Bluford Shops 63204 N Scale Southern 2-Bay War Emergency Composite Hopper 105618

These 2-Bay War Emergency Composite Hopper cars were built during the Second World War with wood siding and slope sheets at the direction of the War Production Board in hopes of saving as much steel as possible for the war effort. This was especially the case with hoppers that were usually built with copper-bearing steel to resist corrosion. The car sides were built with the Pratt truss design using a combination of vertical and diagonal ribs.

These ready-to-run N scale cars feature: die cast slope sheet-hopper bay-center sill assembly; injection molded plastic sides, ends, and hopper doors; fully molded brake tank, valve and air lines; body mounted brake hose detail; removeable load; body mounted magnetically operating knuckle couplers; close coupling; and metal wheels.

Southern Railway received this group of 1,450 hoppers from Pullman Standard in 1943. This was the second largest fleet of “War Emergency” hoppers, behind C&O’s 3,000 car fleet. Much of the coal loaded on the Southern was destined for factories and retailers in the Industrial Midwest via Southern’s connections in Cincinnati and Louisville.

Note: Pictures may be of another Road Number.