Description

GATC 2600 Airslide Covered Hopper, ATHG-8136 MP 137, Buzzsaw Logo

This item is available only by preorder. A small deposit is required. The ordering deadline is June 26, 2026

PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

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.

Missouri Pacific Prototype and Background Information:
Missouri Pacific purchased 100 of the 42’ Airslide covered hoppers from General American starting in 1957, original series MP 100-199. Rated at 70-ton capacity., the cars were ideally suited for loading high density, food grade products such as flour, refined sugar, and processed corn starch. Cars in the series were repaired and rebuilt during their service life and were eventually renumbered in series MP 720000-720099. The cars remained in service until the early 1980’s, replaced by larger Airslide and pressure
differential covered hoppers. Some of the cars were rebuilt into 2-car “drawbar sets” at MP’s Desoto Car Shop. The semi-permanently coupled cars were intended to extend the life of the car design, but the overall car length created car handling issues for customers.

MODEL 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”