I have a half dozen N scale "Big John" style covered hoppers, but I don't remember who made them. Does anyone know? And while I'm at it, does anyone know who makes dimensional data decals for them? I know Microscale makes the "Big John" decal, but that's all. See: http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2...arch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high= Thanks for any information.
As a Fun Fact, the SOU's Big John hoppers brought about a landmark rate case in the 1960s that went all the way to the Supreme Court I believe. Always the innovator, SOU introduced reduced freight rates when these large cars were used in hope of luring tonnage off waterways and other railroads too. In this era of continued overregulation of railroad affairs, the ICC intervened and denied the SOU's rate application. The SOU refused to retreat and took the case forward, successfully proving that the large cars indeed reduced railroad operating cost and were worthy of reduced rates. I wish I knew the specifications, but the Big Johns were 4-Bay with outside vertical bracing. Truly jumbo cars for their era. Roco/Con-Cor made this body style, maybe others?
Ah, Con Cor! That's it. I found a Con Cor on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/193302126900?hash=item2d01b46134:g:uN0AAOSwBXldrIZc Thanks!
I purchased one in June 1969 at a hobby shop in Phoenix, AZ that was in an AHM box, but made by Roco. Con Cor released the same car in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Carter
im bringing the Big John to market as a 3D print w/ 2-3 versions should be test printing in the next few weeks.
