The injection-molded plastic model has a one-piece body with a separately applied roof, hatch covers, and discharge gates. The model features wire grab irons, etched-metal running boards, and numerous separate details.
Magor was a pioneer in using aluminum in freight car construction. In 1959, it teamed up with Southern Ry. and Reynolds to produce a hopper that used aluminum and steel construction.
The aluminum cars had a lower empty (light) weight than all-steel counterparts.
In 1965, Magor introduced the 4,750-cubic-foot-capacity covered hopper. The Phase I car (1965 to early 1967), which the ExactRail model is based on, had flush sides, three vertical braces on the slope sheets, and clusters of 12 rivets on the wide panels.
When compared to builder’s photos in Edward S. Kaminski’s Magor Car Corp. (Signature Press, 2000), the details on the model most closely match those on cars built for the Pennsylvania RR in 1965.
Our sample is decorated for Great Northern, which placed a 100-car order in 1966. The lettering placement matches prototype photos I found online and in David Hickox’s GN Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment (Morning Sun Books, 1995). The model’s dimensions match those listed in the January 1968 Official Railway Equipment Register.
There are some detail discrepancies on the GN car, however. There shouldn’t be a ladder stile between the corner post and slope sheet on the left side of the car. Instead, there should be two horizontal grab irons. The model is also missing rivets below braces on the slope sheets.
The full-size hoppers had aluminum sides and painted steel exterior posts, which contrasted on new cars. The model has an even flat aluminum finish, which looks more like a car that’s been in service for a year or two.
Except for a few railroad-specific detail errors, the ExactRail Magor hopper is a fine looking model.
Price: $44.95
Manufacturer
ExactRail LLC
251 W. River Park Dr., Ste. 300
Provo, UT 84604
exactrail.com
Road names: Great Northern, Atlantic Coast Line, Pennsylvania RR, Milwaukee Road, and Soo Line. Six road numbers per scheme. Also offered as an undecorated kit.
Era: 1965 to present
Features:
- 36″ metal wheels mounted on metal axles, correctly gauged
- ASF 100-ton Ride Control trucks
- Kadee no. 58 knuckle couplers mounted at correct height
- Weight: 5.4 ounces, .6 ounce heavy based on National Model Railroad Association Recommended Practice 20.1
