In my view, the lengthy Canpotex hopper trains from Saskatchewan to Vancouver and return are almost as iconic of the Canadian railway scene as the much modelled grain car trains.
Yet no-one seems to model the currrent style of Canpotex hopper as built by National Steel Car. Three bays but a somewhat shorter wheel base than, say, Trinity or ACF 3 bay hoppers.
To create a Canpotex train, one has to resort to cylindrical hopper with round hatches, which seem to have been sold off by Canpotex over the last few years in favour of the more modern standard type covered hopper. This creates an anachronism as it means that the "older" cylindricals don't belong behind the more modern traction units. The cylindricals having been scrapped or sold on before some of the more powerful units used to haul the current Canpotex trains were introduced (Am I right in this?).
In order to create something approaching a convincing "block" train, the modeller would have to buy sufficient numbers of Canpotex hoppers that looking at the more "budget end " of the market may be necessary.
It depends of course on the modellers choice of the extent of detail. Other manufacturers may be able to produce a highly detailed model but at a price that some may find prohibitive. Other modellers may be satisfied with a reasonable representation at an affordable price, especially if they intend to buy that particular vehicle in numbers.
Bachmann's Cylindrical Grain Car fleet, almost all in Canadian liveries, have stood up well against competition from more expensive producers making the same vehicle.
Canpotex three bay NSC hoppers?
Over to you Bachmann.
Armchair
Thanks, Armchair,
I'll pass that along!
the Bach-man