ACF 2 bay hopper.

K-Line did some in aluminum which weren't too bad.

MTH did them in plastic. The ladders and details are a bit thick, but they aren't too bad.

Ed Reutling did one by slicing and reassembling an early Weaver 4-bay ACF.

I also recall seeing one in brass, but I can't remember the manufacturer.

A Trainman version would be nice if they can thin down the details. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much to separate it from the MTH model.

The brass ACF 2 bay center flow cars were made by NJ International.   They pop up now and then at O Scale meets.   The cars were quite nice, but the trucks sucked.   A good replacement would be the old Jerry Snow / Accurate O scale 100 ton trucks, or the new Protocraft ones.  Prices fluctuate on these from $150 to over $200.

Isn't this Weaver Cvd hopper an ACF:

http://www.weavermodels.com/page40.html

phill

Actually you have 3 O scale 100 ton ACF 2 bay hoppers to chose from.

Lionel's ACF two bay covered hopper similar to the Weaver 100 ton covered hoppers.  It is light and not very finely detailed.

The K-Line aluminum car is heavier and better detailed.  It may have even been offered in a 2 rail version so converting an available 3 rail car should be less challenging.

The MTH cars have received enhanced details with wire grab irons and ladders in recent years.  The cars with the improved details are also designed for kadee mounting.

If MTH upgraded their running boards to etched metal, they'd have a real winner.

I agree with Dave on that.  With the already enhanced end details adding metal running boards would make the MTH hopper an outstanding model.

Here is a look at the end details on a recent MTH two bay ACF covered hopper.

You can have a look at examples of all three cars in the O Scale Freight Car Guide to 100 ton Covered Hoppers.

https://ogrforum.com/t...-ton-covered-hoppers

For information on models of other types of freight cars look to O Scale Freight Car Guide central. 

https://ogrforum.com/t...le-freight-car-guide

Isn't this Weaver Cvd hopper an ACF:

 Bob

That is a 1930s design for a 70 ton covered hopper.  ACF and others built many similar cars.  The ACF centerflow design came along in the 60s and is still common today.

 As most of you know, I'm a big fan and buyer of MTH products. I really like some of their cars, like the high cube box cars for ex. I feel they need to step up the rest of their line of cars to compete and be considered by average two rail modelers. Although they are rugged, some detailing is just too big to look realistic. The stirrup steps on the bottom for example, would be better if they were metal?

 I can't believe that Atlas doesn't do better sales than they do. Their car's detailing is excellent. Some are fragile. Some of Lionel's cars seem to be striking a good balance. I've actually been buying them. Please don't let big L fans know that. I'd like to keep things, the way they are.

I'd like to see Lionel shrink their current aluminum 3 and 4 bay ACF covered hoppers down to a 2 bay version.  Those cars have it all; great brake piping, etched metal roofwalks, multiple roof hatch and outlet designs (gravity and centerflow), die cast ends with excellent ladder detail.  They convert to 2-Rail pretty easily to make a great looking car.  I just wish Microscale had more decals available for these cars as I'd like to paint them up in in some different paint schemes.

Scott

Austin, TX   

I have seen the MTH and it still doesn't come close to anything Atlas can do. MTH is still built for the visit of the grandson and the road numbers aren't enough in a run. In fact I haven't seen many road names. When most buy they want the best or close to it.

How modern do you need to get? Which decade of production by ACF American Car & Foundry which is now ARI American RailCar Industries.

The ACF Center Flow 2-Bay Covered Hopper that was produced under the K-Line brand name was the most modern ACF Center Flow 2-bay covered hopper. They made the ladders irons cast and thick, like the old Lionel Standard O Covered Hoppers. Now that Bachmann has control of the former K-Line O Scale Cars, it would take a lot of people to make requests to get that ACF Center Flow produced again.

Andrew

Falcon Service

Yes, but it's the early AC&F from the late 40s/1950s.  A nice model, but not seen anymore on the prototype. 

These are still running around though:

MTH has produced many 6-Car set of the ACF Centerflow 2-Bay Covered Hoppers. There are enough road numbers if you look for them.

6-Car 2-Bay Centerflow Hopper Set - Norfolk Southern

Nos. 235108235105235111235113235120235122

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-90610

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-90611

6-Car 2-Bay Centerflow Hopper Set - Maryland Midland

Nos. 522252215223522452305236

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-90608

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-90606

Roadname: Lehigh Cement Company

They made those. They will make more 6-Car sets if you send them a product suggestion with a specific road name.

