Guaranteed Pre-Order Deadline is TBAAfter closing, you may still place a pre-order and we will attempt to acquire one for you.Estimated Delivery Date Is: October 2026
Product Information:Athearn Genesis HO GEN GATC 2600 Airslide Covered Hopper, CR 880307
ATHEARN GATC 2600 AIRSLIDE COVERED HOPPER PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:
For the first half of the 20th century, bulk goods were usually bagged andcarried in boxcars. After the late 1940s, covered hoppers greatly simplifiedthe process by allowing the bulk material to be poured in through the roofhatches and dumped out the hopper bays. However, flour, starch, sugarand plastics do not “flow” easily from a standard hopper bay.
To solve this problem, the Fuller Company of Catasauqua, PA, patentedthe Airslide concept. In an Airslide covered hopper, the bays are formedinto two narrow, steep-sided troughs with a layer of air-permeable materialat the bottom. Air is pumped through the material causing the lading tofluidize and flow easily through the hopper outlets.
Starting in 1953, General American Transportation began buildingAirslide covered hoppers. One of the two original configurations wasa 2,600-cubic foot, single-bay car with a 70-ton capacity. In addition torailroad-owned cars, there were a number of Airslide covered hoppersleased by GATC to sugar and bakery companies. Later on, larger carswere introduced as the railroads continued to improve their infrastructure.To extend the useful lives of the smaller 2600 cuft cars, some of themwere permanently connected in 2-unit drawbar sets. The drawbar setsoperated as a single car, and therefore had a whopping total capacity of5,200 cu.ft. – although their substantial length was a notable drawback.
MODEL FEATURES:
- Three different body styles
- Detailed underbody including outlet piping
- 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
- Machined metal wheels with RP25 contours
- Weighted for optimum performance
- Body-mounted McHenry® operating scale knuckle couplers
- Accurately painted and printed
- Highly detailed, injection molded body
- Minimum radius: 18
