Smoky Mountain Model Works, Inc.
Asheville, North Carolina • USA
Asheville, North Carolina • USA
Creating 20th Century Models Using 21st Century Technology
Smoky Mountain Model Works, Inc. • Asheville, NC 28805
Ph.: (828) 777-5619 (10-5 M-F) • Email: jimking3@charter.net
Ph.: (828) 777-5619 (10-5 M-F) • Email: jimking3@charter.net
O Scale
The late John Armstrong, noted for his large O scale, outside-rail layout and numerous layout design books, designed this one-of-a-kind articulated covered hopper he dubbed "The Cementipede". Built from carstock and wood sometime in the early to mid-1960s, it reflected various attempts by some railroads to greatly increase a car's capacity while marketing them as a single car, thus escaping tonnage rate regulations of the era. This concept "peaked" in 1991 after Santa Fe commissioned three 5-unit Aluminum articulated covered hoppers and named the design "Super Hopper". BNSF retired all three in 2017 but one, No. 390002, has been saved by the Oklahoma Railway Museum.
In 2023, I reverse-engineered John's model in Solidworks. Several of the original features, like roof hatches, walkways, and brake system, were updated to closely match Miner's parts and Pullman-Standard's covered hopper designs circa 1960-61. Originally intended to be produced using "traditional" patterns, rubber molds, and urethane castings, the design was heavily modified in 2024 to reflect advancements in "3D Resin Printing". The resulting car, except for bits of wire, screws, chain, trucks, and couplers, is 100% printed on FormLabs' "Form4". This is considered the first application (of this magnitude) of resin printing in any scale.
Kits are available from "Wit And Wisdom Models" (https://wit-and-wisdom-models.com). Contact David Vaughn at this web site to place an order. These are considered "limited run" models so don't wait too long.
Jim King, 10/2025
In 2023, I reverse-engineered John's model in Solidworks. Several of the original features, like roof hatches, walkways, and brake system, were updated to closely match Miner's parts and Pullman-Standard's covered hopper designs circa 1960-61. Originally intended to be produced using "traditional" patterns, rubber molds, and urethane castings, the design was heavily modified in 2024 to reflect advancements in "3D Resin Printing". The resulting car, except for bits of wire, screws, chain, trucks, and couplers, is 100% printed on FormLabs' "Form4". This is considered the first application (of this magnitude) of resin printing in any scale.
Kits are available from "Wit And Wisdom Models" (https://wit-and-wisdom-models.com). Contact David Vaughn at this web site to place an order. These are considered "limited run" models so don't wait too long.
Jim King, 10/2025