Problems with Intermountain Grain Hoppers

[Narlie]

Recently purchased 6 Intermountain Canadian grain new hoppers . These are new and a recent release. Have some of a number of years ago that are equipped with MT 1035 couplers and wheels, they run real well. These new models appears to have 1015 couplers and Intermountain metal wheels. The bolster pins tend to detach and thus the wheels drop. Also had a coupler fall off. After closer inspection I found that: the bolster pins are very short, some pins appeared to have been glued and the adhesive has dried on couplers and pins. Also some have spacers some don't.
Disappointed in the quality of the coupler and wheel installation. I think I will retrofit 1035s.  This will help with my tighter radius track.
Has anybody found a screw solution for the pins?

[BCR 570]

I purchased some from the new run and they were a big disappointment; significantly inferior in assembly and paint/stencil quality.  Was thinking of drilling and tapping for #2-56 screws.

Tim

[Narlie]

Thanks Tim for the info on the screw, I will look into that.
Prices go up and quality goes down.

Dave B
Montreal

[wazzou]

To be honest, I have never purchased even one Intermountain product that I could not physically inspect.

[Missaberoad]

For loose pins I would either replace with Microtrains pins, either the small or large (Atlas) size depending on need.
Or squeeze the existing pin in a pair of pliers until it is wide enough to provide enough tension to hold the truck.

If you are going the screw route the Microtrains spacer washer makes a good washer to hold the truck's on if the screw head isn't big enough. (I've done this in the past to convert Athearn cars to MTs)

Unfortunately the NSC cars tooling is getting a little long in the tooth and worn out. it's a shame because it is a much needed car and the NARC HS version is like Hens teeth.

Hopefully Intermountain revamps/repairs it like they seem to have done with the 8000 gal tank and the 2bay hopper...

[cjm413]

Truck pins are 💩, replace with 2-56 x 3/16" flathead screws

[Recluse Ridge RR]

I have experienced the same thing and have just removed the badly glued coupler pockets and bought the 1035 trucks/couplers.

[nscalbitz]

I have experienced the same thing and have just removed the badly glued coupler pockets and bought the 1035 trucks/couplers.

Then all of you should do the correct thing and notify the manufacturer directly.
They deserve to know their reputation is being tarnished by their 'new' agents AND have some decent authoritve data with which to back up concerns.
That is the way 'Quality' gets controlled, or in this case 'improved'. No feedback, no reason to change.
[Takes off his old QAM hat (retired/ dumped)...] 
regards dave

[turbowhiz]

I also have a few from the latest run, and the quality is abysmal. My examples for the most point are painted ok(ish), but the assembly quality is downright terrible.

They have spacers under the trucks to bring the height up, since the 1015 boxes glued to the end platforms otherwise have the coupler height too low. But as said, not always are the spacers there.

In addition the metal wheelsets on these cars are also frequently a little wonky...

I bought a lot of HO intermountain kits back in the day which were pretty decent; Needless to say I'm not in the least impressed with their RTR assembled stuff in N and I'd be nervous about buying much else from them now.

Recently I've bought one of their ACF 4650 hoppers too, and its better then the grain cars although not perfect. The 1015 boxes are at least screwed on rather then just CA'd on like the grain cars, but they still aren't centered! The end framing isn't all twisted and deformed like some of my grain cars though at least.

Needless to say I'm pretty nervous about their upcoming FVM autorack re-run, I'd be in line for a bunch but the dubious assembly quality it making me have second thoughts, at least about buying them sight unseen.

[Missaberoad]

Keep in mind the NSC hopper was tooled over 25 years ago... It was one of their earliest kits and was never designed for mass production as a Rtr model...

It has always had its issues which are compounded by its age. The tooling is definitely wearing out..

That being said there are precious few other options for a very popular prototype, there's definitely an opening for someone to mass produce a modern (tooling wise) cylindrical hopper...