.
Allen.....
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Wabash, yes. PC certainly. PRR, no choice, gotta have at least a couple. Next, time to thumb through the WM Color Guide to see if there's anything I should be making decals for...
N scale has been waiting for this car for what, 45 years? If you listen closely, you can hear the MT 50' foobie gon fading into history...
Lee
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Very nice. I'm in for a PC one, but can't wait for new roadnames ;D
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BRAVO!!!
Now when do the WP and SN cars get released?
ENCORE! ENCORE! Perhaps the PS 4427? (Lots of paint scheme potential with that one) Or a 60s era large capacity tank car? Some PC&F box cars? Greedy, aren't I?
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Hello Craig,
Are the wheelsets the same as on your earlier releases or do they have an all new profile. Curious about the tread profile and what standards they apply to if there has been a change. Thanks.
Andrew Hutchinson
BC RPM
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Excellent! Now I get to retire two of three MTL Pennsy gons and three PC gons. The third Pennsy gon will go when the SK scheme is released.
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Anyone know when these were retired by Conrail? Were there any sub classes that lasted longer?
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Anyone know when these were retired by Conrail? Were there any sub classes that lasted longer?
For your and my modeling areas, most would be in G31L in MOW service. I believe rebuilds were also put in to G31K as well.
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BRAVO!!!
Now when do the WP and SN cars get released?
What he said (twice).
That said, I just ordered a couple of the SP gons from Feather River. I tossed a few Trinities in there for good measure. I keep seeing them, some heavily tagged, while driving up and down the state. The white sides seem to make a really good canvas.
Keep up the great work, Craig.
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For your and my modeling areas, most would be in G31L in MOW service. I believe rebuilds were also put in to G31K as well.
Maybe we can convince Craig to consider a Conrail MOW in a future release. Or perhaps a limited run.
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The Pennsy started modifying classes G31A, G31B and G31C gondolas in the 1960's. If I remember correctly, they fixed the ends, moved the brakewheel to the end, added hardware to those ends and added stake pocket reinforcements along the sides. The cars were reclassed after modifying to G31K, G31L and G31M respectively. Not all cars were completed, so plenty of drop end cars soldiered on for Penn Central and Conrail. I remember these cars getting the quick MOW treatment (yellow paint applied to the first four panels on the left and five digit number applied) starting around 1990 or 1991. They would have reached the end of their service life at that point since they were built around 1951. I checked my photos, and I have a lot of G31A photos, but few G31B's (typical). And a lot of G31K's and few G31L's (again, typical). I think the G31A and G31B are virtually identical, so doing both classes with this car is an option. There was an article in Model Railroading about these cars back in the 90's, which is where I remember the rebuilding information. I will have to dig it out. I don't think Tangent has done Conrail cars in HO, which gives me cause for concern. Hopefully Craig will not let us down. Tangent had posted on the P&LE Yahoo group for photos, so hopefully those are in our future.
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The gons also have Equipco or Universal ratchet brakes, depending on road...
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I don't think Tangent has done Conrail cars in HO, which gives me cause for concern.
Give them time, I believe theirs just hit the shelves within the last 3 weeks.
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The gons also have Equipco or Universal ratchet brakes, depending on road...
Pennsy (and the successor roads) had both, correct?
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Pennsy (and the successor roads) had both, correct?
Correct
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I don't know an awful lot about gondolas in general. Can someone provide a roughly complete list of who owned these cars?
In other words, I have heard mentioned WP and SN in addition to the obvious SP but who else in the West owned these or similar cars?
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I think that NS had some; I'll have to dig out my books.
Eh, '51 is too late for me, though.
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I don't know an awful lot about gondolas in general. Can someone provide a roughly complete list of who owned these cars?
In other words, I have heard mentioned WP and SN in addition to the obvious SP but who else in the West owned these or similar cars?
There's a roster included in the article about these cars in a recent issue of RPC, I think Vol. 19. Lots of photos and full drawings as well.
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Check-out the video! Watch in HD...
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UNFAIR!
I had almost decided that I could pass on these and then I watched the video. Mr. Wallet is very unhappy now...
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Agreed. BLMA is #1! ;D
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Man, that video rocks! Excellent product and marketing. I was trying to workout in my mind just how many of the Pennsy cars I was going to get. That's settled now, I'm getting all six! And the trucks rock as well, now my Pennsy F30s will roll correct. BLMA is the leader, all others are followers. How long until Atlas releases videos? Much success.
Thanks,
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Hey Craig,
Everything looks so good on that gon it makes the couplers look huge! Can MT 905's be substituted?
Marc Haas
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My heart is broken, BROKEN that CR isn't included in the first run.
But my wallet's happy.
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MT couplers but no slinky in the promo.
I've gotta believe that the friction bearing trucks would have been gone by the 80's or 90's. If that is correct, will the unannounced CR run be equipped with FB or RB trucks?
Edit: Though withdrawing them from service in the early/mid 90's would jibe with the outlawing of FB's...
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I see a couple of weathered SP 's in my future hauling sugar cane or steel for ships . . . .
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My heart is broken, BROKEN that CR isn't included in the first run.
But my wallet's happy.
Are you telling me that a CR ex-PC patch gon wouldn't have existed?
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Order placed. Thank you Craig. Hope for more items I can use in the future. Only problem I see is that I will have to throw out the rest of my freight cars. This will make them look bad.
Frank
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Only problem I see is that I will have to throw out the rest of my freight cars. This will make them look bad.
I was thinking the same thing definitely can not run them in the same consist the fubies will stick out a sore thumb :o :o ;D
Thanks allot Craig great work again!!
