This is why I dig this forum. I would've never known these we're being offered. The past Trinity hoppers, hands down, are the best freight cars I own.
So do I need to join the Golden Spike Club in order to purchase them?
Rick
I think MTH has been looking at Swafford's pictures or reading this thread as well. (I'm prototypically challenged, so the cars might not be identical and Atlas' might be nicer?)
rtr
The real BNSF heritage hoppers are new 110 ton cars and have been made by both Trinity Industries and Greenbrier. The MTH covered hoppers are based on 1970s/80s era 4650 cubic foot, 100 ton cars made by ACF. The Atlas models have metal running boards and the MTH models have plastic running boards. Both models have metal end details.
The MTH models are shown on pages 110-111 of the 2014 Vol. 2 catalog. Their item numbers are:
20-97797 Frisco
20-97798 Great Northern
20-97801 Spokane, Portland & Seattle
20-97802 Burlington Route (CB&Q)
20-97803 Burlington Northern
So Atlas will have models of a couple of the cars (the ones made by Trinity) and MTH will have all of them on their closest model. Since plenty of ACF cars are still in service you wouldn't have to stretch the truth much to say the BNSF decided to apply the paint schemes to overhauled older cars if you want to have them all. I wouldn't even say it requires a trip to the Isle of Denial. 
The MTH cars are on my new want list already. So is the BNSF freight set that includes one of each car and an engine. Unfortunately the 2014 v2 want list is once again much too large and must be whittled down to something more affordable.
Thanks for the clarification on the cars, I figured the Atlas cars would be much nicer, more prototypical and probably more expensive as well. Atlas has some really nice stuff! I have a couple of their recently re-announced engines on my want list also.
There are enough road names and road numbers for the Greenbrier 5188 Cu.Ft. 3-Bay Covered Hoppers for MTH to make them in O Scale, HO Scale, and S Scale.
It would be worth the investment to produce the correct, distinct High-Side hopper with huge bays.
Andrew
If people would like the correct lighting configuration on a locomotive, it does not seem likely that they are going to settle for buying the schemes on the wrong car when a whole group of people were asking for all new models this year.
Andrew
