FREIGHT CARS-HOPPERS

Posted to the SMRF list
									
  Modeling the Interstate's hopper fleet is actually pretty simple.  All									
of the hoppers ordered by the Interstate from 1923 on were of a 50 or 55									
ton, rib-side twin design.  The Accurail USRA hopper is a pretty good HO									
scale stand-in for several of the classes which were rostered from									
1923-1970.  For you N-scalers, I think Microtrains (?) makes a similar									
car.  The second twin design was slightly taller and had more closely									
spaced bay doors.  I've studied pictures, and I think an MDC 3-bay with									
the center removed would capture the proportions nicely.  Modeling a few									
of these along with the USRA style hoppers would really make your train									
look authentic.									
        The Accurail hopper already comes in Interstate colors (black with									
white lettering).  This is a great starting point because the paint is good									
quality and the black is easy to match.  If you want to paint it									
yourself, Campbell Road makes dry transfers (they may even make N-scale									
transfers).  To make the first variant, build the Accurail kit as-is but									
remove the four small angular gussets in-between the slope sheets and									
sidesill on the sides of the car.  This will make a car that fits at									
least the 5510-7009 series.  A second style of hopper can be made by									
building the kit per directions but replacing the brake lever with a									
brake wheel (paralled to the car ends, not the rails).  This hopper									
matches the 15000-15321 cars rebuilt by the Interstate's Andover shops in									
the 50s.  The MDC kitbash would represent the 8010-9120 cars.									
        The Interstate also rostered some ex-Southern cars including some									
offset-side, extended-height cars acquired in 1965 after the Southern									
buyout.  These cars were red with a Southern-style jumbo "INTERSTATE" on									
the side.  These cars were the 9200-9234 class.  Many of the 8010-9120									
cars were also repainted in this scheme beginning in the early 60s--all									
but the big "A" can be pieced from the "SOUTHERN" on Microscale's decal									
sheet.  Beginning with the Southern merger in 1960, most of the									
Interstate cars were slowly phased-out of regular service and used as									
shuttle cars between the mines and transloading facilities at									
Appalachia and Wentz.  They were gradually replaced by 70 ton hoppers									
beginning in the mid-70s, but some hung on until after the NS merger!									
         I don't have pictures of the other classes in the roster, so I can't									
tell you what's a good match for every series, but here's the all-time									
Interstate hopper roster.									
									
Class           Type            Years of Service									
100-134         40 ton-wood     1914-1929									
1000-1019       40 ton          1912-1934									
1100-1750       55 ton          1925-1929									
2000-2299       50 ton          1913-1951									
2300-2799       50 ton          1918-1951									
2800-2809       50 ton          1922-1934									
5000-5509       55 ton          1920-1951									
5510-7009       55 ton          1923-1956									
7010-8009       50 ton          1946-1983									
8010-8261       50 ton          1948-1983									
8262-8761       50 ton          1948-1983									
8762-8891       50 ton          1949-1983									
8862-8911       50 ton          1951-1983									
8912-9120       50 ton          1952-1983									
9200-9234       55 ton          1965-1973									
9300-9323       50 ton          1965-1971									
9400-9718       50 ton          1965-1973									
15001-15100     55 ton          1924-1929									
15101-15878     55 ton          1924-1929									
15000-15321     50 ton          1956-1967 (rebuilt)									
15500-16236     50 ton          1957-1970 (rebuilt)									
									
Enjoy!									
									
Dan Bourque (INTERSTATE RR, HO)