Dear HO Customers:  It is early morning here in Hong Kong and it will take a couple of days to adjust back to Pacific Daylight time, so if I can't communicate any more details for a day or so, do not be alarmed. Pacific Western Rail / North American Railcar posted the following message on a Yahoo Railroad chat list yesterday.

For some time now a great many of you have been ordering our first new car. We at Pacific Western Rail have always believed in the concept of building it better, not cheaper; give our customers greater detail for value. When we met 22 months ago with our manufacturer here in the east, we asked "what can you do to increase the level of detail?".

Well, here is the result.

 
"We have just returned with an assembled engineering sample of the first
version (of 10) of the Hawker Siddeley 4550 cubic-foot 4-bay covered
hopper to be produced by North American Railcar Corporation. The new cars are to be shipped in December 2008, to our customers by our sister company, Pacific Western Rail Systems of Surrey, BC, Canada and Ferndale, Washington USA.

We have spent the last 18 months or so, researching the details of this
car, who rostered them, how many production variations there were and
worked very closely with the design engineers to insure this is a
very accurate model.

Check out the high res close up of the lettering on the side of the new trucks we designed. Try and find printing like this on other HO trucks. Amazing what can be accomplished in China when model railroaders ask the factory to "push the limit".

The first version that is to be released represents the version that
was purchased by the Saskatchewan Grain Car Corporation and the
Canadian Wheat Board between 10/79 and 7/81.

This first version has trough hatches, 11 running board supports,
etched brass running boards, etched brass crossover platforms, low
mounted brake appliances, riveted toggle-lock outlet gates with cast
brass capstans and newly tooled CSF Barber S-2 100-ton trucks.

Check out the chain on the brake wheel, notice it passes through the metal etched brake stand!

Have a close look at the details on the grain outlet gates. Notice detail of rivets and metal capstans!

Before you pass judgement on what we have created for you, study the details closely. Pull out your cars from other manufacturers. Look closely, and compare. 

We have created a PDF file with detailed photographs for those that are
interested to see what this car is going to look like. This is an
engineering sample, so it's a little rough and a few issues are being
worked out prior to going to production.

At the same time that this version is released, a slightly different
version (with welded toggle lock outlets) will also be produced which
will accurately reflect the options that CP chose for their versions
of the Saskatchewan Grain Car Corporation cars built between 2 & 10/81.

The whole PDF file is available to download at:
http://fcix.net/Documents/HST4550-1.pdf

As more versions are assembled, we will post similar PDF files with
detail photos and information on the cars.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,
Dan Huberman, North American Railcar Corporation

PS: We have locked down the production numbers for the new Green Saskatchewan Hawker Siddeley Cylindrical Hoppers. We are not making many for the shelf. If you want to make sure you get some of these great cars, get your order in. Expected Delivery is late December 2008.