ExactRail - EN-53015-4 - Covered Hopper, 3-Bay, PS-2-CD 4427 - Soo Line - 70181

Model Information: Designed, engineered, and tooled in the United States, these models have factory installed Micro-Trains Line stock number 1015 couplers, narrow-style, body mounted draft gear boxes, with shank wedges, striker casting and full nut and bolt detail, ExactRail's own ASF 100 Ton Ride Control trucks, CNC machined 36" metal wheel-sets with steel axles, accurate lettering styles and logotypes, razor sharp printing, and true to life paint colors.

Prototype History: Valued for its large capacity, roof trough hatches, and center discharge gates, the 4427 PS-2 CD High-Side Covered Hopper was a favorite for hauling grain. These large hoppers could be found across the continent hauling grain and other medium-density loads beginning in the 1960s, often in multi-car cuts or unit trains. Many are still seen in service during the fall harvest, 30 years after their construction.

Even with Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company's passenger car designs and patents spun off to a separate company called Pullman Technology in 1982 (which was eventually sold to Canadian based Bombardier in 1987) and Pullman Standard's remaining railcar manufacturing plants and freight car designs and patents sold to Trinity Industries in 1984, American manufactured Pullman freight and passenger cars were (and to this point in time still are) well known in North America.

When it came to hauling dry bulk goods such as agricultural commodities, cement, clay, dry chemicals, salt, or sand. many railroads and private owners selected the Pullman Standard PS-2 series covered hopper.
Utilized to transport dense and heavy granular products like cement, clay, potash, and sand, due to North American axle weight load limits, two (and later) three bay models were often chosen.
When it came to hauling much lighter commodities such as barley, corn, grain, malt, oats, soybeans, sugar, and wheat, these kinds of products would most commonly be transported in three or four bay covered hoppers.
Unlike two bay models, large four bay cars lend themselves to rapid load and discharge operations.

While there are a wide range of products covered by the PS-2 designation, it was Pullman's 4427 cubic foot capacity covered hopper that stood out as being the first of the larger capacity models to be manufactured in greater numbers.
Introduced as the PS-2CD (center discharge) in late 1963, the early production "low hip" design 4427 cubic foot capacity cars had low body sides, which concealed most of the hopper bay area.
The manufacturing of "high hip" design raised side 4427 models commenced in November 1966.
Over 19,300 PS2-CD 4,427 cars were produced.

Visibly apparent are a few different body style variations.
With the latter style being the most popular choice, the top of the covered hoppers could be fitted with large trough style openings, or, a series of round ones.
With the latter position being most common, brake wheels could be positioned high up on the body end, or, low mounted.

Road Name History: The Soo Line Railroad (reporting mark SOO) is the primary United States railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP), controlled through the Soo Line Corporation, and one of seven U.S. Class I railroads. Although it is named for the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad (MStP&SSM), which was commonly known as the Soo Line after the phonetic spelling of Sault, it was formed in 1961 by the consolidation of that company with two other CP subsidiaries, the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad and Wisconsin Central Railroad. It is also the successor to other Class I railroads, including the Minneapolis, Northfield and Southern Railway (acquired 1982) and Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road, acquired at bankruptcy in 1985). On the other hand, a large amount of mileage was spun off in 1987 to Wisconsin Central Ltd., now part of the Canadian National Railway.

The Soo Line and the Delaware and Hudson Railway, the CP's other major subsidiary (before the 2008 DM&E acquisition), presently do business as the Canadian Pacific Railway, and most equipment has been repainted into the CP's scheme, but the U.S. Surface Transportation Board groups all CP's U.S. subsidiaries under the Soo Line name for reporting purposes.

Brand/Importer Information: Dedicated to creating replicas that continue to define standards for precision and authenticity, through its unique expertise in mold creation and product design, Provo, Utah based ExactRail has produced some of the industry's most acclaimed models; true benchmarks for quality over the last decade.

With the N-Scale Series, ExactRail offers precision micro-tooled replicas in 1:160 scale. Each model features fine-scale detail, expert hand-assembly and the finest finish-work in the industry. ExactRail's N-scale Series offers enthusiasts innovative small scale replicas with unprecedented quality and design.