Model Railroading > CSX covered hopper question

Did any of the SAL Magor 4948 covered hoppers like the Exactrail make survive to CSX
Michael T Kerner
Collinsville, IL

Posted from Android

Yes, some did...
July 1984 ORER shows 16 cars of the 35000-35024 series still in use with SAL marks.
By July 1990 (well into CSX) that was down to 1 with SAL marks (ORER only gives number in range and not exact car number it was) and a pair with SBD marks.

By the way, the ER models are an excellent example of why the "available when announced" (non-preorder) sales model no longer works well in HO model trains. Those models were released in 2014 and all 6 SAL numbers done are still in stock now (even 4 years later and having been put on sale a few times). The Southern cars with Big John markings (same production run released at same time) sold out very quickly and if advance preorders had been taken the manufacturer might have been able to make more of the Southern Big John cars (which now sell on auction sites at upwards of $70 each) and fewer of the slow selling SAL cars. And that slow selling inventory is also like a big boat anchor slowing forward progress toward other projects and new production runs.

Hopefully someday they can get around to doing the more common Magor trough hatch Big John car in Southern schemes and Norfolk Southern schemes. I get the feeling the earlier round hatch version was done so the earlier Southern and SAL schemes could be offered, and those schemes turned out to be the slowest selling... something perhaps they could have avoided with preorders.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/18 09:58 by CSX602.