I have one made by Con-Cor. I just picked it up a couple of weeks ago, but the box says 25 years, 1962 to 1987, so I guess it’s 21 years old!! I too have been looking - flea markets, train shows, but not Escam! It works with the one car I have on the plastic ramp included with the car. If I can find a few more I’ll buils a better unloading ramp. The grandkids love it as is - anything action is fine with them!![:D]
My gravel hoppers were made by Tyco-Mantua and are a dead ringer for an Southern Pacific type hopper car. This is a web page of how they were made to look and work more realisticly. Has a movie clip too.
Operating HO Gravel Hopper Cars
Great video - I also use live loads and have two tipples for that purpose. Have you finished the loading mechanism yet?