Weaver freight cars.

It was this Pennsylvania PS-2 covered hopper'

Carbon black is transferred via a closed system.  Very few models of this were made, possibly for United Carbon.

Choosing a favorite is akin to choosing which of your children you love the most.

John

been looking for that brown P&LE boxcar ive seen on Norm C's layout for years

Union Pacific 40' DD Express Service Box car.

I really like these Weaver MA&PA items which are hard to find

I only purchased one, they were a hot item.   TOFC

I've always had a fondness for Munich's Hofbrau Haus

@WITZ 41 posted:

Union Pacific 40' DD Express Service Box car.

I have this one too.  Always thought it was semi scale but then read it is scale, just not as tall as other freight cars.

My favorites are the Curve Beer and Altoona Lager reefers.  I have 14 of them, all different numbers, done as special runs for a great train shop in Homer City, PA.  Thanks Jim! 

I even had to build a version of Altoona Brewing Company so all those reefers would have a place to go.  This is an old photo, before the reefers were weathered.

@CAPPilot posted:

I have this one too.  Always thought it was semi scale but then read it is scale, just not as tall as other freight cars.

Yes. As you've probably seen on my other thread these prototypes were shorter than standard cars and had other special features.  Outside of brass these Weaver cars are the only ones close.

Their three bay hoppers in B&A.  Boy I sure do miss Weaver.

I do like the 3 bay coal hoppers, they are my favorite

Weaver wagon tops are some of my favorite boxcars!  I sure to do miss the Weaver line.

Their TOFCs. Have a ton of them.

Pat

All of them. But mostly Grain hoppers, cement hoppers and 50ft boxcars.

Also the UP grey express cars for me. I'm not sure if the Red Caboose Texas Winery car is also Weaver but judging by the quality, I think it must be:

The 40 ft. Wooden Gondola. I repainted 3 into the Rutland which still ran them into the 50’s. Some  were used in hauling marble. I did modify the stock Weaver car by adding grab irons and different steps. Removing one rib for wheel clearance on the chassis allows for a lower ride height making the Kadee look right in the cutout for the coupler.

This one ! It was a special run for Meyers Toy Store when they were still on Rt 18 and in East Brunswick. They were made in 1987.

My two favorites are the 2 bay wood chip hoppers and the TOFC's............Paul 2

The Weaver H 30 covered hopper. This was a thank from Joe Hayter for filling in to do the manufacturers' presentation at the TCA museum. Also, the wood side gondola. This one is in PARR MOW gray, with a scrap metal load.

The one that sticks in my mind was their 50' tankcar.  That's the model Ed Reutling and myself used to build of Whalebelly hoppers.  Can't really tell that the whalebelly came from the Weaver car but Weaver none the less:

Other than that, they made some good PS1 boxcars and a good variety of open hoppers, many of which were prototypical for use on the Seaboard Air Line.

20centuryhudson,

Do you mean this car? We did 150 in brown and 150 in jade green.

So far today, I have seen some beautiful Weaver freight cars posted on this sight. Everyone of them are great. Thank you and please keep them coming.

P.S. Thank you Robert for your kind words.

I have several great Weavers, but I think this is my favorite.

Please bear with me and I hope this will make sense.

I don't have a favorite Weaver freight car.  That is one of the things that made Weaver a great company.  A real rail line would see large numbers of freight cars rolling over it.  Most would not be that memorable by themselves.  Whether boxcars, reefers or hoppers they would collectively make quite an impression.  That is how I feel about Weaver freight cars.  For most of their existence Weaver's cars were not intended to be individual show pieces.  They were intended to collectively make up a realistic looking train of scale sized freight cars.  They were low enough priced so that assembling a trains worth of cars could be done on a relatively modest budget.  Plus they and their partners produced cars for a wide variety of roads.

If I had bought one of those B&O boxcars from their last days maybe I would feel differently.  If pressed, of the Weaver freight cars I own I would go with the 50' composite gondola.

The TOFC cars were my favorite. This one in particular

Hi Jim --yes thats the one!

