Model Railroading > All-New HO Freight Car Announcement: Bethgon Coal Gondolas

Our next all-new HO Scale freight car announcement is the Rivet Counter™ Conrail Bethgon G52X Coal Gondola.

In 1997, Conrail built 600 Bethgons at the Hollidaysburg Car Shop from engineering drawings supplied by Johnstown America. The 4100 cubic-foot cars have a capacity of 116 tons of coal. They were designated as the “G52X” class by Conrail. Two years later, Conrail was split and merged into both Norfolk Southern Railway and CSX Transportation. After the merger and acquisition of Conrail, most of the G52X cars went to Norfolk Southern. Today, these cars can be found on almost every Norfolk Southern coal train across the system.

In addition, two different coal loads are offered separately for modelers who want to simulate loaded trains.

Preorder the all-new Rivet Counter HO Conrail G52X Coalporter by clicking here: bit.ly/HOBethgonCoalGondolas

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The all-new Operator HO Scale Bethgon Coal Gondolas are a one-size fits all solution for your model railroad’s coal hauling needs.

Developed in the late 1980s by Bethlehem Steel Company (BSC), the Bethgon Coal Gondola has become one of the most common cars for hauling coal of all time. Several thousand Bethgons have been built with varying capacities and thousands more similar cars have been produced by other builders. Many continue in service today.

Like all of our Operator brand cars, these quality Gondolas have fewer factory-applied parts and simplified printing to keep the cost down. In fact, Operator Bethgons start as low as $19.99 each.

The Operator HO Scale Bethgon Coal Gondola comes in several popular roadnames including:

-American Electric Power Corporation
-Burlington Northern
-BNSF Railway/Herald Logo
-Conrail/Brown
-CSX
-Union Pacific

Keep the lights on without going over your budget. Preorder the HO Scale Bethgon Coal Gondola by October 26th for spring 2021 delivery. Preorder clicking here: bit.ly/HOBethgonCoalGondolas

What's the rest of the story with the grey Conrail car?  Is it a one off?  Special for some reason?

I just never knew there was a grey one.

Eng.Shadetree

Will there be actual photos of these Operator and Rivet Counter cars released before the Oct 26th preorder deadline?  There isn't any information listed as to what will be standard details on each model.

This is going to hurt my wallet


Gary

Posted from iPhone

tracklight Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There isn't any information listed as to what will be standard details on each model.

It's all on their website under the product details tab for each type car.  Biggest difference is going to be the brake details and grab irons. 

All Operator Freight Cars Feature

• Multiple road numbers
• Fully assembled
• Simplified brake rigging
• Simplified printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Body mounted semi-scale knuckle couplers
• Accurately profiled .110″ wide wheel tread
• Weighted to Industry standards
• Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
• Color matched to Tru-Color Paint colors whenever possible
• Packaging safely stores model

All Rivet Counter Freight Cars Feature

• Fully assembled
• Factory-applied metal grab irons, coupler cut levers, and trainline hoses
• Intricate brake plumbing
• Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Accurately profiled .110″ wide wheel tread
• Weighted to Industry standards for reliable operation
• Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
• Packaging safely stores model
• Color matched to existing Tru-Color Paint colors whenever possible

Operator HO Scale Bethgon Coal Gondola Detail Kit includes

• Side drop grab iron (12)
• Short straight grab iron (4)
• Intermediate short straight grab iron (4)
• Intermediate long straight grab iron (2)
• Long straight grab iron (2)
• Trainline hose (2)
• Release rod outer support (2)
• Release rod inner support (2)
• Release rod (1)
• Branch pipe (1)
• Brake cylinder line (1)
• Retainer valve (1)
• Retainer valve line (1)
• Coupler bar (2)
• Brake rod and bellcrank (1)
• Auxiliary reservoir pipe (1)
• Emergency reservoir pipe (1)
• Brake rod and bellcrank guide (1)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/07/20 17:18 by BrianK.

Are thse models of the original steel cars, or the later aluminium version??

Robert

No Rio Grande; no deal!  

shadetree Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's the rest of the story with the grey Conrail
> car?  Is it a one off?  Special for some
> reason?
>
> I just never knew there was a grey one.
>
> Eng.Shadetree

There was one car that was painted in the grey scheme.

