cheap hoppers????

[n-scale chesapeake & ohio]

can anyone please tell me the cheapest place to find open 3-bay 4-bay or 2-bay hoppers??? as i model chesapeake and ohio in 1945-1955 i need many coal hoppers but have a small (pocket change sized) budget i need to find an affordable solution

[skipgear]

The best place I have found was Trainshows. Look for the old MDC kits. You can usually pick them up for $5 each. You will have to add trucks and couplers because what they come with stinks but the printing is pretty good and they made either 12 or 24 unique numbers if I remember.

I have close to 100 B&O and about the same in C&O hoppers but it has taken a lot of time, and a lot of searching.

As far as C&O transition era hoppers that I can think of

Athearn 3 bay Rib Side Peaked end - 10 numbers (maybe more)
Atlas 2 bay offset side - 5 numbers
Atlas 2 bay 55T Fishbelly - 11 numbers
Atlas 3 bay 100T - ?? 6-8 numbers (really too new for transition)
Bachmann 4 bay - 1 number
Bluford Shops 3 bay - 12 numbers (just released recently)
Bowser 2 bay GLa - 2 numbers
Kato AC&F 70T covered - 4 numbers (2 - 2packs)
MDC/Roundhouse Ribbed Oval - 12 numbers
MDC/Roundhouse Ribbed Peak - 6 numbers
MTL 2 bay expanded side - 1 number
MTL 3 bay 100t - 2 numbers (too new for transition)
MTL 2 bay various versions - 13 numbers

That should give you a start.

[n-scale chesapeake & ohio]

k thanks ironically my model train clubs annual show is in 2 weeks so ill have to look there