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General Modeling Info: 
Conrail rostered several classes of coalporters.
While N scale manufacturers have produced a number of coalporter kits over the years, most of these cars follow western railroad and private utility prototypes, which are unfit for those of us trying to model Conrail unit coal trains. Yet manufacturers insist on painting these for Conrail and other railroads that never had such cars. The time has come for a reputable N scale manufacturer to produce accurate "eastern" Conrail prototype coalporter models.Deluxe Innovations is the leading manufacturer of coalporters in N scale, offering a 12-panel coalporter predecorated and numbered for Conrail's steel G52R class. Unfortunately, these models represent western aluminum cars, which are significantly longer than Conrail's G52R's, have one fewer side panel than Conrail's, and have side ribs and top sills that are too blockish and out of scale compared to the G52R. While I normally love Deluxe's models for their attention to detail and excellent running characteristics, I will have to avoid this model for my Conrail unit trains.  G52L/G52R Modeling by Bob Waller: 
Modeling Conrail's class G52L steel coalporter is far easier in N scale than it is in HO. Even though E&C Shops has been out of business since 1998, you still might be able to find their #700 kit at local swap meets or hobby shops. Unlike this model's HO counterpart, the N scale version of the G52L seems to have side ribs and top sills that are more to scale. Since E&C produced several series of predecorated G52L's, you should be able to create a coalporter unit train without much difficulty.
The process for creating a Conrail steel G52R coalporter in N scale is exactly the same in N scale as it is in HO. As mentioned on the HO Modeling page, this class is nearly identical to the G52L. Use the E&C #700 kit. With a #11 Xacto chisel blade, carefully remove the lower chord from the model. (The lower chord is a thin lip of steel that runs along the bottom of and between the side ribs.) If needed, sand the area smooth using high grit sandpaper as you would on any plastic model. If using a predecorated model, make sure to touch up the paint. If you create a few gouges, don't panic! No real coalporter is without damage. Simply use the defects to your advantage when weathering the car. And there you have it, a Conrail G52R. Now all you need are a couple dozen for your unit train.
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