Russ

koloradokid Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are thse models of the original steel cars, or the
> later aluminium version??
>
> Robert

Robert:

These are the original hybrid Bethgon. The steel Bethgons build by Bethlehem Johnstown were smaller in capacity, had one few side post and the side posts were stamped steel as opposed to extruded aluminum.(Edit - Conrail and CSX Raceland copied the Bethlehem Steel gons and replaced carbodies on older 100 ton 3 bay cross dumps, think Pennsy H43's, which have a 45'-0" IL.)

Conrail bought hybrid kits from Johnstown America and assembled them in their Hollidaysburg shops. The tubs, slope sheets and lower side sheets are all stainless steel, the exterior posts, end sheets and upper side sheets are aluminum. Eventually FreightCar America starting producing this option regularly when they opened their shops in the old N&W East End Shops in Roanoke, VA. NS's first large scale purchase was the G113 series, NS #46100-47299. NS did work with FCA and built four test cars that are G109A (#46000-46001) & G109B's (#46002-46003), with two cars being fully painted and two cars being left natural metal, one of each option was for each class. The difference between the two classes is that the lower side sheets are of different heights. CSX has also bought the later design hybrids from FCA's Danville, IL plant. The black cars with yellow lettering and no tub stripes and teh grey cars with the solid black lettering are all hybrids. I will try to post number series for these cars later today.

Russ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/20 07:47 by NSTopHat.

These are going to be incredible models - I just wish that they were of the earlier 11-panel design that was bought en mass by Conrail and other companies!  Athearn's 'G52L' of 5 years back is actually a 12-panel model, which is what these G52X's have.  All earlier Conrail series of G52's, from what I have seen, are the 11-panel design.

So, if you're modeling summer 1997 or later, you're set with this magnificent car.  

1994, not so much!  I am hoping someone does the 11-panel version as well as the older standard, the Conrail H2 4-bay hopper.  If either come to market, I'm in for 45 cars.  Yikes.  

Keep up the great work ScaleTrains!!  

~RGDave
https://onondagacutoff.blogspot.com/

NSTopHat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> koloradokid Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Are thse models of the original steel cars, or
> the
> > later aluminium version??
> >
> > Robert
>
> Robert:
>
> These are the original hybrid Bethgon. The steel
> Bethgons build by Bethlehem Johnstown were smaller
> in capacity, had one few side post and the side
> posts were stamped steel as opposed to extruded
> aluminum.(Edit - Conrail and CSX Raceland copied
> the Bethlehem Steel gons and replaced carbodies on
> older 100 ton 3 bay cross dumps, think Pennsy
> H43's, which have a 45'-0" IL.)
>
> Conrail bought hybrid kits from Johnstown America
> and assembled them in their Hollidaysburg shops.
> The tubs, slope sheets and lower side sheets are
> all stainless steel, the exterior posts, end
> sheets and upper side sheets are aluminum.
> Eventually FreightCar America starting producing
> this option regularly when they opened their shops
> in the old N&W East End Shops in Roanoke, VA. NS's
> first large scale purchase was the G113 series, NS
> #46100-47299. NS did work with FCA and built four
> test cars that are G109A (#46000-46001) & G109B's
> (#46002-46003), with two cars being fully painted
> and two cars being left natural metal, one of each
> option was for each class. The difference between
> the two classes is that the lower side sheets are
> of different heights. CSX has also bought the
> later design hybrids from FCA's Danville, IL
> plant. The black cars with yellow lettering and no
> tub stripes and teh grey cars with the solid black
> lettering are all hybrids. I will try to post
> number series for these cars later today.
>
> Russ

Russ,

Thanks for the clarification.  Am I getting the drift that these are NS cars only?  Seems like a rather limited offereing.

Thank you,

Robert

RRBaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No Rio Grande; no deal!  

While the Rio Grande didn't own any, several owners of the various versions did run on the Rio Grande, like the CCTX 1400s, and IIRC the PSCX fleet had some.  Both steel cars.  A number of others showed up occasionally as power companies did spot purchases for summer demands.  Even the CR/NS version was seen on occasion.

Robert

Would the CSX cars been mid 80’s or later ?

Gary

Posted from iPhone