Bowser Cylindrical hopper projects

[unittrain]

I'm in the process of obtaining a bunch of Bowser 6 bay and 3 bay ACF cylindrical hoppers in EL PC GT and also plan to obtain some to paint into Chessie and B&O and C&O as delivered schemes. This model is not bad at all it took me quite awhile to buy one and check it out and I must say for the price it matches good for the EL and B&O 3 bays, there are differences in the number of roof walk supports for the Chessie and B&O 6 bay cars. I plan on changing the trucks to BLMA 100 ton and body mounting Micro Trains couplers. My question is which coupler from MT should I use or does it matter? Also I was wondering if anyone knows of any etched roof walks that would work for these? I also want to add the brake rigging to the proper location. Thanks for any info and if anyone has any spare 6 bay or 3 bay cars they wish to get rid of send me a PM.

[Kisatchie]

I'm in the process of obtaining a bunch of Bowser 6 bay and 3 bay ACF cylindrical hoppers... I plan on changing the trucks to BLMA 100 ton and body mounting Micro Trains couplers. My question is which coupler from MT should I use or does it matter?...

I have a bunch of those hoppers, and I put Micro-Trains #1025 (unassembled) body mount couplers on them. They work very well. What I wouldn't use are MTL #1015 couplers. The 1015 coupler boxes have shortened sides that allow the couplers to swing WAAAAAY too far from side to side. If you back up a string of 1015-equipped cars, the couplers displace enough so that they're at 90 degree angles to each other, like this: (CAR)^(CAR)^(CAR) instead of (CAR)--(CAR)--(CAR).

Not prototypical at all.


Hmm... save the 1015s
for locos...

[sdodge]

Regarding etched roof walks...yes, they are available for this model if it is the old Delaware Valley model. Made by Plano and listed under Del Val.
http://www.planomodelproducts.com/nchopper_scq.html

Below are a couple photos of a similar project I did using the Bowser hopper and a Plano roofwalk. The roofwalk improvement is dramatic IMHO.

   

[GonzoCRFan]

Though you didn't ask, it seems you're going to be stripping and re-painting some of these cars. In my experience, if you're going to strip them, avoid using the Polly-scale ELO stripper. I attempted this once and I don't know if it was the age of the cars I had, or that particular combination of plastic and stripper, but I ended up with lots of brittle plastic and broken detail parts.

[nkalanaga]

I also have one of these, and used 1025s on it.  I prefer them to 1015s, but it seems that MT wants everyone to use the 1015s.  Why else are they offered in bulk packs while 1025s aren't?

[ai5629]

Improving the Bowser cars is something I have wanted to do for the last couple of years.  I have never gotten any further than attempting to strip some cars.  I tried Cameleon with moderate success.  It did not seem to affect the plastic, but it did not remove all the paint.  Whatever Bowser uses, it really sticks.  I ended up buying undecorated 3 bay bodies and roofs from Bowser and used the ends from the decorated kits to complete a model.  I have the Plano running boards, but I have not attempted an installation yet.  How is making the roof supports with the plastic strip they enclose?  Does the strip fill the hole in the roof completely?  Highball Graphics makes decals for Penn Central cars.  These could also be for data for Conrail cars, perhaps EL too.  Thanks for sharing the photos.  Maybe I need to look at this project again.

Jeff

[Catt]

I just bought two of these cars (6 bay versions).I like the idea of using the BLMA trucks and MTL 1025 or Z 905s for couplers.I thought these were the old Delaware Valley cars ,nice to have that confirmed.Now I know I can get etched roofwalks for them.

By the way my cars are lettered for GARDINIER inc. which according to Yahoo search is either a funeral home,a fertilizer company ,or a citris processor in Florida.

[ljudice]

Scalecoat Washaway does these cars with no negative side effects....

- Lou

[sdodge]

I have the Plano running boards, but I have not attempted an installation yet.  How is making the roof supports with the plastic strip they enclose?  Does the strip fill the hole in the roof completely? Jeff

If I recall you cut the supplied plastic strip in half and use each half to fill a space. This works well and fills it completely.

EDIT - The above is wrong, I found an empty package and what you do is cut the supplied 2" long strip into .10 x .10 squares.
Steve

[bbussey]

If you are looking for undecs for painting, I have a few DVFC bodies left over from the earlier ESM years.  I know I have a ton of 6-bays from a project that never saw production, and may have some 3-bays as well from the earlier releases.  If you're interested in decorated models, two of the ESM releases remain available in limited quantities.

[MichaelWinicki]

I picked up one of the 3-bay, PC cylindrical hoppers a couple months ago.  The green one with black print.   The car who sold it said it was a "foob" (maybe someone can confirm or deny) but I liked the looks of the car. 

[CoalPorter]

I had one of these and painted the roof walk chorme silver and
then light weathering - it looks better and doesn't really cost anything.

BTW, if you are stripping the cars to repaint/ decal - where are you
finding decals and prototype photos? I have the ACF book by Ed Kaminski?,
and it has several photos of these cars, but I dont think M-Scale
makes any of them (or Bowser did them as stock models anyway.)

I thought about taking one of these and shorting it to better match
some cars the Santa Fe had - anyone have proto info on the ASTF cars
(like lenght mainly) - thanks in advance if you do. !

[Catt]

Here's one set of decals for these cars.http://www.dansresincasting.com/Genesee%20&%20Wyoming%20Hopper.htm

[unittrain]

Thanks for all the info and advice I have never repainted a pre painted car so I will have to strip them? or can I just paint over the decorated model? The ones I'm using to re-paint are the gray odd ball chemical and milling company schemes so there is not a lot of lettering to go over except for the French's car. I'm keeping the EL,NYC and PC cars for my conrail fleet. I hope to get started on these this weekend.

[Catt]

Anyone have the Plano part number?Plano has two different walkways and while they look to my eyes to be interchangable Walthers has one in stock (#256) but not the second one (#257).

 #256 = CS Shops and #257 = Bowser,but like I said my eyes tell me they are the same car.