Thoughts on the Bowser 100 ton Coal hopper for PC?

[crrcoal]

How is the accuracy of the Bowser Exec PC 100 ton hopper?? Is it good to go as is or or are there needed mods to do? Thank you!

[unittrain]

They seem to be pretty accurate I have a decent fleet of Pennsylvania Railroad yellow ball and PC, then C&O and Chessie for B&O early Chessie era. They're pretty much the only decent 100 ton 12 panel triple hopper of the Bethlehem steel prototype we have, the end cages are lacking obviously separately installed grabs that's about the only detail that stands out somewhat, there are others on here that no way more than me so you came to the right place I always search on here to learn about anything I consider purchasing in HO I switched from N 3 years ago I knew way more about the N scale stuff such as the N scale versions of these cars Atlas and MTL both have dimensional issues and the MTL is based on a western prototype the Atlas N scale version has the wheel base to short, when I compared the HO car by bowser several years ago the Bowser car I believe was dimensionally correct overall.

[crrcoal]

Thank you unittrain. I am going to get a couple of them.

[drsvelte]

According to freight car guru Jim Eager, the Bowser 100-ton model was based on PRR’s H43 class hopper:


“Specifically the PRR's H43 class, but the same basic 45ft 12-panel design with minor variations (corner grabs verses ladders, different door locks, etc) was used by enough other roads* and built in large enough numbers that it was the de facto *Eastern* standard coal hopper from the mid 1960s through the 1970s, plus it was also used by three large Western roads.

*B&O, C&O (CSXT), C&I, L&N (SBD), LEF&C, MKT (BN), MPSX, N&W, P&LE, P&S, PC, PEPX, PPLX, PRR (PC, CR), RDG (CR, D&H), SLSF (BN), SP, UMP, UP, WM.

For more info see my Car Spotters Guide in the July & Sept 1996 RMJ.”

groups.io/g/MFCL/topic/17143740#21205


The original articles referenced in Rail Model Journal can be found in the archives managed by TrainLife.com:

trainlife.com/pages/rail-model-journal-magazine-archive

[crrcoal]

Thanks! Database error on the Trainlife links though.

[champagnetrail]

Yep.

Some day someone is going to make a "Tangent-quality" model of an H43 hopper and make a whole lot of money doing it. Perhaps Tangent...

-pat

[lvrr325]

I don't think I could afford to replace the 30-odd Bowser ones with Tangent ones. Do banks do capital loans for model railroads?

[markfj]

I’ve been beating the drum for a while now to get some interest in a new 100-ton hopper to replace the Bowser cars. Tangent would be my first choice too, but since Rapido did such a great job on the GLa hopper, I wouldn’t mind seeing them take on the project.



Mark J.
Reading, PA

[crrcoal]

Tangent would be my choice too. Hopefully Dave Lehlbach seriously considers doing them.
Hoping Tom Haag posts some of his Bowser 100 ton cars. Well, I'm assuming he has some.

On a side note, has there been any talk of Arrowhead releasing their hoppers in Penn Central? (Yes I know they are not 100 ton cars)

Nice discussion! Thank you!

[markfj]

Ah yes the elusive second run of the H39 from Arrowhead…

[riogrande]

IT's been vewwy quiet at Arrowhead. Perhaps they are hunting wabbits?!

[tom]

Bowser did a very good job on this car back when it was originally released. The car really captures the look of the PRR/PC H43s and many other railroads. The body has all the grabs molded on but they are done pretty well for being a molded on detail. When first released the paint jobs left a lot to be desired but this has improved a lot. The latest version (last 10 years or so) of the PRR is very good especially compared to the first released version of this scheme.

PC painted versions were not all that great and all of mine started with undecs that I then lettered with PCRRHS decals. Here is one of them:



I have not seen the latest release but I think it is a PC H43D version. The Bowser car is specifically the PRR build H43-H43C versions. The H43D was built by Bethlehem Steel and had some minor detail differences and a unique paint scheme. PC painted ex-PRR cars had a wide variety of lettering variations.

On all of my Bowser cars I replace the non-ladder grabirons with .012" wire plus I add a little weight to the underbody. While a Tangent H43 would be welcome the Bowser car (especially the undecs) are reasonably priced to allow modeling of long PC coal trains. The version above still has the molded on stirrups but I have been replacing them with appropriate Tichy stirrups.

[crrcoal]

Thanks Tom. Nice job on the Bowser car! What are your thoughts on the trucks?

[unittrain]

Mar 8, 2022 6:01:41 GMT -8 markfj said:

Ah yes the elusive second run of the H39 from Arrowhead…

I was just wondering where Blaines been 🤔 I got a decent fleet of his Penny committee design hoppers but would like some in PC. But yeah with the economy right now I'd wager to say the price tag on some premium Blaine rolling stock would push the $70 mark. I wonder where the 4600 is? Hopefully he's still going to continue with Arrowhead but who knows with this stormy economy 🤔

[tom]

Mar 8, 2022 18:25:37 GMT -8 crrcoal said:

Thanks Tom. Nice job on the Bowser car! What are your thoughts on the trucks?

The trucks on my car are the Bowser trucks and I think the look fine. When I first started using the Bowser hoppers they came with plastic wheels so I replaced them with the appropriate Reboxx 36" narrow tread wheels. Bowser now use metal wheels on thesecars and the run much better than the old plastic ones. However they do look a little clunky because they are not the narrrow tread and the rim around the perimeter of wheel looks a little thick so does detract some.

The wheels are the car I photographed are Reboxx but they are no longer available. The axle width on the Bowser car are a shorter than others so replacement 36" wheels (if desired) from Intermountain or Tangent do not fit.

[ChessieFan1978]

I'm not replacing my 100 or so Bowser RTR 100 Ton Hoppers, I think they are excellent models and the paint jobs on the latest releases are better than the previous.  My only issue is the wheelsets as the rims do look a little odd (thick) compared to earlier runs.

NEW RUN (Notice the thicker wheelsets)

N&W 100T Hopper-#118410 by Matthew Fisher, on Flickr

OLDER RUN (wheelsets look better IMHO)

Southern 100T #360180 by Matthew Fisher, on Flickr

[sd80mac]

Mar 8, 2022 6:01:41 GMT -8 markfj said:

Ah yes the elusive second run of the H39 from Arrowhead…

They came, they conquered the HO scale packaging market, and they left.