Prototype history. Norfolk Southern’s Roanoke, Va., shops started its “rebodying” program in 1991, when it rebuilt two Norfolk & Western open hoppers into NS class G84 coal gondolas. The first G85R class cars, which the BLMA Models gondola is based on, were built in July 1992 from N&W class H11, H11A, H11B, H11C, and H12A hoppers.
Though the center sill was retained during the rebodying process, the bays, doors, and door-operating equipment were replaced with a flat-bottom tub floor. It’s because of the tub floor these cars are classified as gondolas instead of hoppers. More than 2,200 G85R gondolas were rebuilt by the railroad between 1992 and 1998.
The models. Both models have smooth and evenly applied light gray paint. The lettering and logos are all sharp. Even the Pull lettering on the corner posts of the N scale gondola is legible under magnification.
The HO and N scale models use one-piece plastic bodies with die-cast metal center sills and weights above the trucks. Both cars have crisp rivet detail, internal braces, and separately applied brake wheels with see-through brake platforms. The car interiors have ejector-pin marks where they were released from the mold.
The gondolas have separately applied end braces on the A and B ends and an air reservoir, brake cylinder, and triple valve on the B end only. The HO scale car has wire grab irons and uncoupling levers; the N model uses molded grabs and lacks uncoupling levers.
Both gondolas have 100-ton trucks. The N scale gondola uses plastic wheelsets and truck-mounted Accumate knuckle couplers. The HO car has metal wheels mounted on plastic axles. The wheels on the B-end HO truck were slightly out of gauge. I was able to fix this by carefully twisting the wheels on the axle.
The length over the strikers, distance over the top side angle, and truck wheelbase all match prototype drawings.
The HO and N scale Top Gons are both fine cars. With 36 road numbers available, Norfolk Southern modelers can build a unit coal train with minimal effort. Congratulations to BLMA Models on its first freight car offering. Look for its G-86R gondolas in HO and N scales later this year
Price: $25.95 (HO), $17.95 (N)
Manufacturer
BLMA Models
16623 Pear Blossom Ct.
Whittier, CA 90603
www.blmamodels.com
Era: 1992-present
Road name: Norfolk Southern
(36 road numbers)
Features
Automatic Equipment Identification tags
Magnetic knuckle couplers: Kadee no. 58 (HO), Accumate (N). Both mounted at
correct height
Molded grab irons (N)
Weight: HO scale 3 ounces (1.25 ounces too light), N scale .5 ounces (.5 ounces too light)
Wheelsets: metal on plastic axles (HO), plastic (N)
Wire grab irons and uncoupling levers (HO)
