HO Scale – Bethlehem 70-ton Drop-end Gondola

Reading “Original 1941” replicates the delivery scheme on Reading’s first 100 car order, built by Bethlehem Steel. BSC and the Reading Company’s own shops would eventually combine to build 2000 cars between 1941 and 1945! Classic white roman lettering stands out on these black GHH class cars. Reading specifications included Duryea draft gear, riveted steel floors, corrugated ends, and Ajax brake wheels. All of these important details are present on the Tangent model and we are pleased to offer 6 new numbers for 2019!

The 52-6 riveted 70-ton drop-end gondola car as designed and produced by Bethlehem is the fifth all-new model in our HO scale product line.   First produced in March 1937 for Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as class O-59, B&O alone purchased 4,000 of these drop-end gondolas which served every corner of North America in many services.   Five additional railroads purchased these Bethlehem-design gondolas in intervening years until production ceased in 1957.   Most of these gondolas were phased from revenue service by the mid-1980s, with many serving additional years in various MOW roles.

FEATURES:

• Dimensional accuracy - scaled exactly from Bethlehem Steel plans
• Highly accurate “true to life” colors
• Exact fonts and lettering placement - compare our replicas to the prototype photos on our website!
• Detail variations: Tie downs appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: Steel or wood deck inside the car
• Detail variations: Duryea and conventional end sill detail appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: Tack board locations appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: End door variations (Dreadnaught and Straight Corrugated) appropriate for each paint scheme
• Brake platforms appropriate for each paint scheme
• Road-specific handbrakes applied to match production specifications (Universal, Ajax, or Equipco handbrakes available as separate parts, too!)
• Interior deck sits at the scale height
• Interior detail inside the gondola
• Wire grab irons and coupler lift bars
• Air hoses
• Weighted to NMRA specs for smooth operation
• Kadee® scale metal couplers
• Tangent 70-ton ASF A-3 Ride-Control trucks with free-rolling metal wheels
• Recommended age 14 years and older.