Hello. I've recently been trying to look up information on the origins of Center-beam flat cars, 4 or 5 bay coal hoppers (possibly rapid discharge), and Kaolin tank cars. I wasn't really able to find any information about when these type of cars were first built or introduced to the railroad industry. Does anyone know when these types of cars started to appear on North American railroads? What were their usual lengths? Are there any models of these cars available in HO scale?
Freelancer with an interest in N&W, SCL, and other 70s railroads
I can answer a little about the centerbeam flats. They were introduced sometime in 70s I believe, but didn't become widely used until the early to mid 80s. They range in inside length (between the two end bulkheads) of 60 to 73 feet.
Walthers and Atlas currently make centerbeams in the 72 to 73 foot range.
Will
I know that the Western Pacific was one of the early user. They had 60' "opera window" centerbeams in the 1970's. I believe before 1975, but cannot confirm this because i do not currently have access to my referance material.
I fornd this regarding the 73' cars on the Brooklyn Locomotive works web site:
Modelers refer to bulkhead flat cars with a supporting center beam connecting the ends as a 'Centerbeam' flat car. The words 'Center Beam' are actually trademarked by Thrall who was an early pioneer in developing these widely used cars. Today, Thrall along with Gunderson, National Steel Car, Trinity and others make different variations of these earlier designs, each company's design a little different adding variety. These cars are used to carry lumber, trusses and other building materials, sometimes wrapped and sometimes exposed to the elements.
The first 73' 'Center Beams' hit the rails in 1986. Both 'Truss' and 'Opera Window' designs have been used to support these modern freight cars. All of the Red Caboose Center Beams on this page are of the popular 'Opera Window' design. Click on the Red Caboose logo at the bottom of this page for complete listing of 'Truss' 73' Centerbeams. This is an excellent model which comes fully assembled and factory equipped with Micro-Trains® trucks/couplers. 12 unique road #'s for each road name.
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Quad hoppers have been in service since about WW1.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
I have a model of an older Center-beam flat car,but its built date is 1977. This wasn't the opera style though. For the 4 and 5 bay hoppers, I meant like large capacity hoppers that were used for unit train service and for more modern coal railroading. Like the rapid discharge hoppers and unit train cars.
There were a couple of centerbeams before the 1970s but they were limited in numbers and only 1 or 2 roads used them. Thrall built the 63' cars in the mid to late 70s. Most they started with the opera window style but as they came off the assembly line the the transitioned mostly to the non opera style. McKean is the only model maker for the shorter 63' cars that I know of and came in either style so watch which you are getting. In something like 83 they came out with the 72' cars and it went from there. Now there are 89' centerbeams
There was a good article in MR a few years back on how to convert an opera style Walthers 72' into a 63'. It is easier to bash a 72' car into a 63' car than it is to put the McKean kit together - just ask anyone who has built one!. I did onebash a while ago but stopped short of the finish work as I was finding I wouldn't have seen them in my road, area or during my era. I have built several of the McKeans
The 63' is a nice stand in for those who don't have the curve radius for 72'ers and still want something that looks good
ratled
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
Northern Pacific was the first railroad to have centerbeam flats, I believe the first were delivered in 1966. Last year's Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association calendar had a pic and info on the cars.
Thanks for the information on the center-beam flat cars. I guess it would be uncommon to see these type of cars in Appalachia during 1973. I'll live without them though. Does anyone know about the 4 or 5 bay hoppers that might be either Rapid-Discharge or regular unloading with bays? These cars would probably be like 100 ton hoppers but maybe even bigger. When were these types of cars used and is there a model of any in HO scale?
The NORTHERN PACIFIC had the first 5 prototypes of the Thrall Car "CENTERBEAM" Center Partition Flat Cars. They had diamond openings and were in service for 40 years. I wonder what happened to them. Burlington Northern had the second 5 prototypes of the Thrall Car "CENTERBEAM" Center Partition Flat Cars. I caught a glimpse of one of the BN plain green "CENTERBEAM" Flat Cars with diamond openings back in 2007. I have to find out if BNSF or someone else has preserved or refurbished these unique lumber loading flat cars.
Andrew Falconer
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Back a few decades ago Roundhouse came out with the first models of the Rapid Discharge 5-Bay Coal Hoppers in paint schemes for the 1970's railroads like Chessie System.
Found a photograph of the now NOKL, former NP-BN Center Partion Lumber Flat Car.
http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=39535
You can have Thrall Car "Center Beam" center partition flat cars on a 1973 railroad, but you have to make sure that they are the first versions for the Northern Pacific and Burlington Northern.
Jim Sands 1968 photo of Georgia Kaolin Tank Car
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/acfx/shpx14815ajs.jpg
This is an ACF built tank car similar to what Atlas makes.
What was the standard length of these tank cars? Anyone besides atlas make them?
Exactrail made a 63' version of the Centerbeam Flatcar, which may be available in the future from Scaletrains as they bought Exactrail.
In Tangents literature on the the 4 bay moderm hoppers, it looks like most were made in the mid 1970's and on.
Rick Jesionowski
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I think the kaolin cars are about 44' long. Due to the material being heavy. If I remember right. walthers makes a version. there are two types of plate c clay slurry cars. As they are called. 14000 gal. And 16000 gal. Kaolins are the 14000 version. There are quite a few private companies that use the 16000 clay slurry cars. Like JB Huber, shpx, UTLX. Dry branch(dry branch also has some of the 14000 version) As examples.
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