Hi all,
I'm looking for some help with expanding my freight rolling stock in N scale. I've spent nearly two decades building a collection of KATO models since I was in high school. I've collected passenger rolling stock (Amtrak, Eurostar, Nozomi 500, Orient Express, Morning Daylight), a bunch of KATO locomotives (Union Pacific and BNSF), and some KATO Maxi-I's and BNSF Bethgon Coalporters. However, KATO doesn't have much else in terms of freight rolling stock.
I'm looking at building up several types of freight, but am not sure which manufacturer to get them from. I'd like to ask around here and hear your opinions. I'm going to list what I'm looking for.
1) I've been struggling to find at least a couple more 8-car BNSF Mineral Red Bethgon coalporters from kATO. It seems like every store online is sold out of these. The new ones up on KATO doesn't match the paint scheme on the ones I have. The ones I have have a nice red / brown wraparound paint on one end of each car, while the new KATO release is nearly all silver with no wraparound paint on the car ends.
2) I'm trying to look at a tractor trailer freight haul. Meaning, flatbed train cars with tractor trailers on top. I'm not sure what these specific cars with tractor trailer load are called. I've seen Youtube videos of real life trains hauling flatbed cars with 2 tractor trailers on each. I think a 85' flatbed with 2x 40' tractor trailers on them.
Where can I get my hands on some? Atlas? MicroTrains? Another manufacturer?
3) I traveled on Amtrak's Empire Builder train several times, and I saw long BNSF train consists of these brown hopper cars that haul grain from the Midwest. What are the proper classification for these hoppers?
What are good manufacturers for these kinds of hoppers? Preferably BNSF Midwest grain hoppers?
4) What are good tanker cars to model BNSF, Union Pacific, and West / Northwest / northern Midwest regions of the US? Again, what would be good manufacturers for these?
I know this is a lot to read. I'm trying to get a good idea of what modern era freight to model alongside my existing passenger collection, and I figured you guys would be a good source of information and advice. Thanks in advance for any and all help with this.
I'm looking for some help with expanding my freight rolling stock in N scale. I've spent nearly two decades building a collection of KATO models since I was in high school. I've collected passenger rolling stock (Amtrak, Eurostar, Nozomi 500, Orient Express, Morning Daylight), a bunch of KATO locomotives (Union Pacific and BNSF), and some KATO Maxi-I's and BNSF Bethgon Coalporters. However, KATO doesn't have much else in terms of freight rolling stock.
I'm looking at building up several types of freight, but am not sure which manufacturer to get them from. I'd like to ask around here and hear your opinions. I'm going to list what I'm looking for.
1) I've been struggling to find at least a couple more 8-car BNSF Mineral Red Bethgon coalporters from kATO. It seems like every store online is sold out of these. The new ones up on KATO doesn't match the paint scheme on the ones I have. The ones I have have a nice red / brown wraparound paint on one end of each car, while the new KATO release is nearly all silver with no wraparound paint on the car ends.
2) I'm trying to look at a tractor trailer freight haul. Meaning, flatbed train cars with tractor trailers on top. I'm not sure what these specific cars with tractor trailer load are called. I've seen Youtube videos of real life trains hauling flatbed cars with 2 tractor trailers on each. I think a 85' flatbed with 2x 40' tractor trailers on them.
Where can I get my hands on some? Atlas? MicroTrains? Another manufacturer?
3) I traveled on Amtrak's Empire Builder train several times, and I saw long BNSF train consists of these brown hopper cars that haul grain from the Midwest. What are the proper classification for these hoppers?
What are good manufacturers for these kinds of hoppers? Preferably BNSF Midwest grain hoppers?
4) What are good tanker cars to model BNSF, Union Pacific, and West / Northwest / northern Midwest regions of the US? Again, what would be good manufacturers for these?
I know this is a lot to read. I'm trying to get a good idea of what modern era freight to model alongside my existing passenger collection, and I figured you guys would be a good source of information and advice. Thanks in advance for any and all help with this.