Has anyone re-made/sold these hoppers: http://cgi.ebay.com/Z-L-K-FR-C-O-Chessie-System-Hopper-3rd-Rd-331692_W0QQitemZ6040881237QQcategoryZ7276QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Or cast them in resin. I could use a few, those 3 bay-er's are too modern for me.
More here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Z-Scale-C-O-31-2-Bay-Fishbelly-Hopper-300432-FR-NIB_W0QQitemZ6029824611QQcategoryZ7276QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
chris, the FR (Freudenreich) cars are hand made in germany and cost a lot. if you want to have some fun (and like building) go to Z scale monster (.com) and look at Robert Ray's hopper kits. they're laser cut from thin plywood, but make into excellent cars. 3 in a pack they are the best value to date. there are three variations on the hopper, one with "V" side, and two others with different side-brace arrangements. it's what i'm going to do. i've built (am building) his centerbeam flats, and they are just superbly engineered. you might want to take a look. dave f.
I can build those cars real easy, but you would have to put a load in them because they would need to be weighted with 12 BB's in the hoppers to get to 8 grams weight needed for a 36' car to run reliabily. I have the drawings in my 1941 Car Builders Cyclopedia. When you are ready for some kits, we can work something out. The instructions are almost the same as for the covered hoppers. -Robert
Robert, since I cannot possibly afford the 4750's that I see on ebay, how about making some 3-bay PS-2's? 4700's, 4740, 4750's, maybe some older types? I'd love to have a BN grain train in Z....
Thanks, Yeah I know about Roberts covered hoppers, but they would look silly under a coal tipple ; ) I will try out some of the covered hoppers anyways, but would love something exactly like MT 33' hoppers in N scale. Funny they would do the PS-2 instead of an open coal hoppers, especially with Robert's kits??? Robert, I might take you up on that, but first I need to get some track down and get things running. I wonder if Alan Curtis could cast one of these open hoppers in metal? Of course he would need the family's permission.
Those 3 bay hoppers look great, but are way to modern for me. I'd want to model the 1950's with a little leeway from 1945-60ish. I know I'm a pain in the butt My plan is to model the Erie RR and after 1960 all their equipment got a coat of primer gray (EL) So my absolute cut off would be 1960, but want to keep it around 50-55.
