I got 4 of them yesterday. They look great, but one thing bothers me, is the cross-pieces aren’t rail. Before I saw into this, has anyone done this before, and have any pointers?
SG or NG?
ah, sorry. NG… These bad boys.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bob_mccown/_forumfiles/AMSHopper1.jpg)
Those cross-beams are supposed to be rail, not channel. Im guessing I can cut them off, remove the lower brackets from them, and re-attach with a length of rail.
Very simple to do. Just take a razor saw right along the inside edge, and both channel and cross beam come out. Then cut the angles off the channels, glue them back to the car, then cut and glue rail back on top of them. (Or use new sections of “L” bracket.)
Later,
K
Bob, The Yoder model uses rail. Here’s a shot:
(http://www.jbrr.com/Pics/RollingStock/Hopper/EBT%20Hopper/IMG_9702.JPG)
Simple solution:
They are technically about a scale inch too tall, and the wheels are a scale inch (almost) too big. If you are really picky, you can put in new wheels and file/sand down the top of the bolster. The couplers are AMS std and are too large - the 1/32nd scale couplers are a more accurate model of a 3/4 size coupler. In any case, you need to take the trucks off and check all the screws are tight. Mine weren’t. This was at Cabin Fever in Jan. 8 x AMS hoppers, 1 x RYM,
Thanks Kevin! Sounds easy enough.
Ive always got a screw loose.
While you are at it you might want to fix the brake pipes and install the proper brake system.
Stan
Bob McCown said:
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/bob_mccown/_forumfiles/AMSHopper1.jpg)
Are those the new Jackson & Burke reporting marks ??? Cool 
Sadly these may spell the demise of my long loved LGB coal hoppers…I don’t know why but I have always liked this style of car, these look like “must haves”. This Fn3 stuff is addicting!
How do these look next to the Bachmann 2-bay hoppers? Similar quality/detail?
Heh. These are the ones that the C&TSRR got about 10 years ago. Well, not these ones exactly, they got full size ones. Not much lettering to remove/paint over.
Stan Ames said:
While you are at it you might want to fix the brake pipes and install the proper brake system.Stan
Mark V said:Yes, very similar. In fact, Kevin was complaining that Accucraft had copied the grossly-overscale hopper latches! They look really good together. You have to do something about the couplers on the Bachmann to make them mate.
How do these look next to the Bachmann 2-bay hoppers? Similar quality/detail?
Yes Pete, I have noticed I have to fiddle with the couplers on their reefers to get them to mate with the Bachmann. Do the hoppers have a differing coupler then the reefers?
What’s the issue with the brake gear? Not that I’ve compared it to my QuickPic book or anything…
If I remember, I’ll bring my Yoder model to TrainOps. It seems identical to the QuickPic book pictures.
The brake rigging/plumbing on both the Accucraft 3-bay and Bachmann 2-bay hoppers is completely wrong. (Accucraft did a fantastic job of copying the Bachmann brakes. Ugh!!! And I gave Accucraft the Quick-Pic book, too!) I “fixed” it on one of my 2-bay hoppers, but decided it’s so lost in the shadows once you get it outside that it’s not worth correcting on subsequent purchases.
Later,
K
I agree.
Run it and enjoy it.
Mark V said:
How do these look next to the Bachmann 2-bay hoppers? Similar quality/detail?
They look great together. Accucraft also more-or-less copied Bachmann’s hopper door latch detail (also incorrect compared to the prototype), so in a twist of irony, there’s comforting level of similarity between the two models which means they play very well together.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/EBT12/EBT1201.jpg)
Hard to see in this photo, but the two hoppers are B’mann and Accucraft. (That’s Accucraft’s new EBT mikado on the point.) http://www.youtube.com/embed/6Mc4jusfciY Later, K
Thanks for the vid…I purchased a Bachmann to see if I liked it and was thinking of picking up a few more. Now I think I’ll get a “mix”.