Here are some pics of the new Polar Express GLa hopper from Lionel. I purchased two. They are sharp looking and will go great with my Polar RailRoad freight.
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Keith they are sharp looking cars!
Looks great keith
I like them, Keith. The are a perfect addition to your PE & Polar layout.
Those are great looking.
Look great!
Yes .... nice addition to your PR freight train!
(Christmas is coming! 
)
Looks great! My set should be waiting for me when I get home today.
Between these and the upcoming PE/PRR offerings in the new catalog, I'm having to add a fourth consist to my PE/PRR line.
Between these and the upcoming PE/PRR offerings in the new catalog, I'm having to add a fourth consist to my PE/PRR line.
Purdy. I'm going to have to get one of these.
Nice cars, Keith! I'm might have to get some P&WV ones now!
Very nice Keith, enjoy!
The bunch that I ordered from Charlie Ro arrived yesterday, and I was gonna post pics this evening when I get back from work. But Keith's pics look terrific.
Just wanted to mention that these come packaged in the Polar Express style box -- not regular orange Lionel boxes. The cars also are packaged with two blue ribbons securing the car in place. Nice upscale touch... and reminiscent of high-quality scale cars produced several years ago.
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
David
Just wanted to mention that these come packaged in the Polar Express style box -- not regular orange Lionel boxes. The cars also are packaged with two blue ribbons securing the car in place. Nice upscale touch... and reminiscent of high-quality scale cars produced several years ago.
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
David
Thanks for posting the pix, Kieth. Enjoy!
Any chance you could snap a pic of the Kadee mounts? I'd also like to see if the trucks can be de-knuckled without having to grind them apart. Thanks!
Thanks guys!
Lionel did a great job with these Polar Railroad hoppers. I think this version will be hard to find shortly. Definitely glad that I ordered two instead of just one.
Originally Posted by Rocky Mountaineer:
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
David
I wanted to purchase more, but have to set a limit somewhere. Two hoppers will be enough for the naughty children. Your string of these will look awesome.
Originally Posted by Norm Charbonneau:
Any chance you could snap a pic of the Kadee mounts? I'd also like to see if the trucks can be de-knuckled without having to grind them apart. Thanks!
Sure. Will post soon.
*EDIT*
Here are some pics of the Kadee Coupler mounts
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Norm,
It looks like you just need to pull out the C-clip and maybe grind its post, to free the coupler arm.
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Thanks for the quick response Keith! Looks like a proper setup. Yes, it looks like popping the e-clip will free up the stock coupler. Very nice. I am waiting on the PRR ball herald versions to show up.
Hi Keith,
Nice looking cars, Lionel did a great job on them !!!
Alex
Originally Posted by Norm Charbonneau:
Thanks for the quick response Keith! Looks like a proper setup. Yes, it looks like popping the e-clip will free up the stock coupler. Very nice. I am waiting on the PRR ball herald versions to show up.
It has been a few years since I up-graded any Lionel freight cars to Kadee couplers but, I remember it taking a bit more work to remove the big coupler from the Lionel trucks, not to mention all that sheet metal stuff on the bottom of the truck. I don't think simply removing the "C ring" will get the job done.
Forgot to ask; are those roller bearing trucks?
Good point. I don't think I've even tried converting a Lionel car yet. I tried looking for a manual for these cars on Lionel's site, hoping there was instructions for the Kadee conversion.
Nice car Keith!
I don't think simply removing the "C ring" will get the job done.
Hot Water is correct.
This is why, you can take the truck apart without putting a Dremel to it. I've done it but the problem you run into is this. The part that covers the axle (where the C-clip is in the picture) doesn't clear the Kadee box. You could turn it around, but that part of the truck usually doesn't clear the frame.
I don't know about the hoppers.
Luckily, you just need two cuts on the truck bolster. Also luckily, that part of the truck is stamped metal, not cast metal.
I do have to thank Lionel for making this effort. I hope they will add other Standard O cars to the list.
Originally Posted by Rocky Mountaineer:
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
'Cause nothing says Christmas like a string of black coal hoppers. 