@jim sutter posted:

So far today, I have seen some beautiful Weaver freight cars posted on this sight. Everyone of them are great. Thank you and please keep them coming.

P.S. Thank you Robert for your kind words.

You know something that I miss?  Buying weaver cars, or MTH cars from Jim's train shop

I have/had several Weaver freight cars. Did Weaver seal lead weight(s) inside the 1 piece plastic bodies? I have a Weaver PS2 Covered Hopper in which something is rattling around, but no way to access interior.

@rail posted:

The Weaver H 30 covered hopper. This was a thank from Joe Hayter for filling in to do the manufacturers' presentation at the TCA museum. Also, the wood side gondola. This one is in PARR MOW gray, with a scrap metal load.

While not my favorite car (see above), I really like Weaver's H30 covered hoppers.  The detail is great and they track well, like all Weaver cars.  Here are a couple of mine:

The PS2 CD covered hopper in CNW.   Done both in yellow and green.

Here’s just one of my favorites I have so many.

Here are my favorites - two tank cars on the right.

Charlie

I too miss the Weaver line.  The Western Maryland Railroad Historical Society did a few custom runs of rolling stock.  I missed out on getting all the road numbers for the WM TOFC and woodchip hoppers.  I see several PS1 boxcars on the bay for $90 bucks.

Terrance

Jim, was this one of yours?

Norm,

Yes, we did 150 in brown and 150 in Jade green. Sure is great to hear from you Norm. I hope you are ok and doing well. I can't remember when I saw you last. Please take care and have a wonderful and safe day.

Superwarp1,

Thank you for your kind words. I miss doing business with you and everyone else. Some of the best days of my life was when I was in the store.

Here is one my favorites, I would buy more if I could find them. UP 4 bay High Side.

Mark V. Spadaro,

Yes Mark, there are some lead weights inside that. You can remove the top of the car from its underframe. However, you must be very careful or you will crack the underframe. It is very fragile.

Weights were designed for the two bay hoppers. 

There was also a relatively heavy coal load that was available at the time.

Here are two of my favorites...

The C&I pretty much ran through my backyard, and having grown up in Cambria County, I sorely miss the sounds of the early morning coal drags from the mines.

Usually I'm not much for glossy paint schemes, but this one is just so sharp looking.

Jim, I believe this was one of your custom runs?

@Bob posted:

My favorites are the Curve Beer and Altoona Lager reefers.  I have 14 of them, all different numbers, done as special runs for a great train shop in Homer City, PA.  Thanks Jim! 

I even had to build a version of Altoona Brewing Company so all those reefers would have a place to go.  This is an old photo, before the reefers were weathered.

Same here! With the exception of not having all 14 cars.

BTW, the Bunny Bread car is also an eye catcher too!

Here's another of Jim's custom runs.

Thx, Jim.

CNJ#1601, Yes that was one of our custom runs. Orange was always my favorite color. Therefore, I decided to do the New Haven PS-2 covered hopper. Weavers, PS-2 covered hopper was always my favorite car.  We also did this New Haven PS-2 covered hopper.

I thought so Jim...thanks for confirming!

When RadioRon made me second guess myself with his post above, I thought, "Why not?  I could see Jimmy doing that car just because he liked the New Haven's colors"...so I almost nailed it...LOL!

I have always liked the Weaver cars. In fact, they were what helped me decide to branch out into 2 rail O scale. I recently won an auction and got a lot of cars hat included 13 Weaver, 2 rail cars. Several are cars I want to keep, and the rest I will sort out and sell off to cover costs. Even though they are not highly detailed, the Weaver cars look very nice in a train.

Jeff

rplst8,

Do you have these two Cambria and Indiana 2 bay hopper cars? If you don't and since you like the Cambria and Indiana Railroad this will give you something to hunt. Both of these hoppers have the built by Bethlehem Steel Johnstown PA. logos on them.

Here are a few of the Weaver cars I got through the auction. I have two of the cabooses, and it looks like they are both custom weathered. The D&H covered hopper is some type of special run, or custom paint,  the tank car is a custom paint,(has a lot of damaged handrails), and I got 4 of the Railbox cars, all with different numbers. All are weighted, and set up for 2-rail.

