For our blog readers, more insider information. Literally. Omscaler has reached the point on the hopper car build where the center slope sheets have been installed. This week we will begin center beam cover sheets. These parts form a metal tent over the car center beam for the purpose of directing all the coal out of the bottom of the hopper. Omscaler is in fact aware of the possibility that some hopper cars just had the flat top surface of the center beam exposed. The reason for this is that omscaler is in possession of a three- bay hopper car in the 1/160 N scale which has the exposed center beam. The car markings are for the Illinois Central RR. This begs the question, “Is the model true to the prototype?” Maybe back in the day, some of the coal load remaining on the center beam was considered too negligible to matter. Omscaler will consider researching this. At any rate, the GM&O hoppers will have beam cover sheets. Nothing is too good for the customer. Still ‘a-building, omscaler
