Last weekend I picked up two sets of Kato covered hopper kits at a local trainshow for very little $$$. One is Wabash and one is Erie. I searched the group but was unable to get answers to two questions. First, are the Kato couplers worth using, or should I used the Accumates that I generally use? Also, since I really don't need three of each of these(which is why I never bought these before--at the regular price), I am looking for other prototypes/decals to paint these. I found some nice sets from Prime Mover Decals for EL, but would like a few other alternatives. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Steve Kay

I have no opinion of the Kato couplers. I'd take advantage of experience and use the couplers you're most familiar with -- Accumates.

If you're the Steve Kay from NJ, L&NE would be a natural choice for a third road name. I believe that Champ still offers decals in L&NE's billboard scheme. They're intended for a different prototype than this car, but they have enough material to select from to letter this car.

N&B would be another selection. Herald King had decals. Don't know whether they remain available.

There are probably minor differences in detail between the Kato version and the prototypes I suggested. One I'd want to check is whether or not the prototype has the triangular cut out in the sides at the center of the car. I don't remember whether the Kato car has this feature or not.

I can suggest L&NE and N&B number series to you, but this will have to wait until mid-April because I'm away from my files right now. Let me know if you'd like this.


Jerry Dziedzic
Pattenburg, NJ

--- In STMFC@..., "StephenK" <thekays100@> wrote:

Last weekend I picked up two sets of Kato covered hopper kits at a local trainshow for very little $$$. One is Wabash and one is Erie. I searched the group but was unable to get answers to two questions. First, are the Kato couplers worth using, or should I used the Accumates that I generally use? Also, since I really don't need three of each of these(which is why I never bought these before--at the regular price), I am looking for other prototypes/decals to paint these. I found some nice sets from Prime Mover Decals for EL, but would like a few other alternatives. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Steve Kay

Steve,

I didn't see any other responses to your query. Since you model the UP, why not model a UP car? Assuming these are the 2-bay covered hoppers, the open-side kit is suitable for UP CH-70-1, and the closed-side kit is suitable for the UP CH-70-2 and CH-70-3.

Regards,

-Jeff


From: STMFC@... [mailto:STMFC@...] On Behalf Of StephenK
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 7:24 PM
To: STMFC@...
Subject: [STMFC] Re: Kato ACF Covered Hoppers



Actually I'm the Steve Kay from Cleveland, Ohio, and I model UP. Most of the western roads that had these cars painted them gray, and the Kato model have a lot of flexible plastic parts, so painting them could be a problem. I am looking at alternatives, but leaving all the cars in their factory paint jobs is another alternative....

SKay

--- In STMFC@...<mailto:STMFC%40yahoogroups.com>, "jdziedzic08802" <jerdz@> wrote:

I have no opinion of the Kato couplers. I'd take advantage of experience and use the couplers you're most familiar with -- Accumates.

If you're the Steve Kay from NJ, L&NE would be a natural choice for a third road name. I believe that Champ still offers decals in L&NE's billboard scheme. They're intended for a different prototype than this car, but they have enough material to select from to letter this car.

N&B would be another selection. Herald King had decals. Don't know whether they remain available.

There are probably minor differences in detail between the Kato version and the prototypes I suggested. One I'd want to check is whether or not the prototype has the triangular cut out in the sides at the center of the car. I don't remember whether the Kato car has this feature or not.

I can suggest L&NE and N&B number series to you, but this will have to wait until mid-April because I'm away from my files right now. Let me know if you'd like this.


Jerry Dziedzic
Pattenburg, NJ

--- In STMFC@...<mailto:STMFC%40yahoogroups.com>, "StephenK" <thekays100@> wrote:

Last weekend I picked up two sets of Kato covered hopper kits at a local trainshow for very little $$$. One is Wabash and one is Erie. I searched the group but was unable to get answers to two questions. First, are the Kato couplers worth using, or should I used the Accumates that I generally use? Also, since I really don't need three of each of these(which is why I never bought these before--at the regular price), I am looking for other prototypes/decals to paint these. I found some nice sets from Prime Mover Decals for EL, but would like a few other alternatives. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Steve Kay

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have no opinion of the Kato couplers. I'd take advantage of experience and use the couplers you're most familiar with -- Accumates.

If you're the Steve Kay from NJ, L&NE would be a natural choice for a third road name. I believe that Champ still offers decals in L&NE's billboard scheme. They're intended for a different prototype than this car, but they have enough material to select from to letter this car.

N&B would be another selection. Herald King had decals. Don't know whether they remain available.

There are probably minor differences in detail between the Kato version and the prototypes I suggested. One I'd want to check is whether or not the prototype has the triangular cut out in the sides at the center of the car. I don't remember whether the Kato car has this feature or not.

I can suggest L&NE and N&B number series to you, but this will have to wait until mid-April because I'm away from my files right now. Let me know if you'd like this.


Jerry Dziedzic
Pattenburg, NJ

--- In STMFC@...<mailto:STMFC%40yahoogroups.com>, "StephenK" <thekays100@> wrote:

Last weekend I picked up two sets of Kato covered hopper kits at a local trainshow for very little $$$. One is Wabash and one is Erie. I searched the group but was unable to get answers to two questions. First, are the Kato couplers worth using, or should I used the Accumates that I generally use? Also, since I really don't need three of each of these(which is why I never bought these before--at the regular price), I am looking for other prototypes/decals to paint these. I found some nice sets from Prime Mover Decals for EL, but would like a few other alternatives. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Steve Kay

Tony,

I haven�t seen any builders photos of the DRGW 1958 covered hopper, but I
have never seen any car with the dark color. We had a discussion about the
color of the DRGW car on the DRGW list and the conclusion was that it is to
dark. Jim Eager even stated �Way too dark�. I made the choice to paint my
cars in the color I have seen on pictures and videos taken during the
sixties, my main modeling interest.


Roland Levin
Stockholm, Sweden

http://hem.bredband.net/drgw

Kato did a lot of research for their car colors. The SSW car in a
kind of greenish gray IS correct. I don't know about the D&RGW. Did
you have evidence the dark color was wrong, or did it just not look
right?

Tony Thompson

Jeff and Steve,

If I am not mistaken I beleive that the UP received some of the LNE cars after the bankruptcy. I say this because Bill Metzger mdeled one of the cars as a "faded paint" version showing the original LNE lettering showing through. Although it really wouldn't be in that condition in the scope of this list, but a good reason to put at least one in UP.

Greg Martin

Tony

You have said this before, but when I asked Ed Hawkins about it he
told me the color was wrong. Certainly I have never seen a photo of
a Cotton Belt car in this color. Are there any such photos?

Tim O'Connor

>Kato did a lot of research for their car colors. The SSW car in a
>kind of greenish gray IS correct. I don't know about the D&RGW. Did
>you have evidence the dark color was wrong, or did it just not look
>right?
>
>Tony Thompson