Jeff

Mowingman,

I love your 50' Rail Box box car.

@jim sutter posted:

Mowingman,

I love your 50' Rail Box box car.

Thanks. There are 4 of these. This one is assembled, but the other three are still in kit form like they arrived from Weaver. The yellow is a little bit "translucent",  in my opinion, but they do look nice. I will probably weather the ones I decide to keep.

Jeff

These are two of my favorites ...

Another favorite. Posted previously elsewhere...

Weaver was a major loss to the hobby...wild variety and trucks ..

Detroit,

I love your Penn Central box cars.

WITZ41,

Your Chicago Northwestern box car reminds me of  one of my favorite box cars from Gilbert (American Flyer).

Here's my offering. Love these two Chateau Martin Wine cars! Weaver makes some nice stuff.

Mowingman's D&H covered hopper looks like one I worked on and later sold to Steve Neill.  His collection has recently been auctioned.

I added an air brake pipe along the side sill, uncoupling rods and painted the ends, running board, corner platforms and roof black, leaving the hatch covers gray, following a prototype photo.

Here it is:

S.Islander 

@S. Islander posted:

Mowingman's D&H covered hopper looks like one I worked on and later sold to Steve Neill.  His collection has recently been auctioned.

I added an air brake pipe along the side sill, uncoupling rods and painted the ends, running board, corner platforms and roof black, leaving the hatch covers gray, following a prototype photo.

Here it is:

S.Islander

S.Islander, Yes, this has to be the one. It is customized exactly as you mentioned. I got it in a lot I won at that auction. It is in perfect condition. I have $11.35/car invested in this car, and that includes shipping from the auction. You did a nice job.

Jeff

I have many Weaver cars. Many of them were undecorated and I finished them. Occasionally, I come across cars factory painted and I purchase them too. They are always well done.

Here are two factory cars I like, and one custom painted car I did a few months ago...

Tom

@Krieglok posted:

I have many Weaver cars. Many of them were undecorated and I finished them. Occasionally, I come across cars factory painted and I purchase them too. They are always well done.

Here are two factory cars I like, and one custom painted car I did a few months ago...

Tom

Love that WAG car. I have several of those that were done as special runs, but I believe they are all Atlas models.

Jeff

Tom and Jeff, FYI Crown Model Products did a run of them in the 1990's. Later on Buffalo Creek Graphics did a run of them also..................Paul 2

Thanks for reminding me of that. Now that you mention it, I believe I do have one of each of those , along with the Atlas cars. I will have to look in the storage closet and see.

Jeff

@jim sutter posted:

rplst8,

Do you have these two Cambria and Indiana 2 bay hopper cars? If you don't and since you like the Cambria and Indiana Railroad this will give you something to hunt. Both of these hoppers have the built by Bethlehem Steel Johnstown PA. logos on them.

I don't Jim, but I do have this:

I doubt it's prototypical, but it was a gift from my father, and I would take 20 more if I could find them.  Probably one of my favorite cars, though it's not made by Weaver.

I have 12 of the C&I 3-bay hoppers, but I definitely would like to get a few of those 2-bay ones to throw in my coal drags.  Thanks for sharing!

rplst8,

That's a great looking ore car. You will remember your father gave you that as a gift for the rest of your life. 

Jim, great topic! I really miss Weaver also. Back in the late 80's and into the 90's, there were few if any companies that would do custom runs besides Weaver. Up here in Canada there was precious little available from the big names, but we were able to get some pretty cool looking stuff from Weaver.

You might recognize a couple of these for instance:

The PS2 covered hoppers were and still are a nice running car. On the lower track we have a couple of the venerable ACF grain cars, and off to the right a PS2CD in CP markings.

Talking about ACF grain hoppers:

And then there is these guys; 70 tonners I believe. There were two 12 packs available, all different road numbers, 24 in total.

And of course bulkhead flats:

In short, Weavers filled a huge gap at the time, and they are still great. Only thing is many of their offerings are too light, and you need to properly weight them to get them to run reliably. No big deal.

