Train Addiction Help Line: 1.866.840.7777
Jun 18, 2021 - N Scale
NARC - N Scale - NSC Potash Service 4275 Cu. Ft. 3 Bay Covered Hopper - Low Stock!
Photo Credit: Steve Boyko
Dear N Scale Customers;
We are down to the last few sets of the Canpotex cars!
If you are on the fence you need to grab the cars you want now before they are gone!
Pssst... Did you know we have a matching Club Lounge Car?
What's a Club Lounge Car you say? Sign up for your PORTERS Account now to qualify for yours!
Canpotex was was formed in the early 1970's to market and export the vast amounts of Potash mined in Saskatchewan. Canpotex, which is short for Canadian Potash Exporters, oversees the entire Saskatchewan potash exporting industry with the exception of the United States and Canadian markets. Currently, Canpotex is responsible for approximately one third of the world's supply of Potash.
Canpotex does not directly mine the Potash it transports, but instead works with producers in Saskatchewan including the Mosaic Company and the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan. It operates a fleet with thousands of railcars in North America. These cars operate in large unit trains from Saskatchewan to the two main Canpotex export facilities in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada and Portland, Oregon in the United States.
With such a large rail operation, Canpotex operates a variety of car types. These include the older 4550 cu. ft. 4 bay cylindrical hoppers, such as our own North American Railcar Corporation Hawker Siddeley hoppers, as well as the newer National Steel Car Potash Service 4275 cu. ft. 3 bay covered hoppers. While the 4550 cu. ft. 4 bay cylindrical hoppers made up the bulk of their cars in the past, the newer NSC cars are now making up the bulk of the fleet with over 5,000 cars in service. Both car types are used together and separately in unit train operations. With thousands of the National Steel Car hoppers in service, Canpotex has a variety of versions and schemes of the car.
Modeling These Cars
North American Railcar Corporation will produce five different 24 car groups with a total of 96 unique road numbers. Each reporting mark group of 24 road numbers will be divided in 6 car sets, Sets A, B, C, & D.
Canpotex cars are operated in unit trains of 175 to 200 cars. Typically, these unit trains are made up of fairly equal numbers of cars with each of the four reporting marks. By combining sets from each reporting mark, the modeler can build a typical proportionally balanced consist of PETX, CGLX, CITX, & CEFX cars in any length from 24 to 96 cars. These cars are shorter in length than the older 4 bay cylindrical hoppers and allow more cars in the same length of track.
Although all cars were built by National Steel Car, some changes in the design and the manufacturing process have occurred. There are currently 3 versions of this car in use by Canpotex with slightly different features outlined in the car descriptions below:
PTEX Reporting Marks w/Red/White Visibility Stripe:
The first version of this car was developed and built by National Steel Car beginning in 1999. These Canpotex cars are owned by GE Rail Services and have PTEX reporting marks. Three groups of cars were produced. 600 cars were built between March 1999 and June 1999 with road numbers 20000 to 20599. 1320 more cars were built between November 1999 and April 2000 and have road numbers 20600 to 21919. 95 additional cars were subsequently produced and have road numbers 21920 to 22015. These cars are in the original "as delivered" scheme and were distinctive with their alternating white and red reflective tape along the entire length of the cars sill. This version of the car will be of particular interest to modelers who model the 1999 to 2004 era.
Prototype Features:
- Version 1 Car
- Car length of 47 feet
- Car capacity of 4275 cu. ft.
- Bell curve shaped gaps between hopper bays
- 6 side panel sheets
- 11 running board supports
- Oval shaped opening in sill floor plate over outer end of trucks
- Barber S2 DH braced trucks
PTEX Reporting Marks w/Yellow Visibility Stripes:
The first version of this car was developed and built by National Steel Car beginning in 1999. These Canpotex cars are owned by GE Rail Services and have PTEX reporting marks. Three groups of cars were produced. 600 cars were built between March 1999 and June 1999 with road numbers 20000 to 20599. 1320 more cars were built between November 1999 and April 2000 and have road numbers 20600 to 21919. 95 additional cars were subsequently produced and have road numbers 21920 to 22015. These cars are in the updated post 2004 scheme with yellow reflective tape to comply with newer AAR requirements and have the SAME road numbers. This version of the PTEX cars is the correct version for modelers interested in modeling post 2004 operations.
Prototype Features:
- Version 1 Car
- Car length of 47 feet
- Car capacity of 4275 cu. ft.
- Bell curve shaped gaps between hopper bays
- 6 side panel sheets
- 11 running board supports
- Oval shaped opening in floor plate over outer end of trucks
- Barber S2 DH braced trucks
CGLX Reporting Marks w/Yellow Visibility Stripes:
The second production run and second version of these cars was produced a few years later for GATX Rail Canada. There were two groupd of cars produced. 900 cars produced between August 2004 and April 2005 with road numbers 3000 to 3899. 665 more cars were built between May 2005 and January 2006 with road numbers 4300 to 4964.
Prototype Features:
- Version 2 Car
- Car length of 47 feet
- Car capacity of 4275 cu. ft.
- Bell curve shaped gaps between hopper bays
- 8 side panel sheets
- 12 running board supports
- Barber S2 DH trucks
CITX Reporting Marks w/Yellow Visibility Stripes:
The third production run of these cars was produced for CIT Group/Capital Finance Inc. and included 1000 cars. These care were produced between October 2007 and June 2008 and include road numbers 151000 to 151999.
Prototype Features:
- Version 2 Car
- Car length of 47 feet
- Car capacity of 4275 cu. ft.
- Bell curve shaped gaps between hopper bays
- 8 side panel sheets
- 12 running board supports
- Barber S2 DH trucks
CEFX Reporting Marks w/Yellow Visibility Stripes:
The fourth production run of these cars was also produced for CIT Group/Capital Finance Inc. and included 1000 cars with CEFX reporting marks. These care were produced in two 500 car groups. The first 500 cars were produced between August 2008 and October 2008 and include road numbers 302000 to 302499. The second 500 cars were produced between December 2008 and March 2009 and include road numbers 302500 to 302999. These cars include a redesigned flat sided chute design that makes them Version 3 cars.
Prototype Features:
- Version 3 Car
- Car length of 47 feet
- Car capacity of 4275 cu. ft.
- Flat gaps between hopper bays
- 8 side panel sheets
- 12 running board supports
- Barber S2 DH trucks
NOTE: All renderings are for illustration purposes only, final appearance of cars may differ based on prototype. Although all cars are Canpotex operated cars, they are owned by different companies. As they were built at different times, each car type is a slightly different shade of gray. When comparing the models from different companies, they will feature different shades of gray, just like the real cars do.
Check out the show flyer for this car below:
Need to get your latest Fix of NARC? Click Here for More!
NSC Potash Service 3 Bay Covered Hopper Main Page
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Hopper Page
Product Details
© 2024 Pacific Western Rail Systems
Train Addiction Help Line: 1 866 840 7777