B&M PS-2 Covered Hopper

A B&M covered hopper is found in a White River Division local.

Last weekend I picked up a few used pieces of rolling stock while attending the Ancaster Train Show. One an Atlas B&M hopper that I thought would become a model for my contemporary fleet. To my surprise when I got home and checked Morning Sun's Northern New England Colour Guide there was a picture of a #5520-5545 series car in a Rutland Ry. train in Bellows Falls during the spring of 1956. These cars could be found loaded with sugar, grain and abrasive materials.

What I did...
I decided  to try a Mont Switzer trick found in a 2009 MR issue. Mont got the idea to use real cement from Lance Mindheim. He used cement powder on the roof of his car. I did not have any cement but did have a lot of limestone dust that could work well. Limestone being an ingredient in cement. Some Floquil flat finish is brushed around the roof hatches then a small scoop of dust is dropped on the hatch and brushed onto the flat finish. I let it dry for 5-10 minutes then brushed off what did not stick. The sides of the car got a good coating of light coloured Bragdon powders. I think this hopper car now has a very interesting look to it...George Dutka

My model next to a photo taken in 1956 in Bellows Falls, Vt.

Prior to weathering a plain ho-hum model.

Some lime stone dust added to the roof. Mont Switzer suggests using Bragdon grimy gray and ash to the sides of the car and light rust to the underside. Weathering powders can be used to change the colouring of the roof cement.

Not a bad looking car which took no time at all to get into service.