New Micro-Trains PS-2 2003cf 2-Bay Hopper

[chessie system fan]

Here you go! @TrainCat2 @MTLJoe

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=bo631513&o=bo

Interestingly, both the accurate cars and the earlier end channel-type cars are both in class N-43.

[Chris333]

What about the cars with the 2 open triangles on each side?

[thomasjmdavis]

What about the cars with the 2 open triangles on each side?

I know that covered hoppers were made with open triangles where the side followed the slope of the hopper all the way to the frame, but...
Are any of the cars PS-2 2003 cu ft cars?  I looked through a lot of photos trying to figure out the "phases" of production, and I didn't find any with the open triangles.  I think that was an ACF thing and/or may have appeared on earlier (pre PS-2) cars made by Pullman Standard. (and maybe General American)

HOWEVER, I am not a real expert on covered hoppers.  So if anyone has a photo of a PS-2, 2 bay, 2003 cu ft car with the open triangles, please post the photo or a link.

If indeed some did have those cut outs, that would be another reason to utilize undecs- with the car apart, it would be easier to modify.

[Chris333]

I'm no expert either. Just remember cutting open some Kato hoppers. Maybe PS2 is newer.

[nickelplate759]

I'm no expert either. Just remember cutting open some Kato hoppers. Maybe PS2 is newer.

Pretty sure the Kato model is not  PS2.  I think it's  an ACF car but am not certain.

[Sokramiketes]

Correct, the Kato model is an ACF, and the triangular openings or not were part of that body style.  The PS-2 is a later model, and different builder. 

[TrainCat2]

Here you go! @TrainCat2 @MTLJoe
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=bo631513&o=bo

Interestingly, both the accurate cars and the earlier end channel-type cars are both in class N-43.

Sweet!  Lets hope MTL will do +6 pack of the Class N-43, Built 11/55 (channel outboard side stakes) - B&O 631100-631299, 631100, 631195, 631234, 631241. At least 1955 is in my range.

When I saw your post, I originally had flashbacks to when I designed & fabricated several cars only to have someone come along and make it in plastic. At least my N-34 Wagontop project is still safe ... at the moment. The first N-34's were built in 1940 and had 5 different schemes to give it some personality.

[bbussey]

Can anyone who gets one of the GN cars show the truck pin holes?  Are they centered on the bolster or offset like the trucks?

Looks like the bolster holes are off center to match the trucks.

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[peteski]

Bryan, how are those metal wheels?
Too bad MTL spend time and money on designing and producing the last iteration of the diecast metal wheels with plastic axles, and I'm glad that they ditched those, and went with conventional (machined) metal wheels.  The diecast wheels (according to what Eric Smith told me) were made in USA - I wonder if these are made abroad?

I'm aso wondering if they will sell those wheelset in bulk?  That would give us another choice of metal wheels.

[bbussey]

I haven’t seen the model in person yet but they are metal wheels. I prefer the wheel face of the ESM, BLMA and FVM wheels. These resemble the Rapido wheel face.

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[learmoia]

I was really hoping these would lend themselves to easy ballast car conversions (or tooling extensions), but it doesn't look like it.

Damn.

Actually I think you'd only need to:
1: Tool a body insert to remove the center of the roof and fill the roof walk holes on the ends of the roof.
2: Tool a revised center hopper bay as ballast hopper bays (which may be be able to be handled with just a bottom insert.. )

~Ian

[OldEastRR]

Did these things start off priced at $45+ or is that new? MTL heavyweights cost less!!!

[bbussey]

Lots of components and some labor involved to assemble them.  The body alone consists of 36 styrene, Celcon, diecast and etched metal parts, based on the exploded diagram I have.  Add in the trucks, bolster pins, body-mounted couplers and metal wheels, and the PVC nest, paper insert and plastic jewel box ... plus the jump in plastic prices ... and you get $45+ per car.  I'm told the four schemes released to date all are different shades of cement gray, so the flexible Celcon parts also are being molded in various shades of gray to match the paint.  That all adds up.

It's a beautiful model, well designed and executed.  But no one's arm is being twisted to buy it.  There are other PS-2 2-bay covered hopper options available that are more economically priced.

[thomasjmdavis]

To put it in simpler terms, if you buy any old car nowadays, it will likely cost $30.  To get from there to an equivalent of the new MTL car, you would need to purchase new wheelsets for around $5, another $8-10 for the etching and other details (maybe more, the only part I'm sure is etched is the brake wheel platform- I thought they were etching the roofwalk, but it doesn't look etched in the photo).  Anyway, they are throwing in the labor to add those details for free...and, even at $45, it is less than the MSRP of some Bachmann coal hoppers-
https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=265_392_393_1174