"Main Line of Mid-America" slogan
After a five year break, the Bluford Shops N scale converted wood chip hoppers are making a triumphant return. As the timber industry discovered new uses for wood chips (they had been burning them as waste), the railroad industry hurried to develop a means to haul them economically. By adding extension boards to standard 70-ton coal hoppers, many roads were able to take on this traffic. Some railroads preferred flat side extensions made from steel or composite (steel and plywood) while others preferred rib-sided extensions.
As demand for wood chips began to build in the 1960s, Illinois Central converted this group of 350 hoppers with new ribbed-side extensions and applied the then-standard "Main Line of Mid-America" paint scheme. Forest products primarily originated on the southern half of the railroad. In fact IC had more track in the heavily forested state of Mississippi than every other railroad combined!
These ready-to-run cars feature:
Diecast slope sheet-hopper bay-center sill assembly
Injection molded plastic sides, ends, and hopper doors
Fully molded brake tank, valve and air lines
Slope sheet braces
Separately molded vertical brake rod and lever assembly
Body mounted brake hose detail
Chip load
Body mounted magnetically operating couplers
Close coupling
Friction bearing or roller bearing trucks as appropriate for each road name
Fox Valley Models metal wheels
All road names are produced in multiple road numbers. Order a single and one each of the multi-packs to get all available road numbers.
After a five year break, the Bluford Shops N scale converted wood chip hoppers are making a triumphant return. As the timber industry discovered new uses for wood chips (they had been burning them as waste), the railroad industry hurried to develop a means to haul them economically. By adding extension boards to standard 70-ton coal hoppers, many roads were able to take on this traffic. Some railroads preferred flat side extensions made from steel or composite (steel and plywood) while others preferred rib-sided extensions.
As demand for wood chips began to build in the 1960s, Illinois Central converted this group of 350 hoppers with new ribbed-side extensions and applied the then-standard "Main Line of Mid-America" paint scheme. Forest products primarily originated on the southern half of the railroad. In fact IC had more track in the heavily forested state of Mississippi than every other railroad combined!
These ready-to-run cars feature:
Diecast slope sheet-hopper bay-center sill assembly
Injection molded plastic sides, ends, and hopper doors
Fully molded brake tank, valve and air lines
Slope sheet braces
Separately molded vertical brake rod and lever assembly
Body mounted brake hose detail
Chip load
Body mounted magnetically operating couplers
Close coupling
Friction bearing or roller bearing trucks as appropriate for each road name
Fox Valley Models metal wheels
All road names are produced in multiple road numbers. Order a single and one each of the multi-packs to get all available road numbers.