Sent Mark an email about his ad in Ztrack Mag, here is his reply: >Apologies for taking this long to get back to you. >We have had some significant delays in getting the new website up - I >plan to have it ready and operational this coming weekend. > >At the moment the cars we have are both 50 foot high-cube boxcars - >a waffleside and a Gunderson Exterior post. >In design we have: > >a 35 foot general service insulated tank car >a 60 foot TTX flat car (to be a metal casting) >a 50 foot airslide >a 57 foot reefer > > >Other cars being contemplated are: > >a Difco side dump car that we were going to release in N scale but >another company has beaten us to it so I am considering doing it in Z. >an 18 truck Schnabel car in metal (designed in N scale) >Southern "hogshead" tobacco car. >National Steel Car coil car >Greenville gondola > > >If there is something specific that you are looking for I will gladly >consider it. > > > >Mark Gasson
What did he say about his website! John, What did Mark say about the delay in posting his new website? Hobo Tim
Is the Difco Side Dump anything like a Drop Bottom Gondola? NP had a lot of 40 foot gondola's that had a drop bottom/side discharge, and I can like those. -Robert
hi robert, the difco is different. it's one that i've been scratchbuilding in N and would soon attempt in Z. the sides of a difco fall/fold down like a pick-up truck tail gate, and the box is elevated on the opposite side to discharge the contents. HUGE bolders can be unloaded in a minute, or rock, gravel, whatever they put in it. it's a neat car. i see them come though my town almost daily from the quarry operation up the canyon beyond the Royal Gorge. these big tanks on the undersides are air operated pistons that extend and push up the side of the car, while the other side is locked (somehow) to pivot. they can dump from either side. dave f.
Difco's are used in MoW trains for placing rip-rap along the RoW. Bryan has some photos of a couple of these on a CSX MoW trains from this Spring. He's on vacation right now though. Randy
18 truck Schnabel Car! Mark had sent me a fairly large email some time back telling me all the wonderful rollingstock and ideas he has for us Z scalers. He did mention the 18 Truck Schnable car. That same car that hauled the heavy vessel load from Houston, Texas to Denver, Colorado. So Yes, it is the same car. Schnabel Loads! If I remember right, you will have to make your own loads for this car. So, if you want to model the vessel load you need to contact the Plastruct.com for your styrene parts! Going to be a nice looking collectors piece! Hobo Tim
Yes, I looked at that item too. I could use a few, as well as a few of those High Cubes. Almost ready to make an order...
