ESM — G26 Family of Mill Gondolas now in stock!

[bbussey]

The Eastern Seaboard Models family of G26 mill gondolas is now in stock and shipping to dealers!  MSRP $37.25.  Available at your favorite hobby dealer or online at www.esmc.com!

[Mark5]

Awesome! 

[thomasjmdavis]

 More big gondolas!

I have a G26 from an earlier run, but the G26a in both shadow keystone and N&W are tempting.

Nice to see these available again. Between these from ESM and the recent MTL release of long mill gons, SOMEBODY....needs to do a run of their steel mill buildings.

@bbussey - As a matter of curiosity (I would look at the one I have, but it is buried in a box waiting on layout to be built)- what trucks were included on the earlier releases of the G-26? 
And, are the Dalman and National B-1 trucks (or sideframes) available through MTL or can they be ordered through ESM?  The only ones I could find on the MTL site have truck mounted couplers.

[bbussey]

The original run had Dalman, National B-1 or Barber based on the prototype. Unfortunately MTL molds the trucks
custom for these models and do not offer them at retail. They combine the appropriate side frame slides with the non-coupler bolster arm. The respective non-coupler trucks should exist, as there are stock numbers for them (or rather slots in the catalog for those potential stock numbers), but they’ve never been released at retail.

[thomasjmdavis]

Thanks for the reply, Bryan. On the one hand, I am very glad that you and ESM care enough to supply the correct trucks for different versions of the gondola.

On the other hand, I am disappointed that (apparently) so few of us care about such things that it isn't worth MTL's time to package these truck variations and put them on store shelves (without couplers attached). 

At any rate, I am very pleased with my "old" ESM gondola, and will no doubt pick up a couple of this new run as well.

[Cajonpassfan]

Happy to see these released and upgraded, thank you. I'll pick up a G26 and a G26a in shadow keystone for my pre-'51 era
Otto K.

[bbussey]

Thanks for the reply, Bryan. On the one hand, I am very glad that you and ESM care enough to supply the correct trucks for different versions of the gondola.

On the other hand, I am disappointed that (apparently) so few of us care about such things that it isn't worth MTL's time to package these truck variations and put them on store shelves (without couplers attached). 

At any rate, I am very pleased with my "old" ESM gondola, and will no doubt pick up a couple of this new run as well.

You always can cut the coupler arm off the standard configuration for both the Dalman and the Nat B-1.

[Cajonpassfan]

Got my G26a today, nice, subtle differences between it and the older G26 I already had. A longer center side brace, ratchet brake, slightly differenti lettering, different trucks. One issue I have on my model is the couplers; try as I might they don't center and the pins hang too low. I tend to clip them anyway, so that's easy. Can't find my graphite powder right now, hope that will solve the centering problem. I note there is a small screw, rather than the original press fit pin, holding the coupler retaining plate in place so it should be easy enough to get in there if need be.
A very nice model for those of us modeling the late steam era.
Otto K.

[bbussey]

Got my G26a today, nice, subtle differences between it and the older G26 I already had. A longer center side brace, ratchet brake, slightly differenti lettering, different trucks. One issue I have on my model is the couplers; try as I might they don't center and the pins hang too low. I tend to clip them anyway, so that's easy. Can't find my graphite powder right now, hope that will solve the centering problem. I note there is a small screw, rather than the original press fit pin, holding the coupler retaining plate in place so it should be easy enough to get in there if need be.
A very nice model for those of us modeling the late steam era.
Otto K.

@Cajonpassfan Otto, loosen the screw a quarter turn in addition to the graphite, that should get the couplers to behave.

[learmoia]

Needs more Conrail...

@bbussey .. I recall years ago you had planned to release Conrail MOW G26s...

~Ian

[bbussey]

Needs more Conrail...

@bbussey .. I recall years ago you had planned to release Conrail MOW G26s...

~Ian

We did initially plan to release G26S and G33 MoW schemes, but the response was too light and we've since changed direction to concentrate on prototype-only releases the majority of the time.  Popular foobs will be produced from time to time due to demand, such as the Pennsylvania GSC well car, but otherwise we focus on actual prototypes.  Every gon in this release is prototypical for specific car reporting marks, down to the truck frame style and brake hardware style.  AFAIK none of the G26 class other than the G26S turnout gons lasted to MoW service, and the G26S is too drastic a deviation to foob on the G26C.  If someone has pics of G26C gons in Conrail or Penn Central MoW, we'll be happy to put them on the list of projects.

Regarding Conrail proper, we still have first-run cars in stock so it wouldn't be a prudent use of limited resources to release another until the first ones are sold.