# Pictures of new AML Bethgon II Coal Porters



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I finally got my mitts on some of them in the Accucraft booth.

(These are 1:29)

I was very pleasantly surprised to see that my requests for improvements all got incorporated, improvements to the wheels and trucks and mounting of the trucks.

I have more pictures on my site: *http://www.elmassian.com...trong>**










They look great!

Greg*


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Due date Greg? I've got one on order and like other folks will be scrathcing to pay for it if it is arriving really soon. Will the trucks & wheels be available separately as well? At a price slightly more reasonable that Aristocrafts? I can hope right? 

Chas


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think they are really soon, in a few months, forgot to ask! There were 4 there and they were not prototypes, but production prototypes, so I was under the impression they were an any day now thing, will ask. 

The trucks, interesting... I don't know if anyone has approached them selling them separately. Would have to look at what the street price for Aristo ones are. 

Greg


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg at one point I was getting Aristo roller bearing trucks for under $20 a pair with metal wheels. Now you cannot touch them, it seems, for under $40 a pair. Just getting the metal wheels to upgrade the existing RB trucks is tough. Since Accucraft is starting to offer more and more "parts" availability this seems like a natural and pushing the production numbers up "should" make them cheaper to produce? I just got off the phone at work talking about manufacturing and numbers and production. 

Chas


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

To be very candid, it would be hard for people to compete with Aristo head to head ignoring quality. 

The acceptable quality standards at Aristo are lower than AML, and trying to get AML to be the lowest price provider is not what I personally would want to see. 

Remember the "cloning" of many other manufacturer's parts by Aristo... WR frogs, #6 switch inserts, the slow motion switch motor, the rail bender, and it all started with cloning LGB track. 

I'm very happy with the price point and the quality and level of detail on AML, it's up at the USAT level, and the recent improvements in the CNC wheels, the sprung trucks, better truck mounting, larger SS axles... well, I don't want to mess with that, personally. 

Long winded response, sorry Chas, but my experience is trying to be the lowest price is fraught with the dangers of cheapening the product. 

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

If I recall these cars may be out by the time the National convention in KCMO I know the new grain hoppers will be there also. 

As for the AC roller bearing trucks just bought some for $24 a set. Later RJD


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Point taken Greg. I'd agree wholeheartedly IF I could upgrade from plastic to metal at a reasonable price. To some extent, getting wheels custom machined locally is almost within the current price point, comparing Aristo's current street prices. At that point I would NOT need the complete set from AML, just the trucks without wheels. Still as you said, cloning. We are a far cry from the says of steel axles and plastic wheels on the old LGB 2 axle equipment. Of course the whole point of this thread is that Aristo is NOT the only player in all aspects of large scale railroading. Nor would they want to be. 

Chas


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## Tom Lapointe (Jan 2, 2008)

Unfortunately, a bit too modern a prototype for me







(on days when I do run 1:29 scale, it's 1950's New Haven







), but *a very impressive model *







for those who model present-day coal trains.







Out of curiosity, Greg, do the roller bearing end caps *actually rotate *







(Had some roller-bearing trucks back in my 2-rail "O" -scale days which did.).

Willing to bet Accucraft is going to sell a *lot *of these cars - especially if you guys are trying to model unit coal trains *like this one...*











Videotaped that UP train (running on the former MoPac mainline) behind the National Museum of Transport in St. Louis on a trip out there about a year-&-1/2 ago; they actually have an elevated *train viewing platform *







between the Museum & the active mainline. Think I counted *142 cars *







in that train (was a built difficult to keep count because of the speed he was moving at)! - Maybe Accucraft should sell theirs in *50 ~ 100 car "bulk packs" *







(all with *different road numbers, of course! *







).








*Tom*


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom, 
Locally we get two unit trians of coal cars per day running thru. One laoded and one empty. Usually with CSX power. The cars are usually a bit older than these but now and then we see these modern bath-tub hoppers. Due to the hilly country around western NY and Western PA train lengths are somehwat shorter at just under 100 cars. 

Chas


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Gosh Tom; 

The National Museum of Transport and the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, VA have all too much in common. Lots of equipment that is badly in need of repainting!









Best, 
David Meashey


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep Tom, I model about the time you do, so they are not really in my era, but they sure are a nicely detailed and executed model. 

Yes the bearing caps rotate, and they seem to be affixed better than the Aristo ones (but of course time will tell)... They seem to be made from some rubber, not hard plastic. 

Regards, Greg


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