A two-bay, fish-belly hopper with peaked ends is the first entry in the ScaleTrains S gauge product range. The manufacturer, who acquired the S gauge tooling from MTH Electric Trains in February 2021, is marketing the cars under the S-Helper Service banner, complete with green and yellow packaging similar to that of the former manufacturer. The ready-to-run hopper has a plastic body, wire grab irons, and die-cast metal trucks.
Prototype history
Our sample is decorated as Reading Co. (RDG) 67063, part of the railroad’s shop-built HTp class. Car numbers 67000 through 67299 were constructed in 1942, and hoppers 67300 through 67338 were built the following year. The 55-ton cars had a 2,028-cubic-foot capacity and featured a Duryea underframe. The coal haulers were off the RDG roster in 1970.
Model features
The ScaleTrains S gauge hopper traces its roots to S-Helper Service. Though the former manufacturer had the model in development, it was MTH Electric Trains that announced the car in 2019 and brought it to market a year later. [MTH Electric Trains acquired S-Helper Service in May 2012. – Ed.]
The two-bay hopper primarily uses injection-molded plastic construction. The grab irons and handrails are factory-installed and painted formed-wire parts. Freestanding plastic details include the stirrup steps, brake wheel, brakewheel housing, and hand brake chain.
The brake appliances are under the slope sheet on the B end of the car. A pair of pipes run from the emergency and auxiliary sides of the reservoir to the control valve. The brake cylinder is attached to the end frame. The brake lever is attached to the bottom of the slope sheet and the end of the brake cylinder.
Interior detail on the ScaleTrains S gauge hopper includes rivets on the sides, slope sheets, and cross ridge floor sheets. Smooth longitudinal hood floor sheets span the gap between the cross ridge and slope sheets. A pair of factory-installed interior braces run from the cross ridge to the car sides.
Underneath, the center sill, body bolsters, and coupler mounting pads for scale couplers are a single die-cast metal casting. A plastic casting with levers, rods, and short lengths of molded chain are attached to the top of the center sill.
The model has positionable, detailed outlet gate doors. Small hooks on the inside of the doors fit into notches in the car’s interior. Door lock hardware is attached to the exterior of each hopper bay.
From the box, the model is equipped with sprung, die-cast metal solid-bearing trucks; American Flyer-compatible metal wheelsets; and AF-compatible plastic couplers. Two small plastic bags included with the model contain scale code 110 wheelsets, Kadee-compatible scale couplers, and mounting hardware if you want to use the hopper on a scale layout.
Model vs. prototype
Our sample is neatly painted black with red and white graphics. All of the lettering is opaque and legible. The red “America’s Largest Anthracite Carrier” herald was added to Reading hoppers after World War II. I was unable to find an image of a class HTp hopper. The lettering style and placement is similar to what I saw in a prototype image of a class HTo car.
The model is similar in design to the 55-ton United States Railroad Administration hopper with peaked ends. As decorated, the ScaleTrains S gauge hopper is a reasonable stand-in for the Reading Co. prototype. The class HTp hoppers featured welded construction, while the model depicts a riveted-side car. In addition, Reading’s class HTp hoppers didn’t have peaked ends.
The model’s dimensions match or are within scale drawings of a 55-ton hopper with peaked ends published in the 1937 Car Builders’ Cyclopedia of American Practice (Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp.) The interior length and width are a scale 7 and 8 inches narrower, respectively, than the prototype. This is typical on models of open cars.
In addition to the two-bay peaked-end hopper, ScaleTrains is also offering an International Car Co. wide-cupola caboose and United States Railroad Administration 40-foot rebuilt steel boxcar in its S gauge lineup. Many modelers were fans of S-Helper Service, and it’s nice to see the product range get a new lease on life thanks to the team at ScaleTrains.
Thanks to Rick Bates, Reading Co. Historical & Technical Society Archivist, and Dale Woodland for their assistance with this review.
Scale Trains S gauge two-bay fish-belly hopper
MSRP: $54.99
Features: American Flyer-compatible wheels and couplers; detailed brake system; factory-applied brake wheel; metal handrails and grab irons; plastic body; scale code 110 wheels and Kadee-compatible couplers included; and sprung, die-cast metal trucks. Minimum radius, 20”.
Road names: Reading Co. (SHS75131 and SHS75132), Atlantic Coast Line (SHS75119 and SHS75120), Chesapeake & Ohio (SHS75121 through SHS75124), Lehigh Valley (SHS75125 and SHS75126), Norfolk & Western (SHS75127 through SHS75130), and Western Maryland (SHS75133 and 75134). Two to four road numbers per scheme; also available undecorated (SHS75153).
Website: scaletrains.com
