Herzog Ballast Hoppers?

[Dough]

I saw in interesting ballast train today on CSX that contained over 50 of the Herzog ballast hoppers. I found the decals at the site below, but I can't find an actual model of the 50' Thrall ballast car. Does anybody know if these are made in HO?

http://mopac1.tripod.com/oddballs3.htm#HER

Here is the picture of the decals"
http://mopac1.tripod.com/818.gif

Thanks!

[ericsp]

I think I saw these (the prototype) once. I seem to recall they looked like the MDC Thrall High-side Gondola with side dump gates. This might be the easiest way to model one.

[Dough]

Wow, I think you are exactly right! Thats great, now I just have to figure out what color paint, and how to make the dump gates on the bottom. I really wi***hat I could have taken better shots of them, but it was just moving too fast. If any of you have any pics of the gates, I would really appreaciate it.

BTW they have a little video on here that shows it in operation:
http://www.herzogcompanies.com/rrservices/plus.php

[Noah Hofrichter]

I'm also interested in Modeling these, as many go to Rock springs WI, a town near me, and get loaded with pink.purple rock for ballast on the UP. You brought this up at the perfect time!

Noah

[Dough]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

I'm also interested in Modeling these, as many go to Rock springs WI, a town near me, and get loaded with pink.purple rock for ballast on the UP. You brought this up at the perfect time!

Noah

Well great! If you get the chance I would REALLY appreaciate it if you could get some pictures of the lower side. Specificially the doors and any pipes that you can see. I'm really thinking about trying to get a prototype done over Christmas so I'd be more than happy to share my results.

Also what is the deal with Roundhouse? Apparently they are owned by Horizon as well? Walthers no longer stocks Roundhouse products and they are the only ones that I can find who make the Thrall 50' High Side Gondola in HO. I see a few here and there on the internet, but does anybody know a good source for the undecorated ones?

Also, does anybody want to take a guess at what color I should use?

Thanks!

[Noah Hofrichter]

I have a few pictures of the cars, but not anything really close yet, the only ones I ahve are from a good 100 feet away or at least if memory serves correctly. And, unfortunately the Ballast trains are done for the season. I know some one makes those doors like that are on the cars, I'll look around the Walthers website.

Well, I couldn't find anything on the Walthers website, but I found a car that hose doors are on them, there from eastern car works. From a friend I know your supposed to be able to get just the gates, but I'm nto sure where. I'll check around for some pictures, and maybe get back to you.

[edit] I found them! At discount trains.com. they are here:

http://www.discounttrainsonline.com/Eastern-Car-Works-Freight-Car-Detail-MK-Ballast-Doors/item117-9100.html

There is no picture, but they are the same as on this car:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/117-2200

which I belive are real simalar to the ones on the Hertzog cars.

Noah

[Dough]

Hey that's great. I'll order a set and see how the look. I'm the same as you with regards to pictures, but if they have some premade then I don't need to worry too much about it.

Thanks again!

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

I'm also interested in Modeling these, as many go to Rock springs WI, a town near me, and get loaded with pink.purple rock for ballast on the UP. You brought this up at the perfect time!

Noah

back in sept. i think it was there were a bunch of these ballast cars sitting in town. i mean there had to have been about 15 of them just sitting in town. then one day i hear a whistle and go and i catch a train of probably 50-75 of just herzog cars. then i come back into town and hear another whistle and its a bunch of CNW ballast cars laying some ballast on the tracks in town. i think i have pictures on my site of least a car or something maybe.

it'd be nice to have a few of these cars seeing as i'm starting to buy more and more UP locos.

[Dough]

Thanks, I checked it out. It appears that you are going to have a tie gang if you haven't already judgeing from all of those crossties on the side. That is always an interesting operation.

[ericsp]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hawks05

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

I'm also interested in Modeling these, as many go to Rock springs WI, a town near me, and get loaded with pink.purple rock for ballast on the UP. You brought this up at the perfect time!

Noah

back in sept. i think it was there were a bunch of these ballast cars sitting in town. i mean there had to have been about 15 of them just sitting in town. then one day i hear a whistle and go and i catch a train of probably 50-75 of just herzog cars. then i come back into town and hear another whistle and its a bunch of CNW ballast cars laying some ballast on the tracks in town. i think i have pictures on my site of least a car or something maybe.

it'd be nice to have a few of these cars seeing as i'm starting to buy more and more UP locos.

Here is one that has a pretty good view of the gates.
http://www.freewebs.com/jimstrains/UP2984.jpg

The engineer is on the right side of the cab. The conductor is on the left side. That is the conductor waving.
http://www.freewebs.com/jimstrains/UP3030close.jpg

[cisco1]

Herzog has a shop near here in St. Joseph. They always have anywhere from 40 to 100 of these cars getting maintenance or repair. Could probably get some photos for you if you want. Also they've got a Trackmobile and an old switcher (maybe a SW7?).
Chris

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

I'm also interested in Modeling these, as many go to Rock springs WI, a town near me, and get loaded with pink.purple rock for ballast on the UP. You brought this up at the perfect time!

Noah

Hey, I lived in Rock Springs for three years in the '80s!

Sure wish I would've taken more pictures while I was there, as I wasn't quite as much the railfan then that I am nowadays. [:(]

[Noah Hofrichter]

Sure is one quite little town ain't it. If the main hi-way didn't go through, I doubt there'd be much there! You would ahve been there back when the CNW ran a few trains a day, now the Wisconsin and Southern runs three a week plus one or two UP ballast trains a week during the summer. The line belongs to the UP, but the WSOR switches it, and runs UP ballast trains for UP to the quarry, using UP power. THere are a few pictures on my Website at www.railimages.com/gallery/noahhofrichter (if that didn't work look in my sig.

Noah

[Dough]

cisco1, I would really appreciate any pics that you could get. I would like a close up of the doors on the bottom if that is at all possible. My pictures are about the same as the rest of these. All that you can see is the slide, and nothing else.

Also I would like to fini***his up and make an order. Does anybody know where I can find Rounhouse 480-1640? It is the undecorated model. That seems to be the only company that makes them. They have it listed in an old Walthers, but they no longer carry Roundhouse. If not then I will just strip down a decorated one.

What color paint? I must admit that this will be the first car that I have ever painted. I'm going to finally get an airbrush and give it a try.

Finally, I had no idea how many colors there were of ballast. Any recomendations for a "new ballast" color?

Thanks again...

[ericsp]

The paint looks close to Boxcar Red. Your challenge here is the decals.

As for the gondola, there is a thread somewhere here that lists various internet dealers. You might check with your local hobby shop to see if their distributor(s) still have any. Athearn probably will rerelease them sometime in the future, although it could be years.

[Dough]

Actually, I'm very lucky on the decals. Here is the site that I got the picture from above. They have quite a selection of unusual decals:

http://mopac1.tripod.com/oddballs3.htm

Now applying them may be a different story...

[Anonymous]

I really like the Oddballs decals, he has a lot a neat prototypes nobody else does. Just be a little bit cautious and treat them tenderly until you get a finish coat (Dullcoat or similar) over them, because unlike Microscale, they will scratch off. Otherwise, you can expect very good results.[:)]