Rod

Rod Stewart,

You have some great looking cars. Super collection of Weaver freight cars. I recognize the red and white Ralston Purina and the green British Columbia PS-2 covered hoppers. I have only seen the British Columbia hopper a couple of times. It was either the second or third car that I done.

I don't know  that I have a favorite.  Being an Alaska Railroad fan Weaver was filling a niche long before the big guys put out a lot of Alaska stuff.  First Weaver cars I owned were PS2 Hoppers in ARR livery done for Petersen's.  And then many more followed.

I'll opt for the N&W Caboose

@jim sutter posted:

Rod Stewart,

You have some great looking cars. Super collection of Weaver freight cars. I recognize the red and white Ralston Purina and the green British Columbia PS-2 covered hoppers. I have only seen the British Columbia hopper a couple of times. It was either the second or third car that I done.

Jim; I thought that you had the Ralston car done, and others too, from our earlier conversations. Didn't know about the British Columbia one. Its a really nice car too.

coach joe; many of the cars I own were Andy Petersen custom runs. He did a lot of them. Very responsive to the Canadian market, and a very nice guy. Haven't seen him in quite a few years now. He was also our main source of many early MTH products in the 1996 to 2000 era.

Rod

@Freight Train Jim posted:

These are two of my favorites ...

Jim. Who done the Bunny Bread? Was it a special run? I really like it

Let's not forget the OGR Tour and York cars. I have a few more. I've 2-railed all of them and occasionally bring them out to run at the club.

Lee Drennen,

It was one of our custom runs. I grew up on Bunny Bread. It was made by the Harris Boyer Bakery in Johnstown. PA. Johnstown was only 24 miles from Homer City. A lot of our customers were from Johnstown. Beside the red roof and red end version, Weaver made as a Blue roof and Blue end version.

AGHRMATT,

Those are some fine looking Weaver cars. I notice you have some autographs of some of the leaders of "O" Gauge magazine on one of the cars. That's very special. Matt That's something to be proud of.

Coach joe,

You have some fine looking Weaver cars that you have pictured. I to like Alaska Railroad freight cars. My favorite is your Alaska box car with the Eskimo.

@jim sutter posted:

AGHRMATT,

Those are some fine looking Weaver cars. I notice you have some autographs of some of the leaders of "O" Gauge magazine on one of the cars. That's very special. Matt That's something to be proud of.

Thanks Jim. The OGR Autograph car was an interesting find and I was lucky to win the auction. I'm going to try to get one without the autographs and put this one in a display case.

Thank you Jim.  There are others on the roster but those were the picture I had available.  Too bad Weaver went away but as is said "All good things must come to an end."

I don't own any, but the cars look great and such a variety.  I looked at some I wanted to buy on Ebay and wrote to a vendor asking about the trucks.  He told me that all Weaver trucks are plastic.

Is that correct?

John

@Rod Stewart posted:

Jim, great topic! I really miss Weaver also. Back in the late 80's and into the 90's, there were few if any companies that would do custom runs besides Weaver. Up here in Canada there was precious little available from the big names, but we were able to get some pretty cool looking stuff from Weaver.

You might recognize a couple of these for instance:

The PS2 covered hoppers were and still are a nice running car. On the lower track we have a couple of the venerable ACF grain cars, and off to the right a PS2CD in CP markings.

Talking about ACF grain hoppers:

And then there is these guys; 70 tonners I believe. There were two 12 packs available, all different road numbers, 24 in total.

And of course bulkhead flats:

In short, Weavers filled a huge gap at the time, and they are still great. Only thing is many of their offerings are too light, and you need to properly weight them to get them to run reliably. No big deal.

Rod

Regarding the weight of Weaver cars, I think you are referring to those produced in the early days of Weaver. All of the ones I have in my collection are from their Ultra Line. Those cars are weighted properly. I am running a couple of long consists comprised solely of Ultra Line cars on my layout and have had no issues.

Pat 

Matt,

That's a great idea. Those cars with autographs are very special.

