Amazingly nice: IM Trinity

[tom mann]

 

These are really nice cars.  Good printing with many little warnings in very small fonts (in fact, maybe the most complete printing on a nscale model yet?).  The roofwalk is also nice and probably the best in n scale. 

The cars do sit a little high, but removing the MT washer (it's oiled - and why is that even there?) helps a lot.  I plan to file the bolster slightly so it's flat and remove a little off the top of the MT coupler box to compensate for the loss of clearance.  This is also a place to body mount a z scale coupler.  Not much work is needed because the prototype seems to sit a little high itself.

Adding 36" wheels would be a must.

There is a prototype photo of the farmland scheme here:  http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=9513

Nice work, IM.

[tokenbrit]

These are really nice cars.  Good printing with many little warnings in very small fonts (in fact, maybe the most complete printing on a nscale model yet?).  The roofwalk is also nice and probably the best in n scale. 

The cars do sit a little high, but removing the MT washer (it's oiled - and why is that even there?) helps a lot.  I plan to file the bolster slightly so it's flat and remove a little off the top of the MT coupler box to compensate for the loss of clearance.  This is also a place to body mount a z scale coupler.  Not much work is needed because the prototype seems to sit a little high itself.

Adding 36" wheels would be a must.

There is a prototype photo of the farmland scheme here:  http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=9513

Nice work, IM.

Nice work, TM. Passing the 'Mann Test' means they must be good

I have a few of these on the way & would be curious to see your before & after photos here, if you were thinking of posting some, but what do you mean about the 36" wheels - do the IM cars come with 33s then?

[Denver Road Doug]

I agree these are nice cars.  There are a few issues, like any car, but overall they are probably one of the better new releases I've seen in a while finish-wise.  Tom is right...the roofwalk is VERY nice.  They even did the yellow grabs on each end, which I thought was a nice touch.

Here are a couple of pics I took, until Tom chimes in again.  Can't wait to see what his finished product will look like.

[John]

whats the cost on these?

[GonzoCRFan]

Those things do look freakin' sweet...luckily they're pretty much too new for my era.

[tom mann]

Mellow Mike emailed me to tell me that the hatches should be stainless...I see that on the BSNF they are (or an attempt has been made to make them look stainless).  Should they also be on the FarmLands, too?

I forgot to mention that the assembly and QC is much, much better than previous IM offerings.  No melted-looking brake wheel or other detail parts.

The grabs on the roofwalk are thin metal, not thick plastic like other IM hoppers.

[tom mann]

whats the cost on these?

16.50-17.50 street.

[Chulvis]

what do you mean about the 36" wheels - do the IM cars come with 33s then?

I could be wrong here, but I don't think MTL makes a 36" wheel, so considering that IM use MTL trucks, couplers and wheels, I would have to assume they come with 33" wheels.

[tokenbrit]

what do you mean about the 36" wheels - do the IM cars come with 33s then?

I could be wrong here, but I don't think MTL makes a 36" wheel, so considering that IM use MTL trucks, couplers and wheels, I would have to assume they come with 33" wheels.

Thanks Chuck - I was on your website last night looking at options for drop-in replacements for MT trucks on the 5161s @ 36", & autoracks @ 28" Now I'm confused between Atlas metal wheelsets, MT lo-pros, & NWSL 72/64/50 series...

Looking at pix of the IM 5161 model against the prototype though it looks like Tom's right & a nice set of '36" wheels would be a must' - can't wait to see what Mr.Mann does with these

[tom mann]

Thanks Chuck - I was on your website last night looking at options for drop-in replacements for MT trucks on the 5161s @ 36", & autoracks @ 28" Now I'm confused between Atlas metal wheelsets, MT lo-pros, & NWSL 72/64/50 series...

Looking at pix of the IM 5161 model against the prototype though it looks like Tom's right & a nice set of '36" wheels would be a must' - can't wait to see what Mr.Mann does with these

Also, 100 ton trucks will go a long way to help capture the look of the prototype.  MT only makes 70ton trucks, which are maybe 85% of the size of 100 ton trucks.  You'll need to get Atlas 100 ton trucks with NWSL 36"/50 tread wheels if you like the model enough to faithfully reproduce it.  The new Fox River wheels would be an option, too.

As a warning, once you notice these things you lose all self-control and go nuts.

[Red Rock]

Should they also be on the FarmLands, too?

Tom, from the photos I've seen (no roof shots found) they appear to be white. I do know that on all the NS ones I've seen, they are white also. Do you have an IM Farmland? How did they paint them? Curious what number series they are using because some are right, but there are numbers that are not. I wanted some Southern Illinois cars, but the roof walk supports are wrong for them. Still trying to decide how much that will bother me.

[tom mann]

I started to lower and weather mine the other day.  I noticed an assembly flaw that I didn't catch before, and it also is apparent in Denver Road Doug's photos.  The end ladder piece is not perfectly perpendicular with the sill - it angles out from the top.

So far, I filed the bolster flat and added z scale couplers.  It really is a nice model.

[ljudice]

anyone have any trouble putting atlas trucks on these?

I have one IM canadian coal gon, and it also had the MT washer and the Atlas 100T truck did not seem to fit properly...

Lou

[amato1969]

Tom, not to force you into a full-blown review, but how's the weight?  That's one reason I have been building my IM cars from kits -- they all need extra weight to track well.

  Frank

[jerwayne]

On my Trinitys I body mounted MT couplers and replaced the MT trucks with Atlas Barbers (with coupler removed) and replaced the wheels with 36' Atlas wheelsets. Now I want more!

Jerry Geisert