Ok guys I am looking for turn of the century Cars. I just found 5 30-40 foot wood sheethed box car kits that I got for a steal. Now my search is turning to stock cars as well as some wood or steel gondolas/ hopper cars for mining opperations. I am looking for 30-40 foot cars and not 50 +. Where do those of you who model N-scale get the early cars? I can find modern cars out the wazoo but Like I said I cant find any from the 1890’s-1920’s. PLEASE HELP!!!
Curt
Bowser makes the Pennsy GLa hopper in N which is an early 20th century (like around 1904) design. The design was so popular that many copies were made all over the eastern US. It’s offered in many 1910’s-1920’s paint schemes for various long-gone Eastern coal railroads and mining operations. It’s also offered in Pennsylvania Lines and Pennsylvania Lines West (which is what the PRR was back then).
Check it out here: http://www.bowser-trains.com/nscale/GLa/GLa.htm
Can’t help you on the gondolas, though.
http://www.irwinsjournal.com/umtrr/
Irwin’s MTL journal is the best site for MTL cars. There is also a link to the A1G, or the Atlas First Generation site.
Atlas & MTL make fine wood boxcars. For stock cars, most likely you will have to find MTL Despatch 40ft cars. Bachmann, MP, & LL also make stock cars. Most of them are poor cars. The Hallmark christmas ornament is fine but it’s in Zscale.
Most MTL gons are 50’. Some composite 50’ may go back to your era, but I doubt it. You may find some Bachmann old timers along with their tub tankers & flats.
THe MTL 33’ 2bay has been a standard for a long time. I’d like to see MTL do them in runner packs. Concor used to have a 3bay composite hopper.
Don’t forget to check out the MDC/Athearn old time freight cars. You may find something in their line.