Looking for a hopper that could realistically be used in a MoW train for dumping ballast along the rails. Doesn't need to necessarily be prototypical for one road, but something that would "look acceptable" on most HO layouts. Prefer to have the doors/chutes open on the left and right side versus directly dumping into the middle. Something kit based would be ideal, but I'm sure I can modify about anything to work....Also, I'd like it to have a pretty good size load area since it will have to house a small motor, a decoder, and a few other thing as well as the ballast.
Suggestions on a kit or even a RTR piece?
Going to move forward with the automated ballast car this weekend and begin testing a few things.
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MDC/Roundhouse made both ribbed and offset side versions of ballast hoppers with non-working side discharge hoppers, and you may still be able to find them in hobbyshops. Atlas released an offset side version not too long ago, but it is also non-operating. Tyco had a ribbed sided hopper with operating side discharge hoppers, although they weren't longitudinal like the Atlas or MDC cars: closer to the style of hopper used on a covered hopper. In fact, the cars were offered with a snap-in top that increased the height of the car by about 2 or 3 feet, and had moulded-on hatches. As I recall, the working hopper doors worked very easily, but didn't seal well at all. A short jaunt down the track would pretty-well empty a load of scale coal or ballast without having to actually open the doors.
Wayne