Which Hoppers Are Best? Tangent or Intermountain Model Train Cars

[@MainTrack]

Question of the day: Would you rate Intermountain or Tangent as having the best model of the PS-4750-covered hopper?

[@lnrailroad3215]

I just wish you would post more videos more frequently please!! I love your narration, no matter the content!

[@MainTrack]

I sure appreciate that! And, request noted. Ha. My train videos had been limited to when I could go on road trips. It should be a lot easier to produce content when I only have to travel to the layout room!

[@sptraxide]

Great video Mike!

[@MainTrack]

Thank you! I sure appreciate you watching! I’m working on several other episodes that’ll I’ll be posting soon!

[@BrianSopke]

I have both Tangent and Intermountain PS-4750's in my fleet of rolling stock. I agree with your observations and some detail differences are for different phases of the car production. (i.e. the jacking pads are different sizes - they changed to a larger one in 1980 if I recall). Great video.

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Brian. I have been buying more Tangent cars as of late, but still have some Intermountain. Tangent keeps coming out with enough stuff to keep my train budget drained. Ha. Thanks for watching!

[@BrianSopke]

@@MainTrack I agree. Tangent is really knocking it out of the park! My wallet cries with every announcement. 🤣🤣

[@d.a.dawson3090]

Great as always. This good for beginners and we get to see your progress. More, please.

[@MainTrack]

Thanks, Dan! I’ve been a waiting a long time for the layout to be “finished enough” to show on here. I realized it’s always going to be a work in progress, so I might as well just roll with what I’ve got and share some how-to videos.

[@WhiteRiverRails]

Great video! Looking forward to seeing more

[@MainTrack]

Thank you!! With work, I’ve not been able to go on many railfan trips lately. Hopefully, it’ll be easier to make videos when the railroad is at home and just down the hallway. Ha.

[@donaldrodgers8389]

I have both Tangent and Intermountain hoppers.I know the Tangent cars have batter details.But I like them both.

[@MainTrack]

Hello! Yes, they are both pretty good! Most of my 4750s are Tangent. I do have a few ACF models by Intermountain.

[@davidstewart5694]

As far as 4750. I but nothing but tangent. Have quite a few, too many to count now lol. I love all the variations tangent does.

[@MainTrack]

I am in the process of slowly replacing the rest of my 4750s with Tangent. My train car cabinet is starting to resemble the Tangent section at a hobby shop! I feel like once you get ahold of those more-detailed models, it's hard to go back! I still have a handful of Intermountain- but only for roads/schemes Tangent hasn't released just yet.

[@davidstewart5694]

Tangent is best hands down for multiple reasons, as you mentioned the stand in, that was all you had.

[@kevintaylor4597]

Intermountain has been a staple for a long time. But I've been adding more and more Tangent cars of late. More money, but it's worth it.

[@MainTrack]

I agree! I remember when Tangent first came out with stuff. I thought, why in the world would anyone pay x amount of dollars for a freight car? Well, I eventually bought one of their Mopac hoppers…and I was hooked. Ha!

[@Bameers46]

Great video, the layout looks great too, hope to see more. I am little by little up grading to the Tangent cars, InterMountain cars are very good, but they should think about tooling upgrades as the price for InterMountain cars has gone up considerably.

[@MainTrack]

I sure appreciate that! I’ll be working on a layout video soon. Like all layouts, it’s a work in progress. But, that’s what makes it fun.

[@donaldgriffittjr.2047]

I have the first 6 target hopper car PS-4750 and I m going to get the 12 others this mouth .

[@MainTrack]

Hi! That’s great…It is hard to beat Tangent’s hoppers. I have most of the Katy ones but still need a couple more to complete the run. I have some of the other roads/schemes as well. They’re kind of addicting!

[@riogrande5761]

A couple of years ago someone pointed out that the Intermountain ribs sides are a bit wide in relation to the prototype too. Its something I might not have noticed had it not be pointed out. Now I can't un-see it.

[@MainTrack]

Yes, I agree…sometimes once you see something, you can’t un-see it. Things do tend to bug my brain if it’s something obvious. At this point, I’ve replaced all of my Intermountain hoppers with Tangents. -Mike

[@kraigsickels3918]

Great video Mike ! I love your work! I would buy the Tangent Model. It’s worth the extra money to get the right freight car than something similar but not up certain expectations. I would like to see more videos like this . Thank you 😊

[@MainTrack]

I sure appreciate that, Craig! I agree about the Tangent models. Once upon a time, I told myself I would never need a car with that much detail. Fast forward to now, and I have a cabinet full of them! I’d say they’re addicting. Ha. I’ve simply whittled down the number of cars I own to fewer, but nicer ones. Thanks for tuning in…I’ve got plenty more videos in the works!

[@XBOXShawn12thman]

I just came across this video .... Subscribed!!! 👍

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Shawn! Thanks for watching. I appreciate you joining us and staying tuned for all the progress on the layout! -Mike

[@fallingup90]

Those Tangent cars are outstanding! I have the same car at 5:28 and I would say its my favorite piece of rolling stock. How would you compare the free rolling of each car?

[@MainTrack]

Hi! I’m certainly enjoying them- and at this point might have too many for my own good. Ha. They all roll very smoothly. I have had a few wheel flanges on cars, however, that like to pick the points on my turnouts and derail. It’s more so an issue on my Code 83 Atlas switches, and less so the Code 83 Peco. I’m assuming the points on the Peco units close more tightly, whereas the Atlas have a slight gap allowing those fine flanges to pry in. Long story short, I suppose that’s more of a turnout issue, but still a hiccup that I’ve not had with any other cars in the layout. -Mike

[@htrago5581]

Tangent 100%. Just got my ICG caboose. No other manufacture comes close to the detail or quality, though $110 is pricey for one car.

[@MainTrack]

Yes, I may have developed a Tangent addiction! Ha. The caboose prices are definitely steep, but what you get blows the other models out of the water. I’ve purchased a couple of BN units as well as a Chessie System (just for the fun of it- I never recall seeing a Chessie caboose on a Katy train). If and when they come out with some MKT cabooses, I’m sure I’ll blow a few months worth of my train budget! -Mike

[@mikedurhan9941]

Tangent wins, no doubt. However........... would there be as much difference if one wasn't 11 years older than the other? Who knows? Quality seems to be getting better and better very rapidly in the model railroading hobby.

[@MainTrack]

Hi, Mike! Yes, it’s a great time to be a modeler. Intermountain still has some pretty good stuff. It is pretty interesting…Intermountain would have been far better than anything we had just a few years ago. But, the bar keeps getting raised! -Mike

[@sptraxide]

Haven't seen you in a while Mike. You still a RepMo guy? But keep up the great work!

[@MainTrack]

I came back to TV-land about a year and a half ago and am working for the CBS and Fox stations here in Springfield. I still make it out to Republic every once in a while!

[@sptraxide]

@@MainTrack Congratulations to you returning to TV land! Always liked watching you but it wasn't that often because my work gets me up VERY early. Keep the train stuff coming!

[@scotabot7826]

Tangent Cars are far Superior any day of the week!!

[@MainTrack]

They sure do put out some awesome stuff!!

[@prrsd4046]

Tangent a touch more detail

[@MainTrack]

Most definitely! I love their products and always look forward to their new releases. -Mike