Author Topic: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars  (Read 1089 times)

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pmpexpress

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InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« on: November 02, 2024, 07:56:04 PM »
+1
Announced on October 31, 2024 and utilizing the former LBC/Hubert’s tooling, with several new paint schemes, multiple road numbers, metal wheelsets, body mounted knuckle couplers, and an MSRP of $42.95 each, InterMountain Railway Co., is taking reservations on its Skybox for aerospace loads cars.

Given the absurd prices that the previously released models have been fetching for years, I have a feeling that pretty soon now there will be a bunch of them listed in auctions or Buy-it-Now sales.



Intermountain N-Scale Skybox Car Stock Numbers with Pricing



Intermountain 6700001 Santa Fe with Lockheed Aircraft Wing Assembly Hood Artwork



Intermountain 6700002 Burlington Northern Santa Fe with Unmarked Hood Artwork



Intermountain 6700003 Great Northern with Another Boeing 747 Jetliner Assembly Hood Artwork



Intermountain 6700004 NASA NLAX with Data Hood Artwork



Intermountain 6700005 Southern Pacific with Hydra-Cushion Sky Box For Aircraft Stabilizers Hood Artwork



Intermountain 6700006 Trailer Train JTTX Early with Another S-3A Sub Assembly For Lockheed California Company Hood Artwork



Intermountain-6700007 TTX MTTX Late with Unmarked Hood Artwork



Intermountain-6700008 Missouri Pacific with Union Pacific Building America Hood Artwork

« Last Edit: November 03, 2024, 02:12:09 AM by pmpexpress »

nkalanaga

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2024, 01:53:06 AM »
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I hope they correct the ride height.  I lowered my originals, but it required major floor surgery.  Not hard, but it wouldn't look good running without the hood!
N Kalanaga
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pmpexpress

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2024, 01:33:22 AM »
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I hope they correct the ride height.  I lowered my originals, but it required major floor surgery.  Not hard, but it wouldn't look good running without the hood!

Given the upgrade to body mounted couplers, InterMountain might be utilizing a different (i.e., not tooled by LBF) flatcar.

basementcalling

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2024, 04:44:04 AM »
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Given the long delays they experience between product announcements and delivery, how does this company make enough money to stay in business? Seems that without product to actually sell, they would run out of funds on hand long before the next batch of engines or cars were ready for dealers to pay wholesale to receive.
Peter Pfotenhauer

Philip H

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2024, 07:15:37 AM »
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Given the long delays they experience between product announcements and delivery, how does this company make enough money to stay in business? Seems that without product to actually sell, they would run out of funds on hand long before the next batch of engines or cars were ready for dealers to pay wholesale to receive.

Their HO side seems to be much better run
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nkalanaga

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2024, 12:41:49 AM »
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A different flatcar is possible, and would probably be a good idea.  The GN bought special flats for these, and LBF's cars weren't bad renditions, but they sat way too high, and probably weren't correct for the other roads.
N Kalanaga
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pmpexpress

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2024, 02:19:41 AM »
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A different flatcar is possible, and would probably be a good idea.  The GN bought special flats for these, and LBF's cars weren't bad renditions, but they sat way too high, and probably weren't correct for the other roads.

Modified, the Intermountain 60' Wood Deck flatcar might be a workable possibility.


pmpexpress

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2024, 02:34:53 AM »
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As the now retired and currently mothballed Lockheed S-3 Viking aircraft were manufactured from 1974-1978, unless it’s the flatcar build date that has been listed, it just dawned on me that the September 1967 date that Intermountain has provided under its stock number 6700006 Trailer Train Early JTTX Skybox Car with “Another S-3A Sub Assembly For Lockheed California Company” hood is somewhat problematic.

ntex

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2024, 08:12:17 AM »
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Is it possible, that skybox flat was built in 1967, but the hood was repainted for that newer aircraft assembly?

James Costello

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2024, 06:42:18 PM »
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As the now retired and currently mothballed Lockheed S-3 Viking aircraft were manufactured from 1974-1978, unless it’s the flatcar build date that has been listed, it just dawned on me that the September 1967 date that Intermountain has provided under its stock number 6700006 Trailer Train Early JTTX Skybox Car with “Another S-3A Sub Assembly For Lockheed California Company” hood is somewhat problematic.

I'd be more upset that JTTX series 470623-470744 are former PRR F39A and are 75' long flats, not 60' of the Intermountain car:

https://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=48446
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sirenwerks

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2024, 01:59:42 AM »
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InterMountain also announced it was going to re-run the LBF slab-side woodchip cars in N... back in 2017. I think they're still showing as Reserve Now on IMRC's website. I would like to see these flats since they ran on the BN but I would caution not to hold your breath.
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pmpexpress

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2024, 05:31:18 AM »
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I'd be more upset that JTTX series 470623-470744 are former PRR F39A and are 75' long flats, not 60' of the Intermountain car:

https://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=48446

Thanks for sharing this pertinent piece of prototype information.

So it's not only the reported build date that is wrong (i.e., the actual car build date of April 1957 vs the September 1967 date that was listed on the Intermountain web page), the flatcar and hood lengths are also erroneous.



Trailer Train JTTX 47043 in West Colton, California on October 31, 1976 – Ron Hawkins Collection Photo
« Last Edit: November 05, 2024, 05:51:19 AM by pmpexpress »

DirtyD79

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Re: InterMountain Bringing Back the Former LBF/Hubert's Skybox Cars
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2024, 03:47:25 PM »
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Hoping they'll eventually do another run of the gondolas with coil covers.
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