I just picked up a bunch of LBF bethgons, but I have to say that the quality of these things leaves a lot to be desired. The coal loads not only look pretty unrealistic (something I could live with and maybe fix up a bit) but they don't even fit very well in the cars. Also, the cars are weighted down with a couple of loose squares of metal that also function as the slanted parts of the hopper bottoms. Granted they're older models, but newer CSX bethgons by other makers are almost impossible to come by (I already have both Kato sets and the Athearn ones are nowhere to be found), so I took a chance on these. In any event, does anyone have any experience with these cars and maybe some tips on improving them a bit?
I have a bunch of them. I CA the metal weights down to where they are suppose to sit and look slanted and as for the coal loads I use woodland scenics foam glue and role them in some woodland scenics medium cinders ballast in a container and the loads come out pretty good.
I was thinking of doing something like that with the coal loads too. How did you get them to fit properly? It seems like the sides might have to be sanded down a bit, as they tend to get jammed up when I try to insert them.
I just discovered that the Kato loads fit inside the LBF cars. Since the insides don't look very prototypical, I might just fill them all with the Kato loads and use my Kato bethgons for empties trains.
Chris, I agree that the Kato cars are superior with crisper painting and the BEST loads from the box!! The trucks are also in their prototypical spots. The one thing that I didn't like about the Katos was how the inside looked without the load. Granted it was a "clean" look inside, unlike the LBF cars, the slope sheets aren't even sloped! That is where Kato places the weight also, but it's just so large that it doesn't have that "empty car" feel to it. Athearn made two runs of the CSX cars, the first run was supposed to be the aluminum 37xxxx series, but it had a plastic-looking silver colour to it. The printing was very nice on these too and the loads were pretty good but that silver was very disconcerting especially when put next to the Katos, which were bang-on!!! The second run was in the 38xxxx series of cars which are the black cars. You are right in that these are very rare to find indeed. I once had two complete sets of the supposed-to-be-aluminum silver sets but sold them off within the last couple of years as I've back-dated my layout to '89-'92. I was never able to get the black Athearn cars as they somehow slipped past me in the pre-order way of ordering things. Which cars are the ones you picked up? The coal load is made to be tight, as that's what holds the weights in place. Did the cars come with the bracing inside? All the cars that I have bought new came with two braces inside. Mind you, they were loose and not attached but I will one day get to that too! I'd say that the best thing about the E&C/LBF/Hubert's cars was the fact that they usually came out in runs of 12, if not 24 numbers per run. I know I've got at least two sets of 48 in the black scheme, as these will make up a couple of loaded and empty run-through trains on my layout. Don't forget about Deluxe Innovations cars too, as they made the grey cars and the black cars too. Trevor D.
Fool that I am, I sold off a complete set of the black Athearn bethgons a few years ago, when I decided I didn't have time to play with trains anymore :frustrated: I'll be doing penance for that for a long time to come. I noticed the odd shape of the Kato insides, but I still think it looks better than the LBFs. Perhaps they could be improved by covering the weights with a thin sheet of styrene. I'll keep a look out for the Deluxe Innovations models too, I hadn't heard of them before.
Well, I think all of the coalporters have their strengths and weaknesses. I really like the Katos except for the overly thick walls and rim around the top. By themselves, it's not a huge issue even though it still bugs me. And the slightly thinner (but still too thick IMHO) walls on the DI cars don't contrast so much with the Kato's so they can run together OK. But put Kato's next to E&C/LBF (including Bethgons, Aluminators, and AeroFlo's) and they look really bad....the contrast is just too distracting to me. So for my "coalporter-centric" BN/BNSF train I've somewhat standardized on the E&C/LBF cars even though they have issues of their own. The BN/BNSF "dogs breakfast" trains have AeroFlo's and Aluminators, so I try to match LBF bethgons, along with a couple of Athearns and DI's that don't contrast too much. The other "coalporter" train I have is a UP train using SATX bethgons from DI, and then I also backfill with Kato CHTT cars since I don't have enough of the DI SATX cars. The weights are just a necessary evil. There was a company that did "plate weights" for the Atlas triple hopper that were custom fit to hug the bottom and not look too unreal... probably the best idea and it would be neat if someone did something similar for the various n-scale unit coal cars. Regarding the loads...I think E&C was just banking that most would buy aftermarket loads anyway so no reason to go overboard....their "filler" loads could also be modified to look better if one chose to go that route. Likely a way to knock a few bucks off the MSRP to keep the price manageable for a unit train. I completely agree that the Kato loads are far and away the best option and I am retrofitting all of my coalporters, aeroflo's, aluminators, and 100T triple hoppers with the Katos. May eventually do the coalveyors too.
The only problem is that the Kato parts page says they won't be available until June 2012. Wait, what?
Are the insides of these cars sloped at all? These cars are designed for rotary dumping not bottom discharge so slope sheets would be unnecessary. I never was able to look inside one of them to see for sure.
chris i did the same thing i bought 12 of the e/c shop cars they look so much better with kato loads in them they will get repainted to NS colors asap im getting tired of the only kato bethgon selling for $129 on the bay
This is the best shot I could come up with of the inside: View attachment 51537 It does look sloped to me, certainly more so than the Kato design.
Hey Chris, IF you're in the market for more, I've got 20 Deluxe Grey cars still left and 12 of the E&C/LBF silver ones. I've had them posted on N scale yardsale on the yahoo groups. I might also have some duplicate numbers of the black cars too! PM me if interested, Trevor D.
