Dear N Scale Customers;

This month, Bluford Shops is happy to announce their third group of N scale Factory Dented 52’6” Mill Gondolas.

This second version of Conrail cars follows later painting standards. The placement of the road number and dimensional data is different. An updated (in 1983) version of the consolidated stencil has been applied and the Conrail logo is larger and has the CONRAIL above the logo. The trucks are now black and this group uses PS style fixed ends to replace the original drop ends.

Penn Central inherited this fleet of mill gondolas from New York Central. While PC replaced the ends of many of their older mill gons, this particular group retained their drop ends and lever hand brakes. Cars in this paint scheme survived well into the Conrail era.

Pittsburgh & West Virginia was a small but vital bridge line connecting Nickel Plate’s former W&LE in the west, through Pittsburgh, to a connection with the Western Maryland in the east. These lines plus Reading and others were referred to as the Alphabet Route between the Midwest and east coast. P&WV received this fleet of fixed end gons from Pullman Standard in 1957. P&WV specified Greenville style ribs but PS style ends – a combination reflected on these models.

Ann Arbor received this group of gons in 1969 from parent DT&I. They had already been reconditioned with the drop ends welded shut and a new Ajax hand brake housing bolted to the end (replacing the lever style brake.) The brake chain was routed through a hole cut in the top of the end sill.

Maine Central was not a railroad one would identify with the steel industry but they did have enough gon-appropriate loads such as scrap, poles, gravel and the like to warrant acquiring this group of cars. These cars have fixed Dreadnaught ends and Ajax IP80 brake wheels.

Chicago & Eastern Illinois received this group of gondolas from Thrall in 1966. Props to C&EI for applying a “billboard” paint scheme to these fixed end mill gons. It also illustrates C&EI’s comical disregard for AAR size standards for reporting marks and road numbers. Like the C&EI itself, this fleet was later divided between MP subsidiary C&EI and Louisville & Nashville.

As with earlier runs, the N scale Factory Dented 52’6” Mill Gondolas feature die cast floors for superior tracking and plastic sides, ends, draft gear, body bolsters and additional brake gear. The cars come standard with Bluford Shops metal wheels and magnetically operating knuckle couplers.

The Lightly Dented versions have multiple deflections in the side sheets above the floor line. The Medium Dented versions have the side sheets visibly puffed outward between the rivet lines as countless small dings to the inside faces accumulated and stretched the sheets into rough domes. The Heavily Dented versions also have the puffed out panels but to a greater extent – plus many of the ribs have also been deflected outward. The concave dent detail on the inside faces matches the convex outside faces.

Car ends and brake equipment vary based on prototype. Interiors have a rust effect finish. Each road name will be available in 3 or 6 road numbers – 1 or 2 each of lightly dented, medium dented and heavily dented versions. Minimum Radius: 9.75”.

Order Due Date: November 25, 2025

Anticipated Delivery Date: November 2026

Looking for more Bluford Shops Gondolas? Click here!