Hi Sandro, I've had some problems with PWRS/Intermountain's rolling stock in the past, although differently from yours. The walkways were ruined with splotches of glue and on some models, the paint was too heavy. This, as well as details being too fragile when operating on a layout had turned me off on anything Intermountain. FWIW Robyn
I like the IM covered hoppers, but the price with the MTL's is getting way up there. For myself I liked the better price with the accumates as that allowed running until I could switch them over to MTL's. Just received last months 6 cars for GA kaolin and they are flawless, but I wouldn't be surprised by a problem from time to time. I don't understand that entire PWRS thing as a whole lot of their cars were just dumped on to IM catalogs as of recently and I think most of these older cars had accumates and not MTL's. Of these I purchased many of the Chessie were from that Pacific car outlet and they didn't have mtl couplers. These cars must not have sold at the insane price the Pacific people wanted. Mike
I don't think you should have to fix them either Sandro. I have about 140 of those IM cylinderical hoppers, and found about 6 of them that had the same problem, but with the normal high profile wheels, it doesn't seem to be a problem. I tried to fix them as best as I could, and don't really have any problems with them now. Bye the way...all of the ones I got that had the bent bolsters, were also from PWRS.
i talked to dan from pwrs last night. seems like im had a whole batch of bad cars. looks like they will replace the bad cars. some of the special runs done from pwrs can't be replaced insted they probably send me some free cars. i should know more in the next few days when dan calls me back.