Fox Valley - 83401 - Gondola, Bathtub, Southern Silverside - Southern - 1009

Model Information: Fox Valley first announced this car in May of 2014 when they showed samples. The first release of Southern cars was available in June of 2015. A second release of new road numbers for Southern as well as Norfolk Southern was announced in June of 2016 and delivered in March of 2017. The NS models feature a complex 'layered' paint finish based on prototype photos taken by the company back in 1991 in Dalton Georgia.

Features: Includes separate brake wheel when etched metal brake platforms; Underbody detail and optional interior bracing; Optional side bracing to detail specific cars; Cars are weighted to run long empty trains; Free rolling metal wheelsets.

Prototype History: One of Southern's achievements was the "Silverside" equipment used on the unit trains for the coal transloading operation. The name comes from the aluminum body that holds more than 100 tons of payload. It was the first freight car of its kind when designed by Southern in 1959. The manner in which Southern first put "Silversides" to work, in January of 1960, was new at the time. The cars operated in round-trip operation between a high-production coal mine and a power plant in Alabama. This operation was the first application of the unit train concept in America.

Road Name History: The Southern Railway (reporting mark SOU) (also known as Southern Railway Company) was a US class 1 railroad that was based in the Southern United States. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894.

At the end of 1970 Southern operated 6,026 miles (9,698 km) of railroad, not including its Class I subsidiaries AGS (528 miles or 850 km) CofG (1729 miles) S&A (167 miles) CNOTP (415 miles) GS&F (454 miles) and twelve Class II subsidiaries. That year Southern itself reported 26111 million net ton-miles of revenue freight and 110 million passenger-miles; AGS reported 3854 and 11, CofG 3595 and 17, S&A 140 and 0, CNO&TP 4906 and 0.3, and GS&F 1431 and 0.3

The railroad joined forces with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) in 1982 to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation. The Norfolk Southern Corporation was created in response to the creation of the CSX Corporation (its rail system was later transformed to CSX Transportation in 1986). The Southern Railway was renamed Norfolk Southern Railway in 1990 and continued under that name ever since. Seven years later in 1997 the railroad absorbed the Norfolk and Western Railway, ending the Norfolk and Western's existence as an independent railroad.

Brand/Importer Information: Fox Valley Models is a small supplier of model railroad and related products. FVM started by finding solutions to different challenges that model railroaders were faced with. Our first products resulted from a need to equip custom built passenger cars with tinted windows made of an ideal material; thin, flexible, easy to cut, simple to install, available in multiple colors and be affordable. We met those needs and even included a frosted version for the car's lavatory windows.

Other challenges inspired additional products including wooden grade crossings, trestles and different lineside structures. As our product line expands, input and requests from friends and customers help shape the product selection further.

Future products, under development, include more parts, structures, details and rolling stock. We strive to offer a good quality product at an affordable price.