Dear N Scale Customers;

 

Athearn has announced the 2600 Airslide Hoppers

 

 

PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

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. Later on, larger cars were introduced as the railroads continued to improve their infrastructure. To extend the useful lives of the smaller 2,600 cuft cars, some of them were permanently connected in 2-unit drawbar sets. The drawbar sets operated as a single car, and therefore had a whopping total capacity of 5,200 cuft- although their substantial length was a notable drawback.

 

MODEL FEATURES:

• Detailed underbody including outlet piping

• Gravity or gravity-pneumatic outlets

• Factory installed wire grab irons and brake piping

• Roller bearing or Bettendorf trucks

• Accurately painted and printed

• Machined metal wheels

• Body mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers

• Operates on all popular brands of track

• Rectangular or oval shaker brackets

• See through metal roof walk

• Separately applied round roof hatches and brake wheel

• Fully-assembled and ready-to-run out of the box

• Highly detailed, injection molded body

• Weighted for trouble-free operation

• Clear plastic jewel box for convenient storage

• Minimum radius: 9 ¾”

 

 

Building on a rich tradition started in 1946, the Athearn brand is home to the hobby’s best-loved models. Athearn has brought the joy of model railroading to you for 75 years, starting from our classic ‘Blue-Box” kits to our most recent Genesis 2.0 line. With accurate detailing and painting, Athearn is the brand that any hobbyist is proud to own and operate. No matter your era or favorite railroad, Athearn truly is “Trains in Miniature.”

 

Order Due Date: October 29, 2021

Anticipated Delivery Date: Dec 2022

 

Looking for more Athearn N Scale Hoppers? Click here!

 

Looking for more Athearn N Scale Products? Click here!

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