New Bluford Shops "Dented" Gondolas

[Bluford Craig]

@Bluford Craig  Did the PM cars get painted over in C&O anytime early?  I'm looking at no later than 1950 or '51.

The PM cars were a bit strange when it came to repainting. I know of some PM boxcars repainted into C&O colors as early as 1949. On the other hand, we have shots of PM gons repainted in PM colors in 1952 - 5 years AFTER the merger. Sometimes this occurs to comply with a lettering clause in the lease agreement. This may explain why we've never seen one of these gons repainted into C&O colors prior to about 1953. They may have been out there, but I haven't seen one. Research continues...
Craig
Bluford Shops

[Bluford Craig]

Because with my current bifocal prescription I can still see the panels.

A B&O O-27 has 13 panels (2 less) and is only 46' ID, with straight sides (and fishbelly centerbeam) and was built 20 years earlier than the first Erie Greenvilles (52'6" ID, 15 panels, fishbelly sides), and originally had different ends (although ends did get replaced over the years, no doubt). 

Which leads me to think that you probably meant some other class of gondolas on the B&O- perhaps an O-59 (done by tangent in HO) from the late 1930s- which would be the same length, and has much the same overall 'look'.
https://www.pwrs.ca/view_product.php?ProductID=316389

Yeah, the 52'6" 14-Panel version is on our to-do list.
Craig
Bluford Shops

[thomasjmdavis]

These are from a different batch of L&N gons built around the same time. The rib profiles are a bit different but the CSX lettering layout should be about the same.
Craig
Bluford Shops

Craig, the reason I have more Bluford hoppers than all other brands combined is that you are even pickier about this stuff than I am.
Keep up the good work!

Yeah, the 52'6" 14-Panel version is on our to-do list.
Craig
Bluford Shops

I see you are keeping up the good work.  A 14-panel 52'6" version will probably mean I will end up with more Bluford gondolas than all other brands combined, in addition to the hoppers.  I need to find an alternative to eBay for all the old gons in my collection...

[ai5629]

I noticed this week that Bluford Shops has updated their website with photos of the first run of these gondolas.  ETA March 2025.  I am looking forward to these.  I have ten preordered from the first run: six Conrail, two Erie Lackawanna and two P&LE.  Thanks.

Jeff 

https://www.bluford-shops.com/

https://www.bluford-shops.com/bluford_93_009.htm

[James Costello]

HAWT.

[thomasjmdavis]

I received an invoice for my first order of Bluford gondolas today from Lombard.  I hope this means we will see them very soon.

[bbussey]

Mine are on the way from N Scale Supply and will arrive midweek.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

**** I was really hoping these wouldn't show up until after I had new employment lined up.

[bman]

I was thinking about buying a new car. Then N Scale Supply changed my plans.

[nkalanaga]

I have mine, very nice, and I've spent today dirtying them up.  But there are two minor issues with them.  Either might bother some people, maybe not others.

Operationally, the biggest issue I found was that the coupler trip pins were too low, and caught on turnouts and crossings.  Simple fix, bend the pin up, I've been doing it for over 50 years.  Not so easy - whatever the manufacturer used for the pins is almost impossible to bend, unless one takes the pin out of the coupler.  I finally simply pushed them further into the coupler, so some sticks out the top.  I don't have any magnets, and uncouple with a pick, so it doesn't matter to me.

The wheels themselves are fine, they don't wobble, and seem to be in gauge. 

The other will only affect those who like to run long trains, or have a hump yard, or are simply picky.  I'm the latter.  They don't roll well.  Not BADLY, but on a slight grade they just sit there, where most of my cars, with ESM or MT wheels, will roll on their own.  Even Kato passenger cars will roll on that grade.  These will roll a few inches if lightly pushed, but not on their own.  I replaced the wheels with ESM and they roll as well as any of my other cars.  These take 0.553" axles.

It looks like I'll have to buy some extras for repainting.

[bbussey]

… I replaced the wheels with ESM and they roll as well as any of my other cars.  These take 0.553" axles.

Thanks for this note, I will add the gons to the ESM wheels compatibility charts.

[thomasjmdavis]

The other will only affect those who like to run long trains, or have a hump yard, or are simply picky.  I'm the latter.  They don't roll well.  Not BADLY, but on a slight grade they just sit there, where most of my cars, with ESM or MT wheels, will roll on their own.  Even Kato passenger cars will roll on that grade.  These will roll a few inches if lightly pushed, but not on their own.  I replaced the wheels with ESM and they roll as well as any of my other cars.  These take 0.553" axles.

It looks like I'll have to buy some extras for repainting.

I noted the rolling issue with one of the 70 ton hopper I have run (I have a few more still in factory wrappers)- all of my 55 ton hoppers roll just fine.  Although the trucks on the two cars look alike, when I measured... the truck on the 70 tone car measured 0.02 longer, and the truck frame was 0.01 taller when measured at the center of the frame.  Now,,, I am pretty sure this is correct, checked both several times, but I have been having some issues lately with my caliper requiring frequent calibration.  But, if correct, I am wondering if the 70 ton hoppers and the gondolas are using a different truck (a model of a 70 ton truck) or if the molds are a bit worn, or a different Chinese factory is using different tooling for the truck frame and/or wheels.

[up1950s]

I was feeling left out , but Hog contacted me and my 10 dented gons are on the way .

[chessie system fan]

I'm curious to see what the underside of these look like when someone has theirs.

[OldEastRR]

Think the underside is all dented, too?