John,

For the most part all early Weaver cars have plastic trucks. I'm sorry I can't give you date as to when Weaver started using die-cast trucks. Beth Marshall who is a dealer that advertises on this forum probably could. She was a Weaver dealer for a long time and she still has a large inventory of Weaver freight cars. The name of her business is Public Delivery Track. Listed below is her contact information.

The best way to get in touch with us is through email at pdt212@gmail.com.  Or you can call 805-226-0320.

We are in the Pacific Time zone, so please don't call at 9 a.m. Eastern Time!  

Pat,

That's great information. Thank you.

@jim sutter posted:

Matt,

That's a great idea. Those cars with autographs are very special.

John,

For the most part all early Weaver cars have plastic trucks. I'm sorry I can't give you date as to when Weaver started using die-cast trucks. Beth Marshall who is a dealer that advertises on this forum probably could. She was a Weaver dealer for a long time and she still has a large inventory of Weaver freight cars. The name of her business is Public Delivery Track

Thanks Jim,

I'll check that out.

John

Not all Weaver Trucks are Plastic. If the 3Rail Part Number Ends with the letters " LD " they are Metal.

Their may be other ways to tell also but I am not aware.

russ

@DETROIT posted:

Nice. I really like their tank cars. However, the plastic handrails are very fragile. Once assembled, they are almost impossible to ship without sustaining some kind of handrail damage.

Jeff

Jeff - You are 100% correct about the old 'just in a box' weaver tank cars - they get decimated in shipping.  For that matter that's a problem with all Weavers that don't have the plastic shell casing.  I think I may have purchased several members of my weaver tank car fleet from you in fact.  The newer tank cars that come in the plastic shells travel pretty well and I think in the later days the plastic used for the tank car detail was stronger/less brittle???  I love my Weaver cars for all the reasons addressed in this thread.

I only have a few Weaver train cars, all related to special runs for hobby magazines!

In this photo, a Weaver-made "Model Railroader" anniversary boxcar rolls along between the MTH-made OGR Hurricane Katrina relief fund boxcar and a Weaver tank car.

In this photo you'll see a close-up of the Weaver-made Railroad Model Craftsman "tank car of ink".

Ran down through the 3 pages of this thread pretty quick so forgive me if someone else showed these cars already. These are my favorites. I believe this was Jim's custom run, I believe He had (6) 12 packs for a total of 72. I have  been collecting these for years. I am up to 48. If any of you out there have any you want to part with and I dont already have the road #, I would have interest in buying.

I received a used Weaver Rock Island Express Boxcar today.  The couplers are completely broken off the trucks and there is some damage to one of the ladders.  It needs love. A

@A. Wells posted:

I received a used Weaver Rock Island Express Boxcar today.  The couplers are completely broken off the trucks

If my memory serves, the couplers are NOT attached to the trucks on Weaver freight cars. The couplers are on a long shank, with the rear of the shank acting as a "spacer" between the truck and under frame bolster, in order to clear the large 3-Rail wheel flanges. Weaver cars were essentially a 2-Rail SCALE product, adapted to the 3-Rail market by simply having the coupler large coupler shank act as a spacer for the 3-Rail truck (whether plastic or die-cast).

and there is some damage to one of the ladders.  It needs love. A

@Hot Water posted:

You are right!  Both of them are in so many pieces it's hard to tell how they originally assembled.

Jini5,

Yes, we did the Pennsylvania hoppers "Coal Goes To War." However, I'm sorry but I do not remember how many numbers we did for each car.

Hot Water, you are correct about the couplers on Weavers trucks. They are separate and are on a long arm with the coupler. On the couplers arm there are two half moon shape that fit around the middle of the truck.

@DETROIT posted:

That DuPont logo is far from reality, though.

Couldn't find a pictures from the 1960s/70s.  I suspect the logo has been updated a bit but pretty close.

North Shore and South Shore PS-1 boxcars. Yeah, they have roof walks, but so hard to find anything for those railroads.

Sometime in the early 1990's we did two southern PS-2 covered hoppers. A white one with green printing and a green with gold printing. Do any of you have either one? Sorry, for the poor quality of the picture of the green one.