Converting the Atlas ACF 4-Bay CF Hopper to Grain Service

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[GaryHinshaw]

Ian, I'm not sure I understand which model you're referring to.  The new Atlas 4-bay hoppers - the ACF 5701s and 5800/5748s - already come in both plastic and grain service varieties.

Cheers,
Gary

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[GaryHinshaw]

Oops, my bad, I forgot about those models.  It sounds like a feasible project, but would you also need to change the hatches to trough style?

[Do all grain hoppers have trough hatches?  I think so, but I'm not positive.]

-Gary

[SkipGear]

Sort of like this?

[trainbuff1]

Why not just buy the MT model???  It is a very nice model and they track well..

Todd Treaster, NY,S&A

[Ryan87]

Why not just buy the MT model???  It is a very nice model and they track well..

Todd Treaster, NY,S&A

An entirely different prototype... 3 bays vs 4... 

[learmoia]

Comment Removed.

[John]

where do you get the hatches?

[Coxy]

I do have servaral of the MT models.. but I have lots of the 4 bay cars that I want to convert.  -- Not much point to sell 20-30 $5.00 cars and then need to replace them with 20-30 $15.00 cars

I think all grain hoppers (now) have trough hatches..

For this model.. the bottom gates would need to be changed also.. but I'm wondering if it would be easier and cheeper to cut the round tabs off and mount gate rails instead of removing and replacing the entire bottom gate assembly..   Keeping in mind we're working with 30yr old tooling, it doesn't have to be down to the rivet perfect.

I have seen some cars with bottom gates for grain service.. but the gate door itself, is a plastic type unloading hatch built into it.  (Dual service unloading mechanism.. )  I'm not sure what kind of top hatch these have..

~Ian

Post some details and pictures when you do this conversion.  It sounds interesting.
- Coxy

[cv_acr]

Sort of like this?

Yeah kinda, but that car still has the pnuematic outlets which are totally wrong for any kind of grain service car. (one of the things learmoia correctly identified in the original post)

[chessie system fan]

I feel your pain Ian.  Chessie has the exact same cars.  I think if I were doing it I would use the outlets from the Atlas 2-bay ACF car.   Since they are presumably the same width it should be an easy changeout.

[SkipGear]

I did the roof castings for a member of our Ntrak club. He has a train of about 20 of these and the roof of the car was the most obvious change and satisfied him. These are the older version of the car, pre-trainman. The Trainman version of the car is different and the ribs on the side of the car have been changed.

These cars, with the grain roof hatches added, match the GN car pretty close. He may do the bottoms later, but for now, these are close enough for him.