Any "affordable" option to building a coal train?

I've got a 30-car unit coal train, it took a while. I let my local hobby shop know I wanted them, he put in an order direct to the manufacturer for 30 cars and got the price down to around $4.00 a car for undecs - unassembled. So that's my tip, if you have a dealer, see if they'll do a mass order for a significant discount.

The next expensive part was putting MT trucks under them. And then I had to get custom decals made because NOBODY made yellow ATSF lettering, correct for those cars. By the time I was done I was sneaking up on about $7.50/car.

I'll admit, it was like a two year project, getting, upgrading, painting and weathering.

I think today, knowing what I know, I'd be tempted to mass-produce them myself from resin - not for resale, but just for me. That's kinda off the wall, but if you've been trying to figure a way and wanted to learn resin casting anyway, that's a good reason.

 

wow this is some great advice guys.

looks like i will have to befriend time a bit more.

do coal trains (or earthworms or grain trains, etc) usually pull the same capacity cars? i think at this point i am just weighing my options. i basically just want an uniform train carrying 1 specific type of cargo on my layout that im going to build at school (yes at school, woohoo!). coal sounded cool (but the "sustainable" "green" crowd at school may have something to say about it).
i suppose if a certain type of car is cheaper than another, i will end up build that instead.

 

One of my interests is modeling UP unit coal trains. My emphasis in these trains in order of priority is 1, the locomotive consist, then 2, the era (decade, diesel, steam, etc.), and 3, number of identical cars in a consist. The locomotive consist and hopper consist are proportional to which layout I'm running on. By this I mean that if I'm running on a large layout in 2010, then I would like to use about 50 modern coal porters, but if I'm on a 4'x8' layout in 1970, then I use 10 to 15 hoppers of that time period. Basically, I run what looks realistic for the layout with the power I desire.

 

I got about 180 of the Atlas 90/100ton hoppers in BN, got them over about 5 to 6 years. Bought most of them about 6 years ago when I first joined the AF and lived in the dorms, and had no real bills, therefore had a large disposible income, now I get them 2 or 3 cars at a time.

The largest order I did was for 36 of the BN cars, being a 12pack box was cheaper for him than 12 single cars, and savings were passed on.

 

I feel your pain.

I've been trying to build a N&W coal train for years now. I'm up to about a dozen actual NW coal cars and a mix of others. They are almost all Atlas 90 ton hoppers because they are the most common and lowest priced. They've been in production for many years and always pop up at just about every venue (new or used). The other brands (MT, Athearn, etc.) are usually too rare and/or costly.

I have heard two approaches to this:

The first is to do what many here have recommended and slowly build your fleet. This requires patience and a road name that is common. Obscure road names will sell out faster and be harder to find on the used market.

The second is just to bite the bullet and plunk down the cash. This will get you there faster, but likely at a higher price. I once asked an Ntrak member who was running an obscenely long UP coal train (complete with mid-train helpers) how he got his collection. He did it all at once because he thought he'd be dead long before he acquired his fleet piecemeal.

I personally don't have a choice as I don't have the financial resources to go with the second option.

 

i have 3 sets of katos NS bethgons and will buy 4 more sets for
a total of 56 cars. thats about $600 plus. so slow and steady
is the only way to go for me. one of the guys at the club runs about 75
car bnsf coal drags and said he has more to go

 

If you're in the Bay area, be sure to check out Chuck at Feather River Trains over in Marin - super helpful and would probably know when the clubs are holding swap meets etc.
Feather River Train Shop

 

thanks for the advice guys!
and yes ive definitely been looking for more retailers in the bay area. thanks for the tip!

(ill ignore his comment on him being a great retailer boxcabe50 =) and take it as a suggestion for a new place to go)

 

Well I started long ago when Atlas 90 ton hoppers were $2.25 each full retail. I can now run a 95 car unit train but usually keep it under 40 cars which is about all our Ntrak club sidings can hold. However, bigger is not always better. I have noticed that after the first 20-25 cars have gone by people begin to lose interest. So I tend to keep my trains shorter especially the steamers.

Occasionally I will pick up cars at a flea market or a garage sale. I got a gaggle of PRR passenger cars [Atlas, Lima, Model Power, etc.] for about $2.00 each at a flea market.

 

Time, Grasshopper ,Time . I only buy when I can afford to, Sometimes I go months without buying anything....Mike

 

Patience is a virtue!

Take your time, be sure to look for and at used equipment, and don't feel stressed out about getting everything you want NOW! :mbiggrin:

Remember this is a "hobby", not mandatory (like getting a good education for that good job, etc.). Also, if you are able to convince yourself to do mixed freight until your financial situation allows specialization, you should be able to take advantage of the very reasonable prices found at swap meets and local train shows. I find that if I look for rolling stock relevant to the era I model (late 50s, 60s), I have plenty to choose from at very reasonable prices. Like others have noted, if you're willing (and able) to buy some quantity, you can get very attractive pricing from most vendors at train shows.

