ATLAS 3 BAY CYLINDRICAL HOPPER SCHEMES

Al, You're asks certainly aren't off base by any means.  With the fractured market that is O, if I were a manufacturer I would certainly look for ways to minimize products produced, while trying to provide the core segments the features that they are asking for.  

Mike DeBerg,

RIGHT ON!! Hit the majority while working with the minority having respect for both.

JMO,but if Lionel,MTH & Atlas would've worked to develop "scale" models,not toyish models that 7 year olds might be happy with,starting back in the 60s & working up to present day,what an industry O Scale would be now!!! 

I congratulate Atlas for their high detail in their Master Line of freight cars. The Trainman line is next,but needs improvement. Lionel,you're starting to "step up to the plate," too & that's GREAT & thank you. Believe me,the "serious" modelers are watching. MTH,you've made great strides in freight & locomotives,thank you & keep bringing products of high quality to us.

To all the manufacturers,we modelers want models that are scale that have separate grab irons,ladders,airlines,etc.,things that make our models stand out. Make your model details fit the model.  Modern cars & loco's need shelf couplers because the newer prototypes are built with them,anything else isn't real. O scale needs to be competitive with other scales so it has to be  able to offer models of the same quality as models from other scales have, or just forget it. I'm 5 years into O Scale,but am not too far along to sell out & return to HO where everything's available. O Scale has the size advantage to offer other things that lower scales can't or if they can,O can make them more realistic because of size. I'm not the only modeler that's "hedging" between scales. Many are in other scales "looking in," to see if they want to commit. It's up to you manufacturers to put those models out there & make them so we the customers will buy them.

Thanks,Mike.

Al Hummel

But, that is one of the things that Atlas does ..... produce very uncommon, but prototypically correct, road names and paint schemes.

I will be soon be purchasing a pair of Atlas Master tank cars, of which only 2 were actually built for G.A.F. Chemicals. I think that's pretty cool. I guess others feel the same.

But, you're right .... Atlas must also be responsive to everyone.

I like Atlas a lot .... going back to my teenage HO days. I very well may end up with only Atlas products, and maybe one 3rd Rail engine, on my small 2-rail layout.

Here's a pic for you of the Conrail- can't find the SBD-

JEFF78RR,

Thank you. Any idea the era when that was taken? Looks like a ConRail coupled behind it too.

Al Hummel

Alan,

Hang in there and don't go back to the dark side. I am 90% retired working about 15 hours a week and recovering from the death of my wife last June. Atlas may not know this but they have given me much to enjoy in the past months because of their fidelity to scale and prototype. I am not a nut and bolt counter so I have Trainman as well as Master line. Probably 90% of what I have is Atlas. Yes, I wish their offerings were more readily available with time lines more in line with Sunset 3rd Rail. But I do enjoy the product line. I miss their Forum.

Dick

If it wasn't for Atlas I wouldn't be in O scale, let alone 2-rail. I'm into detail and accuracy and that's why I like Atlas so much. All of my rolling stock is either Master/Big O or Trainman (mostly PS-4750 covered hoppers). I refuse to buy any MTH or Lionel scale rolling stock with Kadee mounting pads and separate sale 2-rail trucks. If either was truly interested in a 2-rail modeler then these railroad cars would already come with scale wheels and couplers just like Atlas offers us. I don't want to pay an extra $25 for scale wheels and couplers on top of what the 3-rail car costs.

CBQER:

My Sympathy on the passing of your wife,truly.I'm glad Atlas has given you enjoyment especially during this difficult time.

Yes,Atlas is a great company & MTH & now Lionel are "digging their heels in." O Scale has made many great strides forward since I marveled at the O scale kits made by Walthers back in the 70s. I used to look at their catalog for hours & wish I had the money to buy those Waffle Boxcar kits in B&O,C&O and Chessie.  I think O could make many great advancements even faster if the manufacturers would cooperate with modelers & each other.

What type industry do you have for your tankers as I like those too.

Al Hummel

ACF started building these cars in 1961-66, over 4000 were built for a number of private owners and RRs at that time. This was the first entry by Atlas in the O scale market sometime in the late 90s I believe and the first run 3 bay I think were only available as a 3 rail model The Conrail scheme was offered in that first run,the late Jim Weaver who headed up the O gauge line was committed to accurate 1/4 " scale models as the direction Atlas went in entering this market [MTH and Lionel eventually started moving towards better scale models] obviously in the last 50+ years most of these cars have seen repainting as RRs merged and most have now been scrapped, weather the Seaboard System actually ever repainted any of these cars [they probably inherited some from the RRs that merged into their system] to the scheme they used will only be known if someone has a picture. Historical societies are a good source for this kind of info. Atlas has produced this car in both versions a number of times over the years, it is not uncommon to see cancellations of certain rd names and sometimes the whole run for a lack of sufficient reservations in todays  BTO business. 

BANJOFLYER,

Car 247818 is a 4600 cu ft cvd hopper which would also be a very nice addition to Atlas' models as the 4600 was in existence in the early 60s right up into present day.  SBD 240622,is a 3510 as listed on Atlas model. 

Thank you for the pic's.

Al Hummel

Atlas ran a line of their 3 bay cylindrical hoppers a few years back with SEABOARD SYSTEM and CONRAIL lettering schemes.
 I imagine more schemes were offered but my point here is the lettering schemes offered and the age of the model seem
 to conflict and this is just my opinion,correct me if I'm wrong.

I have both Conrail versions [red and grey] and Both are correct. Since the Cylindrical hopper was done during the Jim Weaver Era, it was researched and done correcly for it's mfg time. 

Here is a newer grey one:

http://conrailphotos.thecrhs.o.../CoveredHoppers/3Bay

NOW as far as  the SBD [ Seaboard System] acf cylyndrical hopper car goes, I can't find an on- line picture HOWEVER in my ACF book by Edward Kaminski [ who also worked at ACF] on Pg 268 in Chapter six covered hoppers there is a photo of a SEABOARD Acf cylindrical hopper a lot of 5 #35700-35704 3500 cubit ft- 3 compartment with round roof hatches , gravity outlets and 100 ton trucks. Built may 1965 at the Huntington plant.  Since there were five and the life span of these cars was 40+ years, I am sure at least one may have been outshopped and painted in the SBD merger scheme. With only 5 cars, this may explain the lack of photos.