Description

Detailed Information

MODEL FEATURES:

Three different body styles Detailed underbody including outlet piping
- Early GATC Airslide body: no angled end gusset plates; channel-section vertical posts at bolsters
- Intermediate phase I body: "Hat Section" vertical posts at bolsters; angled gusset plates at ends
Rectangular or oval shaker brackets
Gravity or gravity-pneumatic outlets
See through metal roof walk
Factory installed wire grab irons and brake piping
Separately applied round roof hatches and brake wheel
Roller bearing or Bettendorf trucks
Fully-assembled and ready-to-run out of the box
Accurately painted and printed
Highly detailed, injection molded body
Machined metal wheels
Weighted for trouble free operation
Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
Body mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
Window packaging for easy viewing plus interior plastic blister safely holds the model for convenient storage
Minimum radius: 18"

PROTOTYPE INFORMATION:

For the first half of the 20th century, bulk goods were usually bagged and carried in boxcars. After the late 1940s, covered hoppers greatly simplified the process by allowing the bulk material to be poured in through the roof hatches and dumped out the hopper bays. However, flour, starch, sugar and plastics do not "flow" easily from a standard hopper bay.

To solve this problem, the Fuller Company of Catasauqua, PA, patented the Airslide concept. In an Airslide covered hopper, the bays are formed into two narrow, steep-sided troughs with a layer of air-permeable material at the bottom. Air is pumped through the material causing the lading to fluidize and flow easily through the hopper outlets.

Starting in 1953, General American Transportation began building Airslide covered hoppers. One of the two original configurations was a 2,600-cubic foot, single-bay car with a 70-ton capacity. In addition to railroad-owned cars, there were a number of Airslide covered hoppers leased by GATC to sugar and bakery companies.