Now Available! HO Scale Bethlehem 3483 Hopper
The Bethlehem 3483 Hopper is held by many to be the quintessential Western coal hopper of the modern era.
In volume 4 number 3 of the Prospector, The Rio Grande Historical Society published “if one had to pick THE signature freight car of the Rio Grande in its final quarter century, it would undoubtedly be the 100 ton quad hopper from Bethlehem Steel Car.”
Hill railroads also purchased the Bethlehem 3483 in quantity. The Great Northern received 100 cars in an attractive, utilitarian paint scheme with the Great Northern moniker. The Burlington railroad placed six separate orders for a total of 1,370 cars. These cars were delivered in both the “Monogram” and “Helvetica” paint schemes. Today, original paint schemes of GN and Burlington 3483 Hoppers have been identified in BNSF Maintenance of Way service. However, when the Hill lines merged in 1970, many cars were repainted in the image of the new corporate identity, Burlington Northern.
Features
- ExactRail’s equalized 100 ton ASF Ride Control Trucks
- Machined metal wheel sets and axles
- Kadee ® #158 “scale” whisker couplers
- Narrow-style draft box, featuring: key detail, shank wedges, striker castings and full nut and bolt detail
- Numerous separately applied details, including: double door Wine locks, brake levers, bell cranks, air hoses and brake appliance details!
- Exceptionally accurate printing and colors!
- Wire coupler cut levers, grab irons, brake rods and lever hangers!
Paint Schemes
Undecorated Kit
Rio Grande - 3-1974 'As-Delivered'
- 18 Road Numbers
Rio Grande - 12-1978 'As-Delivered'
- 18 Road Numbers
Rio Grande - UP Repaint #12272
- 1 Road Number
Chicago & North Western - 1966 'As-Delivered'
- 12 Road Numbers
Chicago & North Western - 1980 Repaint
- 2 Road Numbers
Reading & Northern - Repaint with Placard
- 6 Road Numbers
Reading & Northern - Patched Panels
- 3 Road Numbers
15 Responses
David Wilson
Well there goes my buget for the next 2 years!! Ill need all those drgw cars from both the 16 and 19 hundo series…now we need the double door woodpacker boxcar chris!! Wink wink
Tom Savio
Hi! When will the newly announced DRGW hoppers in HO be availble for pre-order? Thanks, Tom
Craig A Tator
Can pre-orders be made for 2 of the DRGW 1974 paint be placed?
Christopher Brimley
The RBMN repaints have a an uneven layout of conspicuity marks. Some have only three short ones in the middle and some have four. The primary car that we used for reference had only 3 short marks in the middle. Here is a link to one showing a similar placement: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4188354
Steven Quick
Is it just me or is the RBMN placard unit missing a conspicuity stripe.
Steven Quick
Is it just me or is the RBMN placard unit missing a conspicuity stripe.
Josh Beller
I’m very much looking forward to the RBMN ones! Thanks!!!
Steve Moore
Prices on the new D&RGW 4 bay hoppers ?
Jim Fitch
Jim Eager, thanks for the reminder of the series ran in the past and present. According to a chart from an article in MRG magazine, the 16xxx 1972 built series from the past run should have reinforcement angle iron on the top chord although the models didn’t have them, they could be added by the modeler. These two new runs of D&RGW quads correspond to versions built without the reinforcing angle irons, so a good match out of the box. I only have 7 from the first E-R run (1979) and 23 of the 2nd run (1972), so this new run will be very welcome.
James Fitch
Wow, I’m going to have to brace myself for two series of D&RGW quad hoppers.
Kelley D. ellison
Can these be preordered? Nice CNW additions!
Tom Savio
How soon are you taking pre-orders for all of the DRGW schemes? Right now, please put me down for 2 (two) of the UP repaints with DRGW logos. Yes, I know there was only one—but stuff happens!
Jim Eager
Joe, the car numbers and NEW dates of this run are different from previous runs, plus there are some subtle differences in the small lettering placement, ACI bar code, and COTS panel.
This new run covers: 16160-16374 NEW 3-74 (early 1-box COTS, ACI), and 19645-19944 NEW 12-78 (2-box COTS, no ACI).
Previous runs covered at least three series: 12000-12499 NEW 7-79 (2-box COTS, no ACI), 12500-12849 NEW 5-82 (late 3-box COTS, no ACI, different builder’s stencil), 16275-16374 NEW 1=2-72 (early 1-box COTS, ACI).
Joe Galdi
Please tell me what the difference is between these 18 new D&RGW cars and the ones that I have ( literally ) dozens of ? New numbers ?
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Thomas E Austin
June 30, 2022
Chris: You know the RBMN also had ex-MoPac 3209 quads? Love these cars…as well as the 3737/3716’s.