Panel-side hopper

[sirenwerks]

I ran across a photo of a Tichy kit for an Anderson grain car that is basically a 2-bay panel-side hopper car, similar to the one MTL manufactures, with a slight extension and tarp cover. http://ogaugerr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/57660482/m/4052909217 Does this model have any basis in reality?

[SkipGear]

Nowhere in the link provided is anything about a 2 bay hopper.

[wcfn100]

I had the same problem.  Best I could figure is he's talking about this:

http://www.tichytraingroup.com/index.php?page=view_product.php&id=54&category=Freight+Car+Kits


Jason

[sirenwerks]

WTHeck? My bad, I should have double-checked the link. Been having troubles, real or perceived, with cut/copy-and-pasting lately. Like the cut/copy doesn't always take. Sorry to all those that beat their heads against that mistake. I think I need to clean my registry.

Jason, the image you found is the same one. Anyone know if it's real or not?

[wcfn100]

Jason, the image you found is the same one. Anyone know if it's real or not?

Looks like something that might show up the one of the 'Classic Freight Cars the Series" books.  I don't know off hand if I have the one for small hoppers.  I'll have to look. 


Jason

[wcfn100]

Page 63 of "Classic Freight Cars the Series" Vol. 4: 40ft. open & closed hopper cars:

AEX 185 rebuilt in 1965.  Series 185 to 188.

At first glance, it looks pretty spot on.

Jason

[SAH]

I don't think these cars were used in interchange service.  I lived in Toledo in the early 80's and would see them around The Andersons plant in Maumee, OH.  May even have a photo of one.  Plenty of Andersons covered hoppers were used in revenue service however.

Here's a link to the company. 

www.andersonsinc.com/

Steve

[wcfn100]

I don't think these cars were used in interchange service.  I lived in Toledo in the early 80's and would see them around The Andersons plant in Maumee, OH. 

To that point, the picture in the book shows the car attached to a similar car (looks like #108) and a small industrial locomotive.

A 1967 ORER list this car in a series of 112 cars and another 30 car series of similar cars (inc. #108).  There's nothing in the ORER to indicate that these weren't interchanged (not that I would know what would be written if they weren't).


Jason

[sirenwerks]

Page 63 of "Classic Freight Cars the Series" Vol. 4: 40ft. open & closed hopper cars:

AEX 185 rebuilt in 1965.  Series 185 to 188.

At first glance, it looks pretty spot on.

Jason

Jason, if page 63 should happen to fall into your scanner and get scanned, please let me know. I'd be interested in seeing a pic of the prototype. I'd like to see the top of the car to see how to build it, if the Tichy model was true all the way.

[SAH]

Sorry, no top view
Probably 1983 +/-  Maumee, OH
Steve

[sirenwerks]

Thanks! The image of the model had a different feel, with a different top treatment - basically a brief side extension and a tarp top. This image reminds me of the grain tops the Chessie was using when I was a kid, just a shorter version, as the Chessie were using 70, 90 or 100-ton hoppers. I think it was during the Soviet grain embargo when covered hoppers were in short supply.

[PGE_Modeller]

With what appear to be Andrews trucks with plain bearings, interchange service in the 1980s would pretty much be ruled out.

Cheers,
Greg Kennelly
Burnaby, BC

[sirenwerks]

With what appear to be Andrews trucks with plain bearings, interchange service in the 1980s would pretty much be ruled out.

I appreciate that, but I need to figure out their whereabouts in the 60s, or fake it. When did the truck restrictions go into effect?

[SAH]

I'm pretty certain these are former Wabash cars.  The Wabash route into Toledo is parallel with The Andersons facility in Maumee.  A likely scenario is with the N&W takeover of the Wabash these old panel side hoppers became redundant.  The Andersons needed some hoppers for in-plant transit of "whatever" and so a deal was struck.

[sirenwerks]

I've emailed The Andersons directly to find more information and, hopefully, locate some technical drawings or photos of those tops. They have a peculiar coffin lid-like design with the walkways set seemingly high, or the dome height is curiously exaggerated. The photo hints (at least in my head) at paired operations, possibly drawbar connection.

Now I wonder if I'll be able to find the MT cars? I haven't seen them in a while.

As for where they operated... artistic license time.