Thirty-nine thousand.

That’s how many H21 class hoppers were built by the Pennsylvania Railroad. To put that in some perspective, that’s more cars in one class than the Missouri Pacific, Nickel Plate or Rock Island had cars of ALL types on their rosters! Put another way, through the 1950s one of every two PRR hoppers was an H21. This is a car that every modeler needs!

The various classes of H21 hoppers travelled throughout the country in what the Pennsy termed “mineral service” (coal, ore, gravel, limestone…. etc.). They proved amazingly long lived - there were still more than 3,000 still in service in 1970, and 143 still in service at the advent of Conrail in 1976! Many were also used in work train service under PC and later.

H21A

The H21 was a four-bay design with many construction cues from the smaller GLa hopper. Designed first as a 50-ton coke car, very quickly it was realized that they would make great coal hoppers. The first cars were then converted to H21A with the addition of 70-ton trucks. Additional groups of H21As followed. H21A cars were equipped with Carmer uncoupling levers.

H2E

Starting in 1948 the PRR rebuilt a number of H21As with strengthened center sills and power hand brakes. They were reclassified as H21E. The H21E could be identified by the longer top stiffening chords (as against the H21A) and their power hand brakes. H21Es had more modern underslung cut levers.

NEW! H21G/H5

Additional H21s were rebuilt as Class H21G in 1960. Most (but not all) of these featured new straight rectangular side posts. Like the H21E, the H21G also had the longer top stiffening chords and power hand brakes. Penn Central did some additional rebuilding on various H21s in the 1970s and reclassified them as H5. H21Gs had more modern underslung cut levers.

Yes, H21 models have been available before. So what makes ours worth the upgrade?

• This is the first time that the H21E and H21G version have EVER been offered
• Include full interior detail, quite visible on an HO Hopper!
• State-of-the-art modern tooling with crisp details
• Full separate grab irons and details (instead of their being molded in place), making them compatible with most current freight car models
• All-metal semi-scale coupler provides improved appearance and operation

THE RAPIDO HO SCALE PRR H21A, E AND G HOPPER CARS FEATURE:

• Highly detailed underframe with brake piping and more
• K or AB brake systems as appropriate
• Correct detail variations for each sub-class: center sill, sides, ends and details
• Separate wire grab irons
• Semi-scale metal knuckle couplers
• Free rolling trucks with profiled metal wheels
• Minimum suggested radius: 18”

Looking for more Rapido Trains Inc. Hoppers? Click here!