need some advice


Hey guys
first of all Merry Christmas!

Now, I have a question for you, hope you can help me here
Im looking for modern coal/ ballst open hopper that i can unload the meterials via the buttom of the car
any suggestions?..:confused: found only one at atlas but its oldtimer:(
SO i thought that would be a good idea to ask you guys...:)
 
Working bottom discharge? How modern are you looking for?

Most of today's hoppers are rotary dump, which means that bottom discharge isn't needed any longer. You may have to go back maybe 15-20 years for a car that has bottom discharge. Basically circa 1980s built. If you're running modern day trains, then the earliest you could really use is a 1970s build, to fit within the FRA 40yr lifespan.

I think some manufacturers make cars like that. Athearn Blue Box has some 3-bay hoppers. I'm pretty sure somebody made a ballast hopper, which by definition is bottom discharge. But, if you're looking for a bottom discharge Bethgon, that's a fantasy.

Kennedy
 
Im looking for modern coal/ ballst open hopper that i can unload the meterials via the buttom of the car
Hmm! post is still here, I take it Santa didn't bring you any of those bottom discharge hoppers.
Seriously I can't recall ever seeing one. I have five or six trainset two bay hoppers with bottom discharge I picked up at Train shows. I believe they are supposed to run over a pin to open the doors.
It'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack to find one like that. Have you considered trying to modify one of the Athearn hoppers? It wouldn't be too much $$ out of pocket if it doesn't work.
Cheers
Willis
 
The only issue I could see using real loads and dumping and filling is the dreaded derailments. But then again it would be pretty realistic. Think of the mess, blocked mainline, having to clean it up, some sharp words when it happens, like on the real railroads.

There was an older MR issue that had an article about an operating session were they did real loads. Sounded pretty intense. I also did see an old MR that had an actual tipple that loaded cars. I still have that laying around, would have to find it but that may be another item you'll want to do if you find those cars. In the N scale world, MT makes them, 2 bay and 3 bay.
 
hmm.. I like the idea to try to modify Athearn hoppers...
But still.. is anyone know if some of the manufacturers makes hopper with Working discharge mechanism?
that is pertty nice to load and unload the cars automaticly!:)
 



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