Andrew

The former K-Line ACF Center Flow 2-Bay Covered Hopper was a 2971 Cu. Ft. Capy. Hopper.

This Southern Pacific ACF Center Flow 2-bay covered hopper is an example of the shorter and longer 2971 Cubic Foot Capacity version.

Southern Pacific was not a road name produced by K-Line. Bachmann can make the 2971 Cu. Ft. ACF Center Flow Covered Hopper. They must make some of the metal parts closer to scale thickness.

Andrew

I have seen the MTH and it still doesn't come close to anything Atlas can do. MTH is still built for the visit of the grandson and the road numbers aren't enough in a run. In fact I haven't seen many road names.

Phill

I have covered hoppers by Weaver, MTH, Lionel and both Atlas Master Line and Trainman.  If you are looking to put together a cement train you might want to look again at the MTH 2 bay centerflow hoppers. 

MTH has made several improvements to these cars since they were introduced back in 2000.  While they originally had what we would now call a Trainman level of detail they have been upgraded and they are now a cut above any trainman covered hopper.

MTH has made their 2-Bay ACF Centerflow covered hopper in several dozen road names.  Each road name  is made in two numbers.  Four road names have been done in two separately numbered 6 car sets with a total of 14 unique car numbers available in those road names. That would give a lead to MTH in the variety of road names and car numbers among the three manufacturers of 2 bay Centerflow hoppers in O scale.

A quick search of the MTH web site returned 5 pages of 2 bay Centerflow covered hoppers.  They can be seen here.

http://www.mthtrains.com/searc...line%3A%22Premier%22

A search with the Lionel product finder shows 12 items that include both the Lionel plastic and the K-line by Lionel aluminum cars.

http://www.lionel.com/Products...searchWithin=Current

I hope that the links are helpful to you or anyone else interested in modeling modern cement hoppers. 

Maybe Atlas can offer some of this style of Trinity and Pullman Standard cement hoppers along with a cement facility on this order in a semi built kit. Offer the silos and conveyor already built and the office, warehouse portion and the loading cover can be full kit needing assembly. The neat thing about a cement facility like this is the relatively small foot print it has.

Those rib-sided 3000 Cu. Ft. 2-bay covered hoppers were built by Pullman-Standard, then built by Trinity after the merger. Greenville Steel Car Co. built a similar 2-bay covered hopper before being merged into Trinity.

Andrew

FAlcon, thanks for the history of these builders. Nice to know who bought who and where we stand on car builders. I looked again at these MTH and they, for me, don't measure up to my low standards. Looking the MTH with brevity I see very heavy walks and supports and then the stirrups. Ugh. I think I could live with the rest of the car. I am older and can handle the car yet these seem produced for 8 yr olds handling. I must say I have and recieved broke  stirrups in packaging older cars without original  boxes. 

What I like about these 2 bay modern ACF hoppers is one can build a very nice scene on ones layout and not take a bunch of space. One has an opportunity with the corn sweetner tanks for a small unloading facility. I have seen two facilities with these tankers, one in Colton Cal. and another here in central Phoenix at the N. end of the SF yard. See Atlas missing the boat in not making the buildings, storage, and sheds  to go with these industries. More industry, more switch sales, more vehicle sales, more car sales.

Agree with all above about the improvements MTH has made its ACF covered hoppers.  I replace the MTH trucks with Atlas 100T ones (which lowers the height above rail), affix Kadee couplers, and even given the thick walkways and stirrups, I'm satisfied.  And they do make an impressive consist if you have a half dozen or more all together.  I'm running a weathered consist of NS, Maryland Midland, and CSX cars behind W&LE power now...looks good!

The 50 ft Airslide hopper is also worth looking at, and only MTH makes it.  As in the case of the ACF "shorties," there have been considerable improvements in this particular model over the years.  Again, with Atlas 100T trucks and Kadees, they look good.

I 2nd the MTH 50' airslide.  The newer versions with the separate grabs are nice.  The walkways are a little thick but acceptable.  They can be upgraded with metal.

Three places around Phx. that I find can use Atlas products.

Go to google and get their maps and zero in on sites as I couldn't cut and paste the satelite image

16th ave and Lincoln st. NE corner a cement unloading

7ave  and jackson st.  just south of the parking garage on  jackson. looks like a cement unloading too.

lastly the corn sweetners unloaded on north side of  Mcdowell rd. West of grand ave. about 8 th ave.

These 3 businesses are small and nicely placed along the mainline through Phoenix.

Phil