New Bluford Shops Tooling

Steve Rodgers Aug 29, 2015

  1. Steve Rodgers

    Steve Rodgers TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    Please check it out at:
    bluford-shops.com
    All the best
    Steve & Craig
     
  2. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    FVM wheels, but whose trucks and couplers?
     
  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hmm. Interesting.... :)
     
  4. Steve Rodgers

    Steve Rodgers TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    The same couplers that we use on the more recent runs of the three bay hoppers and factory supplied trucks.
     
  5. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    OK, I'll play along with your game this time.
    What brand of couplers did you use on the more recent runs of the three bay hoppers?

    Would that "factory" be other than Micro-Trains?
     
  6. Steve Rodgers

    Steve Rodgers TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    I am sorry you do not understand"factory supplied', they make them,so what do you want me to call them?
    Didn't intend for this to be a game......sorry.
    All the best
    Steve
     
  7. BnOEngrRick

    BnOEngrRick TrainBoard Member

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    Looks like I'm in for the B&O cars, regardless of whose trucks and couplers are on them...
     
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  8. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, great schemes and road names. Very cool to see hoppers in rarely produced roadnames like Montour, Big Four, New Haven, BRC and original Norfolk Southern too. Thanks!
     
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  9. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    So, are they a unique Bluford designed coupler?
    If not, whose design is it?
     
  10. wcfn100

    wcfn100 TrainBoard Member

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    LOL, you're thinking too hard about this.

    It's the factory's design, there's no manufacturer in the sense that you're trying to figure out. I could be used on projects from different manufacturers that contract there.

    Jason
     
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  11. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    Most rolling stock manufacturers make an effort to identify the source of the (trucks and) couplers they're using.
    I was expecting an answer such as Micro-Trains, Accumate, E-Z mate, etc.
    Some use a worthless phrase such as "Micro-Trains compatible", which, in practice, can mean anything from works almost as well to barely stays coupled.
    So, then, it's likely some Brand-X product, from a nameless factory, that I'll have to plan on replacing.
     
  12. Rossford Yard

    Rossford Yard TrainBoard Member

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    Now you can fill up the hump yard of your version of Rossford Yard with appropriate coal carrying cars! With your size yard, I think Craig can put you down for 1000......
     
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  13. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    Nice , another one to add to the list . So far I am waiting for:
    1) Intermountain 8000 gallon tank cars. New roadnames in multiple numbers...
    2) Rapido meat reefers
    3) BLW stock cars (with and without sounds)
    4) BLW NYC boxcars
    5) These new hopper cars..

    I do often wonder if the wait would be shorter on the intermountain cars is they still sold them as kits? I do miss the $12.95 kits..

    I'm glad I still have a job...
     
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  14. wcfn100

    wcfn100 TrainBoard Member

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    FWIW, this isn't a new thing. You may even have one of these couplers on something now without knowing. One of the first reports goes back a year or so on something IM had made, where like you noted just says, 'Micro-Trains" compatible. I know one of the couplers being used I basically a Micro-Trains clone (but without the slinky effect) so some people may like it better.

    I doubt you'll have to change these couplers due to performance, just if you insist on some sort of brand name.

    Jason
     
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  15. Point353

    Point353 TrainBoard Member

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    I expect any of the "equivalent" couplers to perform the delayed magnetic uncoupling function just as well as the ones from Micro-Trains, but I'm often disappointed. I may be the last person who still uses that feature - many seem to cut off the trip pins and then use some sort of stick to uncouple cars. So, if I do end up having to change couplers, it is due to (a lack of) performance, not the need to have a "brand name" product.
     
  16. christoph

    christoph TrainBoard Member

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    These cars look good, and I think I will get some of them. My problem is that I am gradully loosing the overview of the different hopper types, e.g. this new Bluford type versus the Atlas 2-bay hopper or the MTL ones. A kind of "hopper genealogy" might help.

    Concerning couplers I would assume that the new cars follow the Bluford cars delivered so far, these have body mounted Accumate couplers and now Fox Valley metal wheels. Works well for me.
     
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  17. CraigfromBlufordShops

    CraigfromBlufordShops TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    We stopped using the Accumates a while back. These cars come with the current factory coupler. You can see them here on the woodchip hoppers on the bottom half of this page: http://www.bluford-shops.com/bluford_93_002.htm
    If you really wanted to replace them, use could install MTL 1015's with NO modifications. But you won't want to.

    Craig
    Bluford Shops
     
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  18. CraigfromBlufordShops

    CraigfromBlufordShops TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    As for your hopper genealogy and limiting ourselves just to N scale rib side 2-bay hoppers:
    The new Bluford car is a 30'6" USRA car built for more than 75 railroads and private car fleets. http://www.bluford-shops.com/bluford_93_031.htm
    The Atlas car is a fish-belly side hopper popular with a large number of railroads. http://www.atlasrr.com/NFreight/nfishbelly6.htm
    The Micro-Trains car is a 33' car used by DL&W, GM&O, RI, Southern and especially Virginian who passed their fleet to N&W. http://micro-trainsline.com/nscale/nfreight/05600440
    The Bowser GLa hopper is slightly smaller than the USRA car and was developed by PRR. It found its was to a number of affiliated and neighboring railroads. http://www.bowser-trains.com/new/nscalegla.html
    Lastly is the Bachmann car which is based on the 30'6" USRA hopper design but has been modified (not sure which railroad it matches with the modifications.)
    Craig
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2015
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  19. christoph

    christoph TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you for the information, Craig. The hopper car genealogy is very helpful. The USRA cars seem to be a must for most modellers.

    Concering the couplers, it's my fault, I have a set of SAL Woodchip Hoppers here, but had not yet unpacked them. Sorry for placing misinformation, it was based on the other, older Bluford hoppers I have. The new couplers work well, so far I had no problems with these couplers in other cars.

    Now I am waiting for the new cars to appear in my dealers webshop....
     
  20. Randy Stahl

    Randy Stahl TrainBoard Supporter

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    I buy from all manufacturers with equal impunity.
     
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