'modern' equipment?

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

I'm not sure if I'll be building a layout anytime soon, but I'm going to buy some rolling stock, if for no other reason than to build kits for the nostalgia factor. Naturally, I don't want to buy anything I won't eventually use, even if I won't use it soon.

Are the older 40' Airslide hoppers still in service? Apparently they were made up into the early 80's, but are they still used 30+ years later, or have they all been replaced with the 50' four-bay units? I ask because I've found the 40's on a very steep sale, and before I buy a case's worth, it might be wise to know if they're still around.

[UPBigBoy]

They are still in use on most roads until they can no longer be kept up for a reasonable cost to repair. Some roads are still using the 30' cars for coal hauling mainly.

Jim

[buffalobill]

Virtually all of the 2,600 CF General American constructed Airslides are now more than 40 years old. There are a few left operating in 2012, but since they have 70 ton trucks, they are not that attractive to shippers. There are still a large number of the 50' cars, the 4180 cf, and larger cars, like the 4565 CF cars, still running around. Those were the ones that were built into the mid 1980's up to and after GATX closed the East Chicago, IN plant, and subcontracted the building of cars to Trinity. They were replaced in the GA Lease portfolio with the Trinity PD cars, the 5100 CF and larger cars.

Over the last 10 years, GATX has purged their fleet of these old timers. They were the largest owners/operators of these cars. If you are strictly an up to the minute type of guy, you might want to pass.

Bill

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

Thanks, Bill. The 2600 cf cars are the 39'? What about the ones with the angled ends? (I'm not talking about the straight-ended ones)

It's not necessarily up-to-the-minute, but 2010 definitely. And my potential railroad is going to take place in a slightly altered timeline. All-LNG motive power, coal was statutorily outlawed in 1990, ect.

Darn, I hoped this would be a cheap way to start a small fleet for a breads company. On the other hand...given my fictional setting, they could be 'bashed into 60' 4-bay cars, or drawbar-coupled. Or even a shared middle bogey like multi-unit well cars. How much does 1300cf of flour weigh...
[EDIT] if my math is correct...a 2600cf airslide only holds 41 tons of flour...why the issue then over 70 ton vs. 100 ton bogies? (I watch too much Top Gear)

[buffalobill]

The transition from the straight ended cars to the ones with the angled sheet metal on the end occurred in the mid 1960's, either 1964 or 65. All had 70 ton trucks. To make the cars more attractive to shippers, freight rates are based on the number of cars, as well as the weight shipped, in the late 1980's early 1990's Railroads and GATX connected two of the cars together with a drawbar, creating a single 5200 CF car, with a single car number. I do not know how many were done that way, BN had a few, but they were mostly gone by the new century. Because of the membranes, these were extremely high maintenance cars.
Bill

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

The transition from the straight ended cars to the ones with the angled sheet metal on the end occurred in the mid 1960's, either 1964 or 65. All had 70 ton trucks. To make the cars more attractive to shippers, freight rates are based on the number of cars, as well as the weight shipped, in the late 1980's early 1990's Railroads and GATX connected two of the cars together with a drawbar, creating a single 5200 CF car, with a single car number. I do not know how many were done that way, BN had a few, but they were mostly gone by the new century. Because of the membranes, these were extremely high maintenance cars.
Bill

Well, that would be true of all airslides, no? Are flour and sugar shipped differently now? (sacks vs. bulk)

[buffalobill]

You are right all Airslides have the membrane issue, which is why it is obsolete. Flour, sugar, fly ash, starches, and other finely divided commodities are still largely shipped in Bulk. Its just now there are more options, The ACF Pressureaide Car, and the North American and now Trinity Pressure Differential cars, compete with the GATX- Fuller technology. There are now a number of options offered by competing manufacturers through various leasing organizations. The GATX 4180 CF Airslide, the old Train Miniature 4180 CF Airslide car, which Walther's offers, was last produced during the late 1980's. Since then GATX has been primarily offering the Trinity PD Design.
Bill

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

[(Darn)^2]/[deflated hopes]

And I will vote for Romney before I pay $32 for one freight car. Though it looks as if the main body from an Athearn ACF covered hopper can be used to mimic the Pressureaide cars. Would need new end and bottom panels though, which is far more scratchbuilding than I'm ready to do. I do have a dozen Athearn ACFs though, so at least I have stand-ins until such time as someone offers conversion parts, or I get around to making them.

[buffalobill]

You don't have to spend full list, at least a couple of Mail order dealers have the ACF Pressuraides at about half off. The cars are considerably different from the Athearn ACF 5250 pellet car. Lots of work to make even a passable model. The Walthers model of the Trinity PD-5100 covered hoppers are harder to come by, and can be pricey on E-Bay. The Athearn version of the GA-2600 Airslides are quite pricey, but extremely nice. Both the original and later version of the car. Some of the earlier renditions of the 2600's, the Concor and Walthers cars are not in the same league as the Athearn.

I wish someone would make a current technology model of the GA-4180 Airslide, the 25 year old Walthers car does not cut it.
Bill

[TheGloriousTachikoma]

Well ba humbug then. That level of detail is far outside both my interest range and budget for the time being. Perhaps this breads factory will just be very fastidious about it's QC and grind it's own flour. That doesn't solve the issue about sugar though. Maybe turbinado sugar in sacks.

And I loved the Walthers kits. They were affordable and still gave one a good level of detail.