[seayakbill]

Exploring under the layout and dug out a set of Right of Way Industries Burlington Northern coal hoppers. I purchased these guys many, many years ago and they probably been stored away for at least 15 years.

Anyways they are great looking hoppers, each car numbered differently. Probably top of the line back when they were manufactured. When I was oiling the wheels & axles the trucks looked identical to Weaver trucks and are attached the same way. They are the 2 part plastic trucks where the coupler bar is separate from the truck bolsters.

Don't know much about Right of Way rolling stock were they an offshoot of Weaver rolling stock ?

Bill

 

[Krieglok]

I didn’t know they made cars. I have a couple of their 0-4-0s and they are very well made.

The hoppers look great. Are they metal bodies? Nice set.

Tom

 

[seayakbill]

I didn’t know they made cars. I have a couple of their 0-4-0s and they are very well made.

The hoppers look great. Are they metal bodies? Nice set.

Tom

Hi Tom, not metal bodies, just plastic. The graphics are very nice and accurate from that time period of manufacturing.

Bill

 

[Don F]

The car bodies look like Weaver too?

 

[Spence]

Very nice find Bill. I was checking under the layout the other day and was surprised at the stuff I had under there. I don’t want to hijack the thread so I think it might be a good post titled what do you have under the layout?

 

[seayakbill]

Checked the Right of Way boxes that the hoppers came in, has the " Made In China " warning, so I guess not connected with Weaver.

Bill

 

[Don F]

I would be interested to know the inside dimensions of the hopper, length, width, and depth to the slope. China is known for its cloning?

 

[Millstonemike]

I have no knowledge in this area but was curious about product source and re-branding. So I googled Weaver and found Weaver's TCA history page.

I noted Weaver developed its graphic process in-house; presumably to improve quality over existing processes of the day. The article mentions the transition from plastic to metal trucks and when two and three bay hoppers were first offered. Though there's few dates, you get an idea of the chronology of events.

"Made in China" - maybe Right-of-Way continued to use its existing source of retail packaging for re-branded Weaver products. The Made-in-China stamp could be an artifact from prior packaging.

For what it's worth ...

 

[Don F]

I have no knowledge in this area but was curious about product source and re-branding. So I googled Weaver and found Weaver's TCA history page.

I noted Weaver developed its graphic process in-house; presumably to improve quality over existing processes of the day. The article mentions the transition from plastic to metal trucks and when two and three bay hoppers were first offered. Though there's few dates, you get an idea of the chronology of events.

"Made in China" - maybe Right-of-Way continued to use its existing source of retail packaging for re-branded Weaver products. The Made-in-China stamp could be an artifact from prior packaging.

For what it's worth ...

A friend messaged me yesterday about some ROW 2 bay hoppers and asked about coal loads. I told him I had heard of them, and mentioned that they look very much like Weaver. He took one of his Weaver loads and placed it in the ROW hopper, and it fit. I don't know where the connection between Weaver and ROW comes in to play, but I will contact Joe Hayter and see if he can shed some light. I realize this post is 3 years old, and hope it is still update able.

 

[davidone]

I would be careful of ROW stuff mostly junk not worth having,

Dave

 

[Don F]

I received a reply from Joe Hayter about the similarity between the ROW and Weaver hoppers. He has no idea why they are similar. I'm going back to my earlier assumption of a possible cloning.