Tangent Scale Models: Bethlehem Quad Hoppers in N Scale

[thomasjmdavis]

I hope the 6k gallon ACF tankcars are on the list of N scale projects.

+1

What he said....

And Bethlehem riveted gons.

And please, no more announcements until car repairs paid for.

[C855B]

... the minimum radius requirement is something that I can't work around. ...

I have to wonder if the minimum radius specs are overblown in a somewhat broad-brush assumption that somebody running the least-common-denominator 9-3/4" curves with a mix of truck-mount and the new hopper's body-mount couplers would be in for an unpleasant surprise. Might be like the issue encountered with the True Scale Couplers, where mixing long and short cars doesn't work on <18" or so. The reality will be tested once I have them in-hand as my test loop has 15" curves.

The HO "undecs" - the black painted ones - have a Sept. 17 arrival date but also have an order button.

Hmm. When I was poking around the site at the onset of the "rumor", it seemed like the HO "blank slate" cars were remnants of prior runs. Maybe, maybe not. But it makes a good story anyway.

[C855B]

... And please, no more announcements until car repairs paid for.

You're not alone. Our annual property taxes are due the day after the hoppers are released. PB&J on the menu for a while.

[Point353]

Works fine for me in Chrome, Firefox and Safari on my Mac.

Does not work in Chrome on a PC for me.

[C855B]

...– we suggest a minimum radius of 18.75” or greater.

Personally, I'm fine with the limitation, but the pursuit of scale fidelity in this case is going to narrow the potential market substantially. It just dawned on me that this is bigger than they may think. I suspect that 99+% of Unitrack users are locked-out, and the T-Trak community is totally persona non grata.

HO version is 28", so why this didn't translate to 14" or 15" might have something to do with the low-bolster trucks and the extra attention paid to ride height.

[GhengisKong]

I hope the 6k gallon ACF tankcars are on the list of N scale projects.

All their 1917 design tank cars would be welcome as well.

[H Lee]

All their 1917 design tank cars would be welcome as well.

Not if they are also going to require an 18.75 min. radius!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MK]

You're not alone. Our annual property taxes are due the day after the hoppers are released. PB&J on the menu for a while.

Ramen is cheaper! 

[coosvalley]

- Our N Scale Bethlehem Steel Quad Hopper does not compromise to operate on toy train curves – we suggest a minimum radius of 18.75” or greater.

  Hahahaha.  ...Oh, wait, you're serious?

_{Makes popcorn, because this is going to be interesting to watch unfold}

[jagged ben]

The radius is a mistake if it's really a requirement and not a suggestion.  Even our club layout has a couple 16" radii snuck into some staging yard areas.  Hopefully these will operate without issues down to at least 15".

[pdx1955]

Even though these are out of my era, I'm interested in Tangent's entry into N ..and its an impressive model. The minimum radius floored me ...ok...I can run 85' body-mounted coupler passenger cars that look just fine on the 17-18" curves that I have but I can't run this hopper? If this is true, then lets hope its TSC-compatible because you're looking at the "Proto-160" crowd to run these. I guess you probably can do a hack/whack job on the body to make it work on smaller radii, but it would be shame to do that a model like that.   

[Smike]

Unless there is clarification on the suggested radius limit by @Tangentsm I can’t risk placing a $300 only to find out they derail on the sections of 15” turns I have in staging.  I’m really not into modifying a $32 car just to run on curves if that’s what it takes. Hopefully Tangent Models can chime in.

[squirrelhunter]

If anyone reading this is at the show tomorrow, perhaps ask Tangent if they could loan a couple cars to the T Trak setup to see how they run?

[nkalanaga]

My mainline minimum is 17 inches, in one place, so I couldn't run them either.  18.75 inches is 250 scale feet.  A prototype GP38 can handle 140 feet, by itself, according to the EMD manual.  Coupled to a 50 ft car it only needs 302 feet.  A prototype hopper should be able to go around any curve a GP38 can take.  As others have said, this is really going to limit sales, of this hopper to those who read the fine print, and of the next model to those who find they can't run this one.

I wonder if that radius was copied from the HO version, and is a mistake?

That said, I can't use them anyway, as they're a few years too modern for me.

[Kev1340]

Almost got excited about these, but that minimum radius... ouch! That'll knock me out of the market!

Cheers,

Kev