C&NW Offset side 3 bay open hoppers

[sirenwerks]

With Bluford Shop's release of its beautiful 3 bay hoppers, I'm starting to build a fleet and am trying to represent numerous Midwestern roads in the mix. I want some variety in terms of car body styles too and was looking at the Keith Kohlmann article on C&NW 3-bays (Fleetbashing a Set of C&NW Open Top Hopper Cars, Sep/Oct 2009 NSR) in which he uses the MDC 3-bay offset as the basis for his project.

The MDC car is a different design than the Bluford car. Each end of those cars has a flat panel area, effectively beneath the grab iron placement area, which precedes the bevel. I was looking through the C&NW Color Guide V2 and don't find this design pictured. I know Morning Sun isn't all inclusive so am wondering - did C&NW really use the MDC-style design?

I see that the CGW used it, which means the C&NW may have absorbed some of these cars after the merger. But what confuses me is that the two proto photos Kohlmann uses in the article don't seem to show this design and he models pre-CGW merger C&NW.

A quick look through the other color guide's I own and I see only the Milwaukee and NP used the MDC-like design, but then only on 2 bay cars. What roads DID use the MDC-style 3-bay design?

[Mark5]

Maybe he used the MDC car as it was the only decent 3 bay offset in N scale prior to the release of the Bluford model (the old Concor model is noticeably oversize).

Mark

[Sokramiketes]

Correct on the one question, only the MDC car was available when Keith did these cars.  I suspect he will be buying the Bluford versions when released.  Oddballs has the decals to turn them into CGW models.

As far as other roads?  That would take some research, but one to add to the list is Chicago and Illinois Western.

[sirenwerks]

I'm aware that the MDC car was the only decent similar model out then and I'm not calling Kohlmann out for his choice. He's an excellent modeler and I only find inspiration from what he does.

Rather, I'm trying to feed my own curiosity and, instead of reinventing the research wheel, I thought I'd ask for that which is already known as a starting point for research. Thanks, Sok for the tip on the C&IW. I'll look into the IC too then.