Model Railroading > CNW Bethlehem 4000 HO Hopper [ExactRail]

Sharing a fun project detailing and weathering a CNW hopper per prototype photos. These cars are pretty light out of the box so some wheel weights are recommended underneath the flood style coal load. Graffiti decals by Fusion Scale Graphics and reflective striping by Smokebox Graphics. Micro-mask was used to mask the already excellent patch jobs done by ExactRail. It would be great to see a new run of these by ScaleTrains at some point. I recommend a metal frame from the factroy too! 

Thanks for looking! 

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

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Very nice work, Alex.  Thanks for posting.
Tim Costello

Fantastic work on the hopper.
Do you have any pictures looking down on the coal load, showing the inside colors?
Have you permanently installed the coal load, or is it still removable?
I hope it is part of a larger project to model a whole coal train.
Well done.
Graham.

Looks great in the natural light. How to you handle the couplers Alex. Whatever method you use is awesome. 

4745 Wrote:
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> Do you have any pictures looking down on the coal
> load, showing the inside colors?
> Have you permanently installed the coal load, or
> is it still removable?
> I hope it is part of a larger project to model a
> whole coal train.

In fact I do! See attached. The coal load is removable though there are weights stuck to the inside bottom of the car so removing it would look odd. It is not currently part of a larger coal train, I am thinking of adding this car as a buffer to a MOW train. I may paint the coal to simulate a load of ballast...

Thanks for looking!

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

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ChrisCampi Wrote:
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> How to you
> handle the couplers Alex. Whatever method you use
> is awesome. 

Chris, typically I paint the couplers using light brushing of Testors Flat Rust in the small bottles you can get from craft/hobby stores for about $3.00. Too thick and it seeps into the spring and coupler pivot causing it to bind up. Nothing too fancy but it flows well and behaves nicely on metallic surfaces. I usually do the wheels and couplers at the same time before weathering. The airbrushing and powders just fill in the rest of the color as the car gets weathered so it looks uniform. 

Thanks! 

Alex Wilson
Castro Valley, CA
ApproachAspect's Flickr Photos

Looks like one of the cars you see delivering coal to Trona.