The N scale convention is underway in Minneapolis and there is expected to be some new products revealed. So far Atlas has announced a new PS3 2 bay open hopper and MTL announced a 60 foot log car. The PS3 car is a ribbed side hopper that differs from the USRA design in that it has eight full panels instead of six and is longer at 36 feet rather than 34 for the USRA. These look a lot like the old Concor hoppers.
That doesn't sound like the car people have actually seen at the show. We know it's a 3-bay, but don't know if it's 70 ton or larger. Jason
The information I received was that it was a PS3 which was originally a 2 bay car with eight full panels. However, later 3 bay cars were also made with the PS3 designation. The 3 bay PS3's look alot like the Atlas 90 ton three bay hoppers that they have been selling for about thirty years now. The major differences are that they are shorter and have 14 full panels rather than just 12 for the 90 ton hopper. Seems like they would be in competition with the 90 ton hoppers. I was hoping for a 2 bay rib side from Atlas to go with their offset side and fishbelly hoppers.
Which can mean lots of thing. Anything from a 2-bay 50 ton hopper to a 3-bay 100 ton. Regardless, Atlas has the pictures posted on their Facebook page. Jason
Scotch Whisky-inspired typos! Any chance they bought tooling from (or are using the tooling OF) Walthers, nee Life-Like? That would be a decent, if unspectacular SW1500. I'd hope this is the next evolution in their own brand; MTL's FT's are bulletproof and beautiful (better paint than IM, not as accurate in color tho). I would take one in GN, MILW or similar....
"Any chance they bought tooling from (or are using the tooling OF) Walthers, nee Life-Like?" Not to be mean but why would you think that? No one has ever offered an accurate plastic SW1500.
