PH&D Box Car & MEE Covered Hopper

[AARR]

November's issue of Model Railroader shows Atlas coming out with a 50' Port Huron & Detroit FMC box car. I recall long strings of these used for bagged salt from the plant in St. Clair starting in the 1970's and many may still be in service repainted by CSX and in other service because I hear the salt plant is not using rail at this time.

They also show Tangent Scale Models with a P-S covered hopper lettered for Michigan Elevator Exchange. MEE operated some of the largest elevators in MI 1970's and 80's. These yellow covered hoppers were common at their locations.

[SD80MAC]

The PH&D's are the old kit Branchline Trains tooling that Atlas acquired last year. They should be very nice cars, especially now that they'll be RTR with painted grabs.

[conrailman75]

Are these HO scale? I might be interested in the Michigan Exchange car when it comes out. And I recall seeing some of those PH&D cars in NS East Wayne yard when I used to live in New Haven, so you don't just have to live in Michigan to own one of those either.

[GrandTrunkFan]

November's issue of Model Railroader shows Atlas coming out with a 50' Port Huron & Detroit FMC box car. I recall long strings of these used for bagged salt from the plant in St. Clair starting in the 1970's and many may still be in service repainted by CSX and in other service because I hear the salt plant is not using rail at this time.

They also show Tangent Scale Models with a P-S covered hopper lettered for Michigan Elevator Exchange. MEE operated some of the largest elevators in MI 1970's and 80's. These yellow covered hoppers were common at their locations.

Id love a half dozen or so MEE hoppers but not at Tangents prices of $42 a car! Although, I think theyd look good behind my 2 AA GP35s...

[CAT345C]

They also came out with the ELS cars....at the time my mind was not right and I ordered one of each road number of the ELS and PHD cars....oh well gotta build the fleet up somehow. Now if Atlas would just deliver them already

[AARR]

Are these HO scale?

Yes, HO, sorry I did not mention it Yes, they are pricey too but that seems to be the direction model railroading is going. I am glad I have a bunch of $5 Athearn kits that may not be the most highloy detailed in the world but they suit me just fine

[GreatLakesRailfan]

The PH&D, despite its fallen flag status for close to 28 years now, is still seeing plenty of action in the model railroad marketplace. In addition to the new Atlas HO cars, Fox Valley released for numbers in N scale (50' boxcars), and MTH IIRC is producing them in O scale (if not now, soon).

Also, locomotive decals are available for HO and N scale right now (diesels only at this time), and will be available soon in O scale as well.

Now is the time to give serious consideration to modeling the PH&D!!!



Thank you AARR for bringing the new release up.

[SD80MAC]

I was mistaken, these FMC cars are all new tooling for Atlas. The old Branchline cars are Berwicks which Atlas already did a run of earlier this year.

[fmilhaupt]

Are these HO scale? I might be interested in the Michigan Exchange car when it comes out.

The Michigan Elevator Exchange cars are available now. Tangent both announced and began delivering them at the National Train Show in Grand Rapids in August.

[Hugh]

Atlas had samples of the PH&D HO cars and O Trainman cars to the NMRA show in GR.

[rteusink]

The Atlas PH&D FMC 5077 cuft boxcars are scheduled to distributors early in November.

[conrailman75]

I did some digging on the web last night seeing who had the MEE covered hoppers for the best price and discovered that Tangent only did two road numbers in this scheme. Best price I could find was a place selling them for $39.99, still a little pricey for me right now. I've got a couple of big trainshows in my area coming up and I'll see if I can find a better deal at one of those.

[rteusink]

Chris -

Tangent does not sell at a normal dealer discount structure, so do not expect to find them cheaper. Due to the reduced dealer discount structure, not a lot of dealers carry them.

Bob T.
Milwaukee, WI

[AARR]

December's Model Railroader features the MEE covered hopper. It really is a nice looking car!

Model Railroader also has some other speciality MI company cars including covered hoppers for Kalamazoo and MIllett (Lansing).

[Hugh]

Saw them for sale on the M.B. Klein web sight yesterday.

[etmccaus]

Model Railroader also has some other speciality MI company cars including covered hoppers for Kalamazoo and MIllett (Lansing).

If you want one of the Millett cars, you'd better act quickly. I was told at the Lansing show there were but 20 cars left. Mine arrived in the mail on Saturday, along with a note that inventory is now down to 16.

Both that car and the Kalamazoo club car arrived this past week, giving me some building to do in order to run more Michigan-themed cars around the Christmas tree this year...

-Evan