Intermountain Coalporters in N (and HO)

[Denver Road Doug]

Interesting announcement.  Both for the item itself, and the related "Value Line" piece.

http://www.intermountain-railway.com/modelersclub/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Coal-Porters1.jpg


I remember when Athearn jumped in everyone was like "more coalporters"?   Yet, now we have no E&C/LBF, no Deluxe Innovations (practically), and Kato is their usual slow-roll and stuck on their core 5-6 schemes.

So now Athearn is kinda it.  They FINALLY branched out with some new utility schemes and have a fairly steady release schedule. (notwithstanding the China Syndrome gap)   So, another player can't be a bad thing, if the cars are decent.   They are "VALUE LINE" which pretty much screams Trainman to me.  But, the coalporters are fairly straightforward so as long as they get the truck wheelbase right and otherwise mimic the Athearn quality and features I think they'll sell pretty good.   Bonus if they can actually bring some of the most wanted schemes to the table.

[Scottl]

I'm pleased to see this, in part because I have been thinking about trying to build a coal train and this fits the bill nicely with the CNA offering.

It is new tooling, correct? Or is it something like they bought the tooling from another company that is defunct or does not produce them?

[Denver Road Doug]

I hope it is new tooling. (or that they licensed from Athearn or maybe Deluxe)   Hope it's not the old LBF tooling.

Found it funny that it is "VALUE LINE" yet has metal wheels, which their standard (?) line does not.   Granted they are IMRC wheelsets which aren't the greatest, but still.

I just wonder--with their propensity for cancelling runs these days--if they have the stomach for this.   

[learmoia]

I'll bet this is related to their recent purchase..

.... LBF????

~Ian

[Scottl]

That would suggest these might be LBF tooling.  Any insights into the relative merits of the LBF units?  Images on Google suggest they look decent.

Perhaps just as interesting, LBF had some nice modern boxcars.  Perhaps the "Value" line will expand to bring these back to market? 

[GaryHinshaw]

The LBF scenario sounds very plausible and would be most welcome.  If it's true, the rest of the line must be in the works as well, including the much needed TBOX 60' box car and their 65' gons.  My only request for the former would be that they retool the roofs to make them finer (plausible - they are separate pieces) and find a way to hide the gondola weights (maybe tool a metal under-frame - less plausible).  Assuming the TBOX comes to pass, that will mean 3 of my 5 most-needed freight cars will have been announced/produced in the last 2 years.  Thus I am officially going to update my top-5 list now. 

1. Any 53' intermodal trailer.  Not a freight car but really, as soon as the BLMA spine cars arrive, the only source of 53' trailers (DI) dries up.
2. 53' CIMC containers in JB Hunt Intermodal.  Again not a freight car, but this shot pretty much sums up my need for them.
3. Trinity or NSC coil steel car (now unlikely because of the similar Atlas car).
4. Trinity cylindrical or ribbed 2-bay cement hopper.
5. BNSF 82' reefer.

Recently scratched off:
1. Trinity or NSC 53' well car (single or articulated) (PWRS - announced).
4. TBOX 60' box (IM/LBF - hypothesized).
5. Modern bulkhead flat (ExactRail).

In the on-deck circle: the Triple-57 TTRX spine car, an improved TTZX centerbeam, various non-specific tank cars, covered hoppers, box cars.  Amazingly, my list gets pretty thin by this point.

[Ngineer]

Are these the same as the Kato BethGon coalporters in N-Scale?

BTW, where exactly is a double rotary coalporter positioned? Directly behind the loco?

Javier

[learmoia]

BTW, where exactly is a double rotary coalporter positioned? Directly behind the loco?

Javier

YUP.. Or Caboose if your into that sort of thing.. Double rotary goes between the fixed end of the last rotary car and a normal car (or locomotive) if you plan to unload the train car without uncoupling.  Or it could go between fixed ends of 2 rotaries pointed in opposite directions.

With the departure of Cabooses, Do they still make double rotaries?

~Ian

[wcfn100]

Are these the same as the Kato BethGon coalporters in N-Scale?

BTW, where exactly is a double rotary coalporter positioned? Directly behind the loco?

Javier

The double rotary can be anywhere in the train.

This video shows it at 2:28. 

Jason

[Scottl]

The only requirement is that a rotary coupler be connected to the locomotives (single or double car).   Mid-train helpers need at least one double rotary car.

[Denver Road Doug]

The double-rotary usage is a strange, inconsistent, and sometime hard to document phenomenon.   A lot of their use was dependent on the receiving plant's capabilities. 

They were commonly used during the caboose era, (mostly steel cars) but then became pretty unnecessary for awhile immediately post-EOT, in most cases.  Yet, those cars hung around simply because they were just necessary to haul coal.  It's interesting to note that some steel cars simply didn't have any double-rotaries, like the UFIX ACF/berwick trainsets. (eventually, BNSF did put double-rotary aluminum cars in some sets.)  BN did have some of its 100-ton Triple Hoppers converted to double-rotary as well.

Then came the DPU-era, and suddenly they were en vogue again.   I found it interesting that late BN/early BNSF bought double-rotaries in their late mid/late 90's purchases despite still running with only head-end power, although I'm sure the writing was already on the wall at that point about the DPU technology.

 In all reality, it seems like a lot of logistical trouble to go to just to save, what....5 minutes to uncouple a caboose or DPU?   Don't think I ever saw any UPSZ reporting marks on a coal train...   

[Denver Road Doug]

That would suggest these might be LBF tooling.  Any insights into the relative merits of the LBF units?  Images on Google suggest they look decent.

Perhaps just as interesting, LBF had some nice modern boxcars.  Perhaps the "Value" line will expand to bring these back to market?

I would say "decent" is a pretty good word to use.   I used to have a TON of the E&C/LBF cars because I bought a bunch on eBay for like $5ea in the early 2000's and then found another good handful with MTL t/c for $8ea at a train show.   But I just didn't like them as much as the others, and now I really love the Athearn cars so I've replaced most of my fleet with them.   I seem to recall that the bolster positions on them are wrong, such that the trucks don't "stick out" like on the proto, but I could be mistaken about that.   

I have threatened to actually do a photo comparison of the various brands at some point so maybe I'll get off my duff and do it now.   I don't like the Kato's because of their thick sides/top supports.   They really look bad compared to the others in that respect, IMHO.   A solid train of them would be OK, but I never run them that way since BNSF didn't either except for when the cars were brand new.   I do love the Kato loads though.   The DI's are somewhere in between the EC/LBF and Athearn's, in my book.   Of course for the Aluminators and Aero-Flow cars, LBF was the only game in town.

Like Gary, I would be interested to see the LBF boxcars back in play.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

You know its funny, I'm almost MORE interested in the story of the tooling than the actual announcement. From the shady dealings of LBF to the even more shady Huberts (garage assembly using neighborhood kids was one rumor). Last I heard was the tooling was owned by the county for non payment of back taxes. That was years ago and it has been sitting ever since.

Also, I would love to know which ExactRail cars were tooled for LBF, but held for non payment. I know that the  trinity covered hopper was one. I am willing to bet that the Vert-A-Pack was another. Just too strange a model to come from anyone but LBF.

The 50' and 60' boxcars have me really interested. I liked these cars but the paint was always lacking. IM has always been good at paint. These will really help me fill out my newsprint trains.

[Scottl]

Thanks Doug for the thoughts.  If you find a chance, a photo comparison would be most interesting. 

[mu26aeh]

Not to hijack thread, but mention of someone doing 53' Trailers, it's not for everyone but I highly suggest DigCom Designs, print on cardstock, you pay for the PDF and can print as many trailers as you wish.