Price: Ready-to-run 6-packs priced at $139.99 per set
Manufacturer:
Broadway Limited Imports
9 East Tower Circle
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Era: 1948 to 1980s
Road names (six-packs): Illinois Central; Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe; Baltimore & Ohio; Chicago & North Western; CP Rail; CSX; Denver & Rio Grande Western; Great Northern; New York Central; Norfolk & Western (six sets); Norfolk Southern; Pennsylvania RR; Union Pacific; and Wabash. Undecorated models also available.
Comments: A common coal-hauling class H2a hopper is available as a ready-to-run plastic N scale freight car from Broadway Limited Imports.
Railroads like Norfolk & Western maintained immense fleets of these cars. Starting in 1948, the N&W’s own shop built more than 13,500 class H2a cars. As time went on, the N&W continued to build ever larger cars and leased many of these smaller cars to other coal haulers, such as the B&O and PRR.
Each model consists of a one-piece molded ABS plastic body shell that’s well detailed and free of flash. It closely matches N&W dimensions throughout. The paint application is smooth and evenly applied, with first-class lettering. Even the tiny ownership stencil is clear and sharp.
Small details such as the brake wheel and other parts of the air brake system are individually applied, mostly at the B end of the car. The three interior bays are also detailed with the proper crossbraces and non-operating drop doors. A removable coal load is included with each car.
Our sample has body-mounted Magne-Matic no. 1015 knuckle couplers mounted at the correct height.
The AAR solid-bearing trucks are free-rolling and have correctly gauged metal wheelsets that operate smoothly on codes 55, 70, and 83 track. A die-cast metal weight in the bottom of the body brings the model to a total of .5 ounce, which matches National Model Railroad Association recommended practice 20.1.
