B&O Hoppers

[modelbob]

One of the track planning idea books I purchased recently has a nice article on a PRR layout inspired by Horseshoe Curve. The layout is too big for my space, but I did like a couple of the photos and plan to try and create a train similiar to one of the shots. It's got mostly PRR hoppers (I've got that covered with my Bowser 12 pack) but one of the first cars is a B&O hopper with the B&O lettering being really large, taking up most of the cars.

Upon seeing the photo, I recalled seeing cars like that as a kid, at least on occasion.

Now I'm wondering where to get one in HO? I'd prefer it to be a coal hopper, from the 1940's or early 50's era, since I'm doing the late steam period. Any ideas on where to find one?

 

[modelbob]

PS - B&O hoppers are fairly easy to find, the trick so far is finding one with the large lettering.

 

[sushob]

Something like this?
http://www.stewarthobbies.com/img691/10140.jpg
http://www.stewarthobbies.com/img691/10303.jpg
http://www.stewarthobbies.com/img691/10339.jpg
Or even larger?

Those are both Stewart products. Their (Stewart Hobbies) website shows 'sold out,' but I'm sure you can find them somewhere if you're interested (hmm )

 

[George D]

Try Accurail. http://www.accurail.com/accurail/art/2500/2533.jpg

George

 

[modelbob]

> Try Accurail.

I always find the stuff I want on Accurail after they're out of production. Those are about what I'm looking for, but all they have is the decals and I don't want to have to decal the cars and then put a coat of dullcote on etc. I've never had real good luck with decals, though it's been a long time since I tried one.

 

[George D]

Sorry, I didn't read the fine print.
George

 

[modelbob]

> Sorry, I didn't read the fine print.

Don't feel bad, their website can be a bit confusing. I wanted a 12 pack of the wood side PRR hoppers they offered but alas they too were out of production. It took me a few moments of looking around to figure out why I couldn't order them.

Accurail does lots limited run paint jobs. It's nice in that they offer a lot of selection that way, but on the other hand, if you see one you like you'd better grab it before they stop production of that scheme.

 

[modelbob]

I found one of the B&O hoppers last weekend, down at the beach.

OK, not really at the beach, but at a small hobby shop near the beach in Ocean Shores, WA. They're called "Apple Train Hobbies" (I think he was originally in eastern Washington, which is apple country.)

They always have a nice selection and I usually manage to find something interesting there. I thought he'd closed as he moved since the last time I visited, but he was just up the street from the old place. He's building a nice looking new display layout, should be a good one.

In any case, I went back and started looking over all his Accurail stuff. Now that I know they do all this limited production stuff, I try and look through any Accurail stuff I find, hoping to find something I want but that's out of production. Of course here on the west Coast finding PRR and B&O stuff is a bit more of a challenge, but it's not difficult.

So I guess the moral of the story is to check your local hobby shop. Some of this stuff sits on the shelf a while before being sold, so they may have old stock that you're trying to find.