Best regards,
Don

 

Not on the subject of coal trains, but I model logging railroads. I have been collecting here and there Walthers MILW log cars lettered for MILW or CWWR for a number of years now, about 15 to be exact. At first I could only afford 2 triple packs (college does that to you). Well over the last several years of wheeling and dealing and having ALOT of patience, I now have a string of 52 log cars. Yes I know that is a LOT of log cars. And yes it does look impressive, just like those laong coal drags I see going around some local club layouts at shows, but it all takes time. That is one of the beauties about the hobby.

Dont be afraid to check out swap meets. Just because it isnt on the table doesnt mean a vendor doesnt have what you are looking for. I have found several of my log cars in a bargain bin sitting on the floor in front of the table. Sometimes they would be missing a wheel set or a log bunk, or a stir up step, but who cares! When you can get the car for less than $5!

Happy hunting!

 

Atlas Trainman 90-ton hoppers are my friends. Cheap at the store, cheaper online, and dirt cheap at shows. CSX coal trains can have CSX, CR, and many others in their consists so I will grab 2-4 whenever I see them on the shelf. My unit coal trains are about 32 cars long, which seem much longer when running on the layout. Jamie

 

thats like pulling teeth sometimes hahah!!!



now i just have to find a train show to hook up with. but even then im sure all the old timers there will swoop up on the deals before a newbie like me even figures out what im doing.

 

Everybody is preaching patience, this is a prime requisite for this hobby. Why rush to buy the train when you don't have your layout yet.

When I started my layout back at the turn of the century, I wanted to run trains that I didn't know anybody had made. The Chicago and North Western bi-level gallery cars were the ones I wanted. At first I thought I would have to scratch build them. Then I found the Arnold-Rapido version on eBay. These cars were made in the 70's. I had to buy them one at a time or in small groups. Then ConCor re-released their version of them in 2003. The supply increased. Just recently I found the NGI kit version that was produced in the 80's. It has taken fifteen years to get over 50 cars, priced from $1 to $25 but my fleet has been built. Now I have to figure out how to wire the cab cars for DCC. The SP used to run very similar cars before CalTran took over.

You have the fortune that your equipment is new now and is very hot on the corporations' selling list. You will get your train. It is out there waiting for you.
Unfortunately prices on the resale market are high right now because everybody is strapped cash. This will improve as the economy gets better.

Every car does not have to be perfect as the cars do get quite a bit of wear and tear from use. Check with your hobby shop for blemished cars that have not past muster with the rivet counters. Then weather the heck out of them.

Only spend what you can afford.

 

There are times - and for some odd reason its worse with a unit train - that it seems like the coal cars are loaded with money. It's like counting $10 bills rolling by. That can really spoil the hobby, and if that money isn't truly discretionary, take a bigger toll.

When I started this layout way back in the 80's is seemed financially impossible - lets see, a full unit coal train with 4 units, a full piggyback Super C (and that's way before MT made their cars), 2 more 30 car freights, a full passenger train.... the costs seemed staggering. Add in the switches, the track, everything..... impossible, and this was for a relatively small 5'6 x 8' layout. It's taken a long, long, time. And then, upgrading the equipment to what I could do - detailing, painting, weathering. Another decade or so.

Today it is really 'done' and the only major changes are quality upgrades - like trading in my old NJ Brass hilevels for Katos, Trix F-units for Katos, upgrading all manner of freight cars to new models, pretty much 1:1 swaps. Just finished putting in Rapido lighting.

Enjoy the ride on building the empire, its half the fun, and when it is hard to get what you're looking for getting it one car at a time, just remember, any knowlegeable N scaler will fully appreciate your efforts. They/we understand.

 

I'll throw this in and you can decide.

I am using the Superior Paper Kraft mill as a small municipal power plant and decided to buy 2 eight packs of either Kato or 2 five packs of Athearn Bethgons this will give me 8 loads and 8 empties if I use Kato's or 5 loads and 5 empties if I use Athearn's..

I know of a small municipal power plant that recieved small cuts(10-12 cars) every other day until it closed in '88 or '89.

 

When I lived in the Bay area (Fairfield), I used to go to the International Railfair that was (is) held in Roseville in early-mid November. The old GATS (now GTE, I think) show that was held in Pleasanton was also a good source of swap dealers. You also have two Ntrak clubs (Peninsula down in San Jose and Bay Area Ntrak in Crockett...both have websites) in your area that may be able to direct you towards any smaller swap meets.

 

A way to lower the costs is to get a job at a train store. Many shops will give you a heavy discount on your trains.
As a graphic designer I have traded banners, ad designs and flyers for my trains.
Making friends with vendors at shows doesn't hurt either. Many vendors will knock a couple of bucks off the price for their regulars.