(just kidding with ya; they're nice looking cars)
My only Christmas coal car:
Keith,
Got to admit they are some of the sharpest hoppers I have seen in a very long time,
way cool stuff for the Polar Express Trains! Good pick up.
PCRR/Dave
Those hoppers are nice.
Lionel may flub some of the prototypes, but they sure do a nice job on the scale PE stuff. I guess because the can "pick and choose' where the rivets go
I think I may be swapping my PE I 12 caboose for one of those N5's.
The previously scale milk/hot cocoa car is fantastic as well.
Just got around to opening these today. I'm disappointed, but the problem was in my expectations, not the product.
I'd hoped/expected them to be a bit larger. I have a unit train of the old CSX Coke Express hoppers, and everything else seems undersized now.
Also, while I knew the body wouldn't be diecast, I'd hoped for a bit more "heft" to the product. Another issue of lofty expectations, after the magnificent offset hoppers from a few years back.
Regardless, they'll still look nice behind the Polar RR GP7. Also, where do these go? I had two of them rattling around in each box.
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Originally Posted by breezinup:
Originally Posted by Rocky Mountaineer:
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
'Cause nothing says Christmas like a string of black coal hoppers.
(just kidding with ya; they're nice looking cars)
My only Christmas coal car:
The Lionel Naughty & Nice ore cars from 2003 are my favorite pieces of Christmas rolling stock. Lionel did an excellent job with the graphics for them. I have three Naughty and two Nice cars.
Originally Posted by breezinup:
Originally Posted by Rocky Mountaineer:
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
'Cause nothing says Christmas like a string of black coal hoppers.
(just kidding with ya; they're nice looking cars)
My only Christmas coal car:
Nice ore car, breezy. And I bet it didn't have a $65 MSRP back then either!!! 
David
Originally Posted by ams:
Just got around to opening these today. I'm disappointed, but the problem was in my expectations, not the product.
I'd hoped/expected them to be a bit larger. I have a unit train of the old CSX Coke Express hoppers, and everything else seems undersized now.
Also, while I knew the body wouldn't be diecast, I'd hoped for a bit more "heft" to the product. Another issue of lofty expectations, after the magnificent offset hoppers from a few years back.
Regardless, they'll still look nice behind the Polar RR GP7. Also, where do these go? I had two of them rattling around in each box.
On the sprung trucks on top of the coil springs
Have found a lot of them in the boxes lately. Tougher when they jump off the train on the layout!
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YA know...
Originally Posted by Rocky Mountaineer:
I'm thinking of ordering a few more to make a nice unit train of coal hoppers.
'Cause nothing says Christmas like a string of black coal hoppers.
Lionel SHOULD consider the "Twelve Numbers" [as in the Twelve dayz of Christmas] for GLA hoppers! That WOULD BE nice!
I just purchase a 3 pack from my LHS... the Pennsy versions ... unfortunately on one of the three cars the coupler is opening up under load... have to figure out what is going on... 
J Daddy posted:I just purchase a 3 pack from my LHS... the Pennsy versions ... unfortunately on one of the three cars the coupler is opening up under load... have to figure out what is going on...
If they have the tab, my guess is it isn't moving forward enough to lock the knuckle. A little file work on the part where it stops against should do the trick.
I ordered one, more for just to have it as I just thought it looked cool. Don't have a Polar Express set but I do have a PRR M1a Mountain set and the quite a few GLa hoppers for multiple road numbers plus the NLOE set from last year. I plan to put this behind tender as the lead hopper. BTW, I am not sure if you can find these at a decent price. Amazon >$96 but free shipping and the big E already at $150.00. Maybe I should have bought 2.
Lima,
I have found those little pieces loose in my boxes as well. I can't figure out where they go or what they are for either - Great question. I put it back in box. Let us know if you figure it out.
Kevin
PSU1980 posted:Lima,
I have found those little pieces loose in my boxes as well. I can't figure out where they go or what they are for either - Great question. I put it back in box. Let us know if you figure it out.
Kevin
Look at the images of the truck side. Do yours have that piece installed above the truck springs?
That's where the ones I've found loose were missing, they locate the top of the spring and had popped out in shipping.