Allen.....
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Are you telling me that a CR ex-PC patch gon wouldn't have existed?
Nope, just that I'll only need one of them.
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This is great news! I'll be ordering the Wabash version.
Down the line, this car could be also released for Lackawanna and N&W (Wab repaint) for starters. 8)
The new trucks add to the N scale arsenal of truck options! ;D
Mark
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... And the trucks rock as well, now my Pennsy F30s will roll correct...
The trucks definitely rock. But if you're referring to the N Scale Kits F30/F30D flatcars, National C-1 trucks (currently used on the Atlas Hart ballast cars) are the most prototypically-correct truck frames currently available.
MT couplers but no slinky in the promo.
I've gotta believe that the friction bearing trucks would have been gone by the 80's or 90's. If that is correct, will the unannounced CR run be equipped with FB or RB trucks?
Edit: Though withdrawing them from service in the early/mid 90's would jibe with the outlawing of FB's...
Maybe so. But I've seen multiple pics of G31 class gons in Conrail livery riding on f/b trucks.
Free-rolling trucks and clean level track will deter coupler spring oscillation. Axle springs also prevent the couplers from oscillating - maybe not as desired when pulling a consist but very handy when filming video content.
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Maybe so. But I've seen multiple pics of G31 class gons in Conrail livery riding on f/b trucks.
They could have been roller bearing axles in the original truck.
Jason
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From a post in the MFCL (Jim Eager) these also bought this design:
- ACL
- BS (Birmingham Southern)
- D&H
- DLW
- SN
- WP
And for starters the following roads got some 2nd hand:
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They could have been roller bearing axles in the original truck.
Quite true. Close enough for me though. And, the 70t R/B trucks can always be swapped in when the inevitable Conrail version is released.
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And for starters the following roads got some 2nd hand:
DT&I? Well, there goes some more money...
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The trucks definitely rock. But if you're referring to the N Scale Kits F30/F30D flatcars, National C-1 trucks (currently used on the Atlas Hart ballast cars) are the most prototypically-correct truck frames currently available.
Yeah, but the Atlas trucks aren't available as a seperate item. I've asked.
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True. But ask around on the web boards and newsgroups. Many people swapped out the trucks to MTLs, so they are available for next to nothing. That's how I got the ones I needed.
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Yes, Mr. Wallet is not happy.
More PC gons to get.
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a-HA! WM is on the hand me down list, and 1970 is right in my wheel house. I'll see if I can get the necessary information from the WMRHS to help move that one along... Being from that late in the game, there may be some surviving paint diagrams. But I'll bet you a dollar, maybe more, that WM replaced the trucks with RB...
Lee
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They could have been roller bearing axles in the original truck.
Jason
The pictures in the PC and CR color guides show plain bearing trucks, with all the lids intact... they could still be roller bearing conversions, but for modeling purposes, the plain bearing truck will do
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Lee
Betcha they were painted in Chessie 8)
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Not till after 73!
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Not till after 73!
Good. I went through the WM color guide and didn't find this type.
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The pictures in the PC and CR color guides show plain bearing trucks, with all the lids intact... they could still be roller bearing conversions, but for modeling purposes, the plain bearing truck will do
Right, I was trying explain that they could both be right.
Jason
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I hear ya... most of the time they removed the lids as they were superfluous... that's why I pointed that out... which now gives me an idea for a new truck variation... hmmmmmmm
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I hear ya... most of the time they removed the lids as they were superfluous... that's why I pointed that out... which now gives me an idea for a new truck variation... hmmmmmmm
You are the best model train design man ever. BLMA RULES
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Well, Microsockameat, like you, Robb is backing up his bluster with some damn fine work. So we live with it!
When are we to expect these gems to hit the shelves?
Lee
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Good. I went through the WM color guide and didn't find this type.
Apparently, it was a WM G42 class:
David,
Yes, the WM G-42 class were purchased from Hyman-Michaels in 1970 and
reconditioned at Elkins in 70-71. Built by Pullman in 1950-51.
The Color Guide photo is a broadside, so no end detail is visible. However,
these photos do show the ends:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/wm/wm354902alx.jpg
http://www.trainweb.org/chessiephotos/photos/Gondolas/gon15.jpg
The notes in the equipment diagram I have indicate the ends are fixed and you
can see this in both of the above pics (the drop ends have been fixed). I'm
assuming this was likely done at Elkins. Note also that there are short
reinforcing angles riveted on each side of the side posts near the
bottoms...probably another Elkins modification. So, your very nice gon model
could easily be modified to match these cars, but they otherwise wouldn't be
100% accurate out of the box.
thanks,
Dave Manning
--- In MFCL@yahoogroups.com, wrote:
>
> WM picked up 354900-354923 from Hyman Michaels I believe around 1970. Sample
car from Morning Sun guide has Pullman ends if my notes are correct.
>
>
> David Lehlbach
> Tangent Scale Models
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So there ya go, Craig! A little something for the second run!
Now maybe we should talk about a Laurel Valley version... now that the hoppers are getting ready to ship! 8) 8)
Lee
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What are the odds that a Wabash painted gon would have made it in service to the late 1980's?
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What are the odds that a Wabash painted gon would have made it in service to the late 1980's?
I can tell you that 11 of the 50 were still on roster in 1979... I'll have to check on later years.
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What are the odds that a Wabash painted gon would have made it in service to the late 1980's?
it is conceivable, here's a different series in 1983:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/wab/wab12254agd.jpg
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Hmm. I really like the 4000cuft's from BLMA, but if the WAB is too much of a stretch, I'll just have to wait for the CR's.