New from Bowser: N Scale 100 Ton Hoppers

[High Hood]

Bowser has just announced their 100 ton hopper is now coming to N Scale: https://www.bowser-trains.com/new/nscalec100T.html

[bbussey]

Why?  There already are three H39/H11 models long on the market, one high-end (Micro-Trains), one mid-level (Atlas), and one entry level (ex-Life-Like). Bachmann may have one also. There is no need for a more intricate model than the Micro-Trains model, or a more basic model than the Life-Like model.

[learmoia]

Argg.. they had so many other HO models that would have been better choices..

K-9 or K11 Stock Car
70 Ton 2 Ballast Car with Side Chutes
G39 A & B Ore Jenny
N8 Caboose
RoadRailer

Release new N scale car already produced by 3 other mfgs. + Minimal sales = N scale doesn't sell.

[MK]

Release new N scale car already produced by 3 other mfgs. + Minimal sales = N scale doesn't sell.

= The hobby is dying.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Mind boggling.

[peteski]

To pile onto this, since there is a glut of those hoppers from other manufactures, if these don't sell well for Bowser, they will assume that there is no strong market in N scale and will stop developing and  producing future N scale models.    

[chessie system fan]

Yes, they could have done something else, but this could be a hit. The MT car isn't perfect.  It should have 100t trucks with 36" wheels. 

And of the road names shown, how many road numbers have been released so far?  For most, I'm guessing only two or three by MT--not enough for a unit train.

I'm pretty pleased that the number of decent 100t Chessie hoppers in N scale just doubled. 

[bbussey]

Yes, they could have done something else, but this could be a hit. The MT car isn't perfect.  It should have 100t trucks with 36" wheels. 

And of the road names shown, how many road numbers have been released so far?  For most, I'm guessing only two or three by MT--not enough for a unit train.

I'm pretty pleased that the number of decent 100t Chessie hoppers in N scale just doubled.

It's easy enough to swap in 100-ton BLMA trucks on the MTL hoppers.  The Bowser model will not be superior to the MTL model.

MTL releases - 37 prototypical schemes yielding over 170 individual road numbers, including a multiple C&O and CSX schemes, and not counting the dozens of weathered releases.  MTL lists 12 C&O unweathered road numbers on their releases worksheet, some of which must be Chessie era schemes.

[Mark5]

In a way, this kinda makes sense for Bowser in this way: they did all the research for this in HO scale already.

To play devil's advocate, for MTL's version - you also need to body mount couplers. 

So my take on this is that if you model a coal road, you need lots of these. For the road that designed and originated this design (N&W), MTL has done exactly four road numbers (and the lettering on the "hamburger" versions have key errors) - N&W built and rostered over 12,000 of this design.

(I am ignoring the bi-centennial N&W scheme, which is not prototypical for an H11 - the proto was an H12 hopper).

So, if (and I mean if) Bowser releases these in proto N&W schemes, guess who will buy them? 

Interestingly, Bowser's 1st run does not include N&W (except for the aforementioned bi-centennial scheme). 

Mark

[Rivet Miscounter]

It's easy enough to swap in 100-ton BLMA trucks on the MTL hoppers.  The Bowser model will not be superior to the MTL model.

MTL releases - 37 prototypical schemes <snip>170 individual road numbers

I have to think the Bowser will be better than Atlas (which--after my most recent return to N--I have decided I won't buy at this point) and would be surprised if they aren't at least an equal to MTL or very close.

For BN Rotary, I think MTL has done 2 road numbers in the almost 30 years since I originally got back into N.  And they're not easy to renumber without fouling the paint.  And not easy to find, either...even if I did want to say "to hell with it" and run dupes or attempt renumbering.   Since my most recent return to N, I've bought every one I've seen in person, which is ONE. (just missed one on NScaleSupply, and I'm not on eBay anymore)  MTL and Atlas just don't like to do the BN rotary scheme...I'm sure it's among the more difficult schemes to apply, (one reason I haven't tackled painting them myself) but still.   This is a car that numbered several thousand in real life.  Honestly I wish someone would do a legit BN triple in N, but I digress.   In the mean time...

Bowser of course isn't doing them this initial go-round either.  But they have a history of doing multiple BN schemes in HO.  If they do one run of six, they will almost equal the Atlas and MTL roadnumbers combined. (at least in the "knuckle coupler" era)   So, Bowser will get my money on these if they choose to eventually do the various BN rotary schemes they've done in HO.

These are akin to bethgons...multiple manufacturers can do them and not step on toes really, IMHO.

[chessie system fan]

Let's not forget that the MT has those outdated indented end sills to make room for truck mounted couplers. 

Going from memory, MT has done in Chessie the recently released four pack (that have undersized C logos ), a single WM car, a single B&O car w/ a cover... and I think that's it? The rest are CSX cars, so aren't relevant.  If you model Chessie, you really need a whole yard full of these cars.

For C&O, they did the two pack early on, and a six pack runner set, and ... I think that's it?

[Missaberoad]

I know this car is more in Bowser's Wheel house, but I would have loved to see a Western style PS-4000 hopper made in N Scale.

A "proper" unit train of BN hoppers would be sweet.

https://www.pwrs.ca/view_product.php?ProductID=313801

[basementcalling]

No dog in this fight, but reverse logic is if so many versions of this car have already been sold, it must be popular so customers will buy this car. Lower risk.

As to the MT versions, trying to build an actual train of hopper cars - Who runs just one coal hopper? - is impossible given how infrequently new numbers are run. No one wants to wait years to assemble their unit train.

I don't remember this much kvetching when additional versions of 2 bay coal hoppers came out from Atlas and Bluford even though MT had long offered it's cute little 55 ton hoppers, but again, I have an aversion to boring coal trains so no dog in this fight.

As N scale matures, duplication of car releases is unavoidable. Yes it has negatively affected some sales with other companies - Looking straight at you, Rapido, but it will keep happening as long as manufacturers continue to think N scale is just a smaller version of HO, and try to maximize R&D investments by giving us our version of their popular HO release.

[bbussey]

You know, you guys are acting as accumulators rather than modelers.  You always can paint/decal whatever quantity is needed if the need is great enough.  All of the current manufacturers of this model offer them undecorated.  If it's not that important, then it's academic how many road numbers of a scheme that Micro-Trains and/or Atlas have released.

[ai5629]

You know, you guys are acting as accumulators rather than modelers.  You always can paint/decal whatever quantity is needed if the need is great enough.  All of the current manufacturers of this model offer them undecorated.  If it's not that important, then it's academic how many road numbers of a scheme that Micro-Trains and/or Atlas have released.

If this was ten years ago, I would have been really excited over this release.  In the last ten years, I have renumbered 30 factory decorated MTL Conrail hoppers.  Unhappy with the results, I had custom decals made (Solidesign / not recommended), stripped the repainted the aforementioned 30 cars and applied the custom decals.   After this huge effort was completed, I found a font issue with the reporting marks that I did not see when I had the decals created.  I decided to get more custom decals made (Circus City / recommended), I stripped down 36 (original 30 plus six more) MTL hoppers, repainted them and applied the Circus City custom decals.  I am very pleased with this effort.  I even bought a milling machine to lower the ride height (not attempted yet) and acquired Trainworx 100 ton offset bolster roller bearing trucks for these.  I cannot allow myself to discard these MTL hoppers and repeat the process with the Bowser cars.  I will never get to building a layout if that happens.  Nothing in the first release is necessary for me, so I am safe for now.  Thanks.

Jeff