Finishing up the Long Coal Drag by building all the hopper kits in my unbuilt kit collection. These last three are plain old Athearn blue box kits. Same kit, three different paint schemes.
This gets the long coal drag up to 28 hoppers and a caboose. The AHM Berkshire still pulls them with ease. I get a really impressive coupler slack runout on startup. I still have a few more train set junkers that could be brought up to spec, but I think I will make coal loads for this batch first.
The Athearn slope sheet weights need a bit of filing before they fit snugly into their pockets. I put some silicone bathtub caulk under each slope sheet weight and then used a small C-clamp to press the weight tightly into place. The cars come out weighing onlt 2.5 ounces whereas the NMRA standard called for 3.25 ounces. I made additional slope sheet weights from sheet lead and glued then to the inside. After a coat of dark gray auto primer on the inside of the hopper the lead weights are barely visible. And they will be underneath the coal loads.
These kits have operating hopper doors, which I ignore, I glued them all shut. Trucks received a coat of dark gray auto primer followed by some drybrushing of rust. I think next time I will just paint the trucks with red auto primer.
I have a BMHS modeler's notes, which lists a bunch of things you could do to these cars, full brake rigging, train air line down one side, redoing the slope sheet braces, but I didn't do anything of them.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I know the B&O quad hopper version of that kit (1756 on my boxes if I recall right) very well but I do not know the triple hopper version with those sides. Interesting -- does anyone know when that was cataloged?
And yes they do need more weight, in fact even fully weighted there are sometimes tracking issues with those Athearn quad hoppers for whatever design reason. I think Adair shops makes a heavier weight for them that I might explore, but your idea of an added lead weight is an intersting (and cheaper) alternative.
Dave Nelson
If you haven't already check the frame for warpage on a piece of glass as far as weight I used BBs with Elmers white glue to hold them in place on my old Athearn 34' 2 bay hopper cars since they was a tad to light for my taste..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
dknelson......but I do not know the triple hopper version with those sides. Interesting -- does anyone know when that was cataloged?
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
My friend from the UK, asked me months ago if I could find Him a ''A'' side end for a car like this and He sent me this pic', titled: Athearn kit in Roundhouse box. I found the ''A'' ends for Him.
Take Care!
Frank
Ah yes. I did photograph the wrong car. With 28 of the little devils on the track in front of me I got mixed up. Here is the car I meant to post. Sorry about that.
BRAKIE If you haven't already check the frame for warpage on a piece of glass as far as weight I used BBs with Elmers white glue to hold them in place on my old Athearn 34' 2 bay hopper cars since they was a tad to light for my taste..
Agree w/ Brakie, there are sometimes warpage at the frame/ draft gear frame ends. this along w/ the frames loose fit and mainly held by the truck screws. I will check for warpage, straighten (over bending if nec), and glue the frame in place. Most times the truck screws are a tad too long and not allow the truck screws to set the trucks properly. Securing the coupler box to the end "lattice" frame seems to work best for me. Been years since building these, the Bowser 70 and 100 ton also benefit from securing the frame to the body ends. Helps provide consistant coupler heights as well.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org