Trainworx Announcement Just got the email

[asarge]

They are also doing the PS 4427 Hi-Side Grain Hopper. Kinda wish they would do the Low-Side now that Exactrail is kinda letting N fall by the wayside, but not going to complain.

Here is the PDF link for all the Santa Fe and BNSF schemes they are starting with
http://www.train-worx.com/15-5ps4427atsf.pdf

Here is the one with all the other schemes in the first run.
http://www.train-worx.com/15-5ps4427.pdf

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, quick question on these.

How common were these 4427s as opposed to the later, higher capacity, cars? I'm slowly working on building out one of the CR "GRB" grain trains, and there looked to be plenty of variety in there, but I wanted to make sure they were used interchangeably, and weren't "freaks".

[asarge]

the 4740's came along pretty soon after the high-sides were introduced, but a bunch were still built. Santa Fe had the most by far though and I'm not sure who in the eastern US. had the high sides besides the B&O and Lehigh Valley with low sides. They were definitely interchanged but more from the private owner or leasers, like Pillsbury, Continental Grain and Illinois Cereal.

[C855B]

Like Tony said, Santa Fe had a bunch. Best I can determine from a quick look at numbering is around 900, bought in two orders.

I should mention I'm certainly in for a few. Maybe not too many ATSF, but UP connections like RI and Mop lines. Classic for the early '70s.

[asarge]

I've been told that when the 4740 came out, Pullman Standard first marketed the 4427 as the corn hopper while the 4740 was the wheat hopper. That practice ended pretty quick as a bunch of eastern Roads bought the 4740.

[BN1970]

My data shows that the PS2-CD 4427 High Side covered hoppers were made from 1966 to 1971 for a total of 11,956 cars.

The March 1995 issue of Mainline Modeller has a great article on this car including a roster of the owners with the numbers for each of them, on page 68. --Brian

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Alright, next question.

What's the difference, functionally, between the high and low side versions?

I see the physical difference: the high side cars have much higher "hips", where you can see the center sill and more of the actual hoppers, while the low sides have a more traditional looking side sill.

My questions is, "why"? Are the high-side cars a later development (that saved weight or something)? Are they like that because the hoppers themselves have different properties (maybe the high side cars have steeper walls)?

The real reason behind the question is that I'm trying to understand the service these cars were in. I have a good sense about boxcars, and how they're used (ie, why you'd want a 50' plug door, vs a 60' car with load restraints, vs a 86' quad door), but I'm still very much learning about covered hoppers (which is ironic, because my Windsor St yard is full of them). I want to make sure that I'm sending the right types of cars to flour mills, feed mills, etc... for loads and empties.

[asarge]

Ed,

There are probably several reasons for doing away with the low-side skirt. One of the main reasons, if not the main reason is it was a lot easier to operate the unloading gates and maintain the cars without the low skirts.

There were not really any functional differences and they were used for the same commodities until after the flood of larger grain hoppers. There were actually more original schemes for the Low Side than the high side also and they were used almost exclusively in Agri-business thru to the mid-80's.

[wazzou]

In my opinion, MT really has dropped the ball with this tooling.  When is the last time any have been released?

[Denver Road Doug]

Cool...definitely in for a few of the ATSF/BNSF, and probably the T&P and Mopac.

[asarge]

Like Tony said, Santa Fe had a bunch. Best I can determine from a quick look at numbering is around 900, bought in two orders.

I should mention I'm certainly in for a few. Maybe not too many ATSF, but UP connections like RI and Mop lines. Classic for the early '70s.

Mike,

Santa Fe had 5 orders for 3900 cars. Plenty of room for lotsa numbers of Santa Fe's. 

Andy

(fixed quote tags -gfh)

[Denver Road Doug]

In my opinion, MT really has dropped the ball with this tooling.  When is the last time any have been released?

MT and Walthers both.   The Walthers version wasn't terrible, they just quit making them.  And the MTL is a really nice car...I've bought every one that is remotely legit for my era/locale.   But same deal....you snooze you lose.   I love Trainworx stuff so I couldn't be happier about this announcement.

[Mark5]

Remarkable given that MTL recently tooled a 4427.

But, we haven't seen many MTL releases ...

On Exactrail, they seem to have abandoned N scale ...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed,

There are probably several reasons for doing away with the low-side skirt. One of the main reasons, if not the main reason is it was a lot easier to operate the unloading gates and maintain the cars without the low skirts.

There were not really any functional differences and they were used for the same commodities until after the flood of larger grain hoppers. There were actually more original schemes for the Low Side than the high side also and they were used almost exclusively in Agri-business thru to the mid-80's.

Ok, cool, so it sounds like it's just a sheet metal skirt that comes down at the side of the car, so a section of the low sides (where H is the center sill) would look like this: |\ /H\ /| , while the high side, at the same point, would just be \ /H\ / right?

Thanks for the info!

Also, for the time period. Into the mid 80s is good for me. I'm guessing these, by that point, were starting to be a real minority in the overall fleet, right?

[coosvalley]

So, if I'm reading this thread right, Trainworx would be the 4th company to release this model in N scale?....While its nice to have that many options, and I have no doubt the new Trainworx car will be the finest of the bunch, it's like the Bethgon thing all over again

Lesson for MFR's.....If you're going to invest in tooling up a model, don't just sit on the tooling!