HO Scale Replicas Page – Bethlehem Quad Hopper

Tangent Scale Models is proud to offer the 3600 cubic foot Bethlehem Steel design open quad hopper - as delivered to Union Pacific - as the fourth all-new model in our HO scale product line.   These cars represent UP’s largest fleet of coal hoppers in company history.   First produced in 1974 by Bethlehem Steel as UP class H-100-10, production of a majority of the fleet occurred in UP’s Albina Shops in Portland OR between 1976 and 1981.   Production of this important fleet ended with the H-100-23 class, after UP placed more than 6,900 of these “quad” hoppers in service in the rapidly-growing Western low-sulfur coal market.   As usual, Tangent Scale Models is the first manufacturer to offer this unique model in HO Scale plastic!   With these cars wandering far beyond just UP rails in both unit and carload services, consider adding some of these replicas to your layout or collection.   Our first product release for July 2010 includes the following nine UP paint schemes:

• Scheme 1 - Union Pacific "Original H-100-16" in the traditional “Freight Car Red” paint with large Union Pacific spelled out in white.   Please note these red cars include painted trucks to match the carbody color, just like UP paint practices!   These cars are available in 9 separate 3-packs plus 9 individually packaged cars, for a total of 36 road numbers!   Combine these with other UP cars, or just purchase an original “all red” train!

  *click to enlarge

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 2 - Union Pacific "Original H-100-17" in the traditional “all-black” paint with yellow ends designating the rotary coupler ends.   This scheme includes the large Union Pacific spelled out in white on the carside.   Because these cars initially operated in unit train services, Tangent is pleased to offer 9 separate 3-packs plus 9 individually packaged cars, for a total of 36 road numbers!   Combine these with other UP cars, or just purchase an original “black” train!

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 3 - Union Pacific "Original H-100-18" Double Rotary" in the traditional “all-black” paint with yellow ends.   This scheme includes the large Union Pacific spelled out in white on the carside, but includes double yellow ends to designate rotary couplers on both ends of the car.   These “double rotary” cars are available in two road numbers.   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 4 - Union Pacific "1989 H-100-18 Black Repaint" in the first common black repaint scheme with yellow ends.   This scheme includes the distinctive Union Pacific shield, which Tangent Scale Models expertly replicates in a manner consistent with our typical attention to detail.   These cars are available in 6 road numbers.   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 5 - Union Pacific “1989 H-100-18 Black Repaint with White end" in the first common black repaint scheme, but a rarer version of the repaint with a white end.   This scheme includes the distinctive Union Pacific shield, which Tangent Scale Models expertly replicates in a manner consistent with our typical attention to detail.   This car is available in one road number.   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 6 - Union Pacific “1989 H-100-18 Black Repaint with No Logo" in the first common black repaint scheme, but a rarer version of the repaint with yellow end but no UP shield on the side of the carbody.   Apparently they were missing some of the colors for the shield that day, or the repaint crew was in a hurry to get off of work!   Either way, check out our Prototype Page to see a photo of this car.   This car is available in one road number.   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 7 - Union Pacific "1989 H-100-19 Red Repaint" in the first common red repaint scheme – the same as scheme 8 below except for the class and date..   This scheme includes the distinctive Union Pacific shield, which Tangent Scale Models expertly replicates in a manner consistent with our typical attention to detail.   These cars are available in 2 road numbers.   Please note that the car below is similar although it includes different repaint dates for prototypical variety and to mimic the UP repaint practices for these red repaints.   Please also note these red repaints include painted trucks to match the carbody color, just like UP repaint practices!   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 8 - Union Pacific "1989 H-100-16 Red Repaint" in the first common red repaint scheme – the same as scheme 7 above except for the class and date.   This scheme matches the scheme above, although it includes a separate repaint date to match UP repaint practices.   Please also note these red repaints include painted trucks to match the carbody color, also like UP repaint practices.   These cars are available in 4 road numbers.   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge
• Scheme 9 - Union Pacific "1997 H-100-19 Black Repaint" in another common black repaint scheme.   This scheme includes the distinctive Union Pacific shield, which Tangent Scale Models expertly replicates in a manner consistent with our typical attention to detail.   These cars are available in 5 road numbers.   Combine these with other UP cars, and take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

  *click to enlarge
• Undecorated RTR Primer Gray offered for those who want to consider a path of their own.   There are many good opportunities for new paint schemes, including similar cars painted in DTI, IC, LN, CRR, ARR, BLE, etc.   Take advantage of our “mix and match” discount pricing!

Coal Loads

Tangent Scale Models not only developed a state of the art open hopper, but we went to great lengths to produce a hopper with a very accurate coal load. Our coal load is produced to mimic actual coal loads as seen with typical western "flood" loading processes. A link to a prototype photo is available here for comparison. Here is a photo of our new replicas from the top so you can see how it matches the prototype:

Tangent Scale Models understands that modelers often alternate operating their trains loaded OR empty. Our new Bethlehem Quad Hopper is designed to operate well as an empty - the model weighs more than 4 ounces without coal load - but it looks very good as an empty as well:

Our motto is “Unparalleled scale replicas for discriminating railroad modelers”.  We hope you'll agree! Our Bethlehem Quad Hopper replicas include:

• Highly accurate “true to life” colors
• Exact fonts and lettering placement
• Painted, scale-sized wire grabirons and coupler lift bars for strength and durability
• Air hoses
• Thin-profile brake piping
• See-through etched metal brake platforms
• L-shaped end-sheet supports
• Interior bracing detail
• Highly-detailed hopper bay outlet gates
• “Narrow appearance” coupler box with Kadee® scale couplers
• Ready-to-operate model with hidden weights
• Tangent 100-ton N-11 trucks with free-rolling metal wheels
• A “Tangent-accurate” non-symmetrical, properly-sloped coal load
• Dimensional accuracy - scaled from prototype plans
• Car number selection process - we select car numbers from online or published sources, focusing on late era numbers to represent more than 35 years in continuous operation.