I was wondering If any one knows of a manufacturer that makes a hopper car that could be used for hauling copper ore in Ho scale or a one that could work and would fit in 2012 seting . Thanks
~ Tim .
To see photos of my HO scale / 1/64 scale layout and diorama photos base in the present day . http://www.flickr.com/photos/icr140/
Walthers is the main option for the sort of short cars that are used to haul iron.Bowser makes some PRR prototype cars and Model Power has some, too. But these are pretty much all IRON ore cars.
Although I'm no Copper Country expert, I'm not sure there's really anyone making a car specifically for copper ore, although there are a number of older prototype models that could be used. For a modern, 2012 copper ore car, zilch AFAIK. No one is mining copper in Michigan anymore. Idaho is done IIRC. In Arizona, I think there are some ops still hanging on -- maybe.
The Arizona copper shortlines probably had the most modern equipment, but nothing is available in kits for those AFAIK.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Have you seen this from the UP? Copper Connection. Before you get too excited, it looks like the copper products are refined not that far from the mines (mostly in Utah and Arizona), and then the refined products are shipped by Boxcar, container, or gondola.
Ah, here we go, the Copper Basin railroad, in Arizona - this may help. (operating at least as of 2011). Good luck modeling those Gondolas - from this site, the current copper ore cars sort of resemble air-dump gondolas with high sides, and the older ones (SP) - hard to describe, almost European looking, like the center sill is missing in the middle of the car (dump chutes at that location?)
Just for completeness, here's the wiki on "Copper mining in the United States"
"A Kennecott Copper ore haulage train rolls south along the huge ore crusher and concentrator complex that made the railroad superfluous. By 2001 the efficiency of the slurry eclipsed any need for a railroad and the ore trains were shut down permanently."
Above caption for photo at taken at Copperton Utah dated June 5, 1994 link below:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=391936&nseq=0
Copper slurry is probably transported by pipeline.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
I've been trying to find HO scale models of the Copper Basin ore cars that run between the Ray Mine and smelter for several years.
No one that I know of has ever made a model of these special cars in any scale or any material.
Thanks for all the answers, think I well go with plan B gravel pit .