Any Want For UP's HamTrak Cars?

[TrainCat2]

Yes . . . "HamTrak" or "Farmer John's Express" cars. That is what the UP crews called the 100 big triple deck green HOGX cars that ran into the late 1990's and used by Cudahay Packing.

I just acquired the plans and want to know if you guys find this an interesting enough car to produce. Here are some proto photos:






Now I just need to find Green Egg cars to go with these . . . . . 

[ArtinCA]

Pigs on pigs.. I've heard stories from railroaders in CA that you could smell that train coming long before it got there. CTC Board did an article on the train years before. Best picture was the DD40AX-SD40-2-DD40AX power hauling those cars and 89 foot flats across the desert. 

[TiVoPrince]

Certainly
'ripe' for a bacon themed train...

[C855B]

Pigs on pigs.. I've heard stories from railroaders in CA that you could smell that train coming long before it got there. CTC Board did an article on the train years before. Best picture was the DD40AX-SD40-2-DD40AX power hauling those cars and 89 foot flats across the desert.

Hmm. Not with these cars. The DDA40X's were retired in '82, the HOGX cars came along in 1989.

Yes, the train smelled to high heaven. We would see it roll through Pomona in the late '60s, and if you were on the UP platform against the station building where you weren't in full wind, the stench was near enough to make you vomit.

[Kisatchie]

The cars look interesting, but they're too modern for me.


Hmm... Roman numerals
are too modern for Kiz...

[jpf94]

I would rather see you work on the aggregate handling equipment you had out about a year or so ago. 

Joe

[jnevis]

Honestly, probably not.  I would like to see the SP flanger that's perpetually "coming soon" 

[C855B]

The HOGX cars, while interesting, were a short-lived oddity. IIRC (I can't find the reference... it's around here somewhere...) they only made it to '95 or '96 before they were cut-up. That's a pretty narrow window for rolling stock. The service couldn't compete with trucks for door-to-door transit time, which is really important with livestock.

Anyway, like Kiz, they're about 20 years too modern for me. Adding insult, they were not interchanged - livestock service requires a big investment in fixed facilities, and UP was the only railroad left after about '72 with any support for the traffic. Intriguing car, but awfully specific - your target is going to be somebody who models UP's ex-LA&SL line in the early '90s.

[SP-Wolf]

I'll second jnevis's sentiments. Bring on the SP flangers.   My Jordan needs some back up. LOL!!

Thanks,
Wolf

[w neal]

Interested? Hell yes!

[towl1996]

I'd like to see a PRR H32.  I understand trying to spread some love around to other roads and not getting the reputation as an "eastern guy" only, but if you're looking to do small limited runs, the H32 is a nice extension off the H30. Most of the decal artwork should be there already, and the fact that decals are available will help with sales, so I'm sure SPFs will step up. I'm good for two. Sorry for the drift.   

[Denver Road Doug]

Well, I have to admit that I'm with the majority...definitely not interested in these in n-scale.   Would much rather have some other project ideas you've tossed around like the argon tank cars or the aluminum grainporter.

I will say I've always been intrigued by this UP operation.  I recall a few articles about them and just thought it was so completely different and had that romantic history thing going for it.

In fact, I actually am considering incorporating those cars (or some kitbashed foobie/clone) into a "protolance" model railroad that I'm planning for way far out...in O-scale.    It will be sort of part MRL, part Colo & Wyo, part DM&E..."small western regional" and I had a premise that once UP was done with the cars, an enterprising livestock company bought some/all of them and built a small yard adjacent to the property and used the cars both for additional pen capacity and for short haul delivery to two large customers online.   Premise was that the small regional railroad could be more nimble and provide the service in a more time sensitive manner.

So, if some of you are doing freelance/protolance model railroads, there's one scenario you could borrow if these cars do get done in N-scale.   

[John]

Nothing I would buy ..

but modern canteliever signals would get my attention

[cfritschle]

I have plenty of photos of the cars passing through Nampa, Idaho on the old Oregon Short Line.  I believe these were new cars being delivered, because I cannot remember any odor as they went by. 

Carter