New Micro-Trains PS-2 2003cf 2-Bay Hopper

[ai5629]

Nice! Very excited about this... Would be especially nice if you could do the early and late rib variations...

I took a quick look at the Kadee HO car and the MTL Z car.  The HO car offers both the early and late end rib types.  The Z scale car appears to offer only the late type.  I would suspect we will only see the late rib type, since that is what MTL did in Z.  I would prefer the early version, but I can use either.  PRR had both versions (H34, H34a, H34b early / H34c, H34d, H34e late IIRC). So as long as they do their homework, and they apply the correct paint to the car, I will be on board with purchasing them.  Thanks.

Jeff

[wazzou]

At one time or another I converted the Atlas cars to the early version simply by shaving the end ribs and replacing with shaved and sanded Plastruct channel.
I don't even know if I have those any longer.  I'll need to check and see.

[cjm413]

Since we are requesting road names...

Soo Line
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=soo6877&o=soo

Missabe
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=dmir4971&o=dmir

Minneapolis and St Louis
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=mstl70333&o=mstl

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=mstl70407&o=mstl

EJ&E
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=eje3223&o=eje

Rock Island
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=nahx31465&o=northamerican

http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=ri7534&o=ri

And pretty much any of the 1950s lease schemes.

That assumes they offer both the early and late versions...

[Missaberoad]

That assumes they offer both the early and late versions...

It absolutely does... I have high hopes... 

But seriously @Shipsure it would be well worth making a cutting edge model with detail variations. I for one would be willing to pay a premium for a premium model...

[cjm413]

Looking forward to these. I’ve got a bunch of the Atlas ones that I have modified by sanding the roof walks thinner, adding body mount MT 1015s, Kato brake wheels and metal wheels. They look decent and I appreciate the paint schemes they have released (especially the MStL one, which is kind of a signature MStL car to me) I have always felt the roof hatches are a bit weak. Hey, maybe MT will release them as a separate part so I can retro fit my fleet?

(Attachment Link)

I am also doing a CGW car by adding a middle rib and modifying the non ladder end to match. Hard to see in photo because of shiny black paint

(Attachment Link)

(Attachment Link)

Tom L
Wellington CO

CGW car in the photo is an ACF-built car that also has different hatches (and hatch spacing), different ends, etc.

It would probably be easier to cut down an Intermountain 2927....assuming they get released at some point....

[cjm413]

Athearn didn't make this model. They have a larger capacity 2 bay PS2 and a three bay. The Atlas version is several decades of and the end bracing isn't very delicate.

Athearn hosed the PS 2600 by adding body-mounted couplers and failing to fix the ride height....

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH16322

[thomasjmdavis]

It absolutely does... I have high hopes... 

But seriously @Shipsure it would be well worth making a cutting edge model with detail variations. I for one would be willing to pay a premium for a premium model...

 

Earlier on in this thread (3rd post, I think)

And from MT own website:

This Micro-Trains N-scale release will feature separate roof hatches, a fine-scale etched metal walkway, 33” factory-installed metal wheels, proper ride height, body mounted Magne-Matic couplers with blackened trip pins, and prototypically accurate paint schemes and markings. 

https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?_route_=ps2-2bay
The poster displayed at Trainfest stated it will have separate roof hatches, etched metal walkway, metal wheels, proper ride height and body-mounted couplers.

[cjm413]

 

Earlier on in this thread (3rd post, I think)https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?_route_=ps2-2bay
The poster displayed at Trainfest stated it will have separate roof hatches, etched metal walkway, metal wheels, proper ride height and body-mounted couplers.

The prior post said nothing about detail variations, e.g. channel end ribs vs hat end ribs.

[thomasjmdavis]

Point well taken, cjm413.  I was focused more on the "quality" of the details than road/date specific details.

[ai5629]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Athearn hosed the PS 2600 by adding body-mounted couplers and failing to fix the ride height....

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH16322

I lowered my Athearn PS2600’s with BLMA 100 ton trucks.  I glued (Walthers Goo) MTL 1015’s lid side up.  I believe you could not lower them much more without the wheel flange rubbing the bottom of the car.  I renumbered, changed shop date and removed the logo from the first Conrail release for my version of CR 876277.  Thanks.

Jeff

Apologies for sideways photo.  Stupid iPhone.

[Sharky_McSharknose]

Heh, and I have begun work on making an undecorated Atlas PS2 2-bay into a Penn Central sand car. I have the GMM etched brass detail kit and BLMA 70-ton friction-bearing trucks for it and will also convert the car to body-mount couplers. It wouldn't surprise me if M-T came out with the same car when production begins.



I wish I had a picture of it, but a couple of months back I saw a 2-bay PS-2 hopper with fresh black paint and McGinnis B&M logo in the middle of a Pan Am freight. It's cool to see such old freight cars still in company/MOW service.

[Tom L]

CGW car in the photo is an ACF-built car that also has different hatches (and hatch spacing), different ends, etc.

It would probably be easier to cut down an Intermountain 2927....assuming they get released at some point....

Oh man, I see that now. I should have noticed the ACF logo on the side, as well as the other major details, doh!

Can I down vote myself?

Tom L
Wellington CO

[cjm413]

Heh, and I have begun work on making an undecorated Atlas PS2 2-bay into a Penn Central sand car. I have the GMM etched brass detail kit and BLMA 70-ton friction-bearing trucks for it and will also convert the car to body-mount couplers. It wouldn't surprise me if M-T came out with the same car when production begins.



I wish I had a picture of it, but a couple of months back I saw a 2-bay PS-2 hopper with fresh black paint and McGinnis B&M logo in the middle of a Pan Am freight. It's cool to see such old freight cars still in company/MOW service.

"Starting holes" on the Atlas model line up with MTL 903/905 Z/Nn3 couplers

[cjm413]

(Attachment Link)
I lowered my Athearn PS2600’s with BLMA 100 ton trucks.  I glued (Walthers Goo) MTL 1015’s lid side up.  I believe you could not lower them much more without the wheel flange rubbing the bottom of the car.  I renumbered, changed shop date and removed the logo from the first Conrail release for my version of CR 876277.  Thanks.

Jeff

Apologies for sideways photo.  Stupid iPhone.

That looks like an older run car with truck-mounted couplers.   I used the same BLMA 100T trucks, but used MTL 903/905 couplers to give the trucks a little more breathing room.

The newer run cars appear to have a big @$$ coupler box that is designed for the stock "where's the flood" ride height.  Given Athearn's other cars that were retrofitted with frame mounted couplers have new coupler boxes molded in place, I'm not holding my breath on those coupler boxes being removable...

[cjm413]

Oh man, I see that now. I should have noticed the ACF logo on the side, as well as the other major details, doh!

Can I down vote myself?

Tom L
Wellington CO

Downvote Intermountain for not making the ACF 2927 available to kitbash into this car at an earlier date