Athearn Genesis HO G87492 GATC 2600 Airslide Hopper, Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe #310124

For the first half of the 20th century, bulk goods were usually bagged and carried in boxcars. After the late 1940s, covered hoppers greatly simplified the process by allowing the bulk material to be poured in through the roof hatches and dumped out the hopper bays. However, flour, starch, sugar and plastics do not "flow" easily from a standard hopper bay.

To solve this problem, the Fuller Company of Catasauqua, PA, patented the Airslide concept. In an Airslide covered hopper, the bays are formed into two narrow, steep-sided troughs with a layer of air-permeable material at the bottom. Air is pumped through the material causing the lading to fluidize and flow easily through the hopper outlets.

Starting in 1953, General American Transportation began building Airslide covered hoppers. One of the two original configurations was a 2,600-cubic foot, single-bay car with a 70-ton capacity. In addition to railroad-owned cars, there were a number of Airslide covered hoppers leased by GATC to sugar and bakery companies. Later on, larger cars were introduced as the railroads continued to improve their infrastructure. To extend the useful lives of the smaller 2600 cuft cars, some of them were permanently connected in 2-unit drawbar sets. The drawbar sets operated as a single car, and therefore had a whopping total capacity of 5,200 cu.ft. - although their substantial length was a notable drawback.

FEATURES:
Three different body styles
Detailed underbody including outlet piping
Rectangular or oval shaker brackets
Gravity or gravity-pneumatic outlets
See-through metal roof walk
Factory installed wire grab irons and brake piping
Separately applied round roof hatches and brake wheel
Roller bearing or Bettendorf trucks
Machined metal wheels with RP25 contours
Weighted for optimum performance
Body-mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
Accurately painted and printed
Highly detailed, injection molded body
Minimum radius: 18"