For the first time in any scale, North American Railcar is producing the National Steel Car Potash Service 4300 cu. ft. 3 Bay Covered Hopper.

Used in unit train operations, the NSC Potash Service 4300 cu. ft. 3 Bay Covered Hopper can often be seen in large numbers. It is often seen in combination with the larger Hawker Siddeley 4550 cu ft Cylindrical Hopper. Though it has less capacity than the Hawker Siddeley car, it makes up for it in shorter car length. This allows a train of these cars to carry more potash then a train of comparable length made up of the Hawker Siddeley hoppers.

This car operates at a gross rail load of 286,000 pounds, the current maximum limit. However, it is actually designed for a gross rail load of 315,000 pounds. It is currently produced and equipped with 100 ton nominal capacity trucks to suit present 286,000 lb. gross rail loading. If the maximum weight limit is increased, these cars can be produced and upgraded with 125 ton trucks allowing for maximum cargo capacity going forward. 

Feature:

• Modern model accuracy of this modern prototype, this is the first time this car has been produced in any scale.
• Fully researched and prototypically accurate details
• Many separately applied detail parts, including photo etched brass and lost wax metal castings
• Accurate painting and lettering, including correct graphics, fonts and locations per prototype
  
• Kadee # 58 couplers
  
• NARC High Performance Low Friction trucks and metal wheelsets for reliable operation
• Properly weighted for smooth tracking and superior performance
• This car is a one of a kind unique paint and graphic scheme, the road number will never be produced again.

Please note this car can not be purchased by itself.
It can only be acquired with PORTERS Points in the PORTERS Club Lounge

More Information

For more information about the National Steel Car Potash Service 3 Bay Covered Hopper and their use by Canpotex & PotashCorp, including prototype videos & modeling notes, click on the links below:

Canpotex Hopper Reference Page

PotashCorp Hopper Reference Page

(Photo by: PWRS)