The Walthers NACC 5 bay PD hopper models one of my favorite prototypes. These cars were famously painted in Wonder Bread/Hostess Cake and other billboard schemes. They offer a visual flair in a world of dull gray hoppers. While the body of the Walthers car was well proportioned, the details were lacking. This is especially evident on the end cages that "featured" grabs a scale 8" thick! These cars deserve an upgrade... John (Lemosteam over on The Railwire) who runs Keystone Details has worked with me to produce an upgrade kit for the model: This kit would be etched in nickel or stainless steel and feature the following. End cages Separate grabs and steps in two versions Crossover platforms, walkways and walkway bracing Brake wheel and brake cylinder supports Hanger brackets for outlet pipes and air intake lines Slot and tabbed construction Bending jigs Instructions The goal is to update these cars to the level of detail that can be found on the Trainworx PD3000 hopper. Modeler would need to provide BLMA/Atlas under-slung trucks, MTL medium length 2002 under-slung couplers and brake details from MTL, IM or Precision Scale Co. I would like to sell these kits at about $12-15 each. All funds would be used to produce other similar upgrade kits in the future. I am making these primarily for myself as I am modeling the Wonder Bread factory in Natick, MA. But if there is interest, I can run additional sheets and create instructions.
