BLMA - 14031 - Gondola, 52 Foot, ACF 70-Ton - Conrail - 521014

Model Information: This model was first announced in 2010, with batch A available in October 2010, and batch B in August 2011. The second release was announced in January of 2015 and made available in late June of 2016.

From the rail up, these N Scale models were engineered to capture the scale fidelity of the prototype. Featuring extremely fine molding, separately applied brake rigging, an etched-metal brake platform and more! Plus, these cars ride on BLMA's NEW 70-Ton Friction Bearing trucks with 33" Metal Wheels featuring a front AND backside wheel profile. If that wasn't enough, check-out the ride height on this model... Just like the prototype!

Features: Ready-To-Run, Injection-Molded Plastic, Fine-Scale Detail, Separate Brake Detail, Chemically Etched Brake Platform, Accurately Painted/Printed, Prototypical Ride Height,BLMA 70-Ton ASF Friction Bearing Trucks, BLMA 33" Scale Profile Metal Wheels, Body-Mounted Brown Knuckle Couplers

Prototype History: The 52-6 welded 70-ton drop-end gond4ola car as produced by ACF was first produced in 1948 for Pennsylvania Railroad as class G31, PRR alone purchased 11,600 welded cars of this body style in the G31/G31A/G31B/G35, serving the “Standard Railroad of the World” in every corner of North America in many customer applications. Besides PRR, several other railroads also purchased these gondolas from ACF, and some former PRR cars were purchased second-hand by various railroads. Most of these gondolas were phased from revenue service during the 1990s.

Road Name History: The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail (reporting mark CR), was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. Conrail is a portmanteau of "consolidated" and "rail" from the name of the company.

The U.S. federal government created Conrail to take over the potentially profitable lines of multiple bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and Erie Lackawanna Railway. With the benefit of industry-wide regulatory requirements being reduced (via the 4R Act and the Staggers Act), Conrail began to turn a profit in the 1980s and was turned over to private investors in 1987. The two remaining Class I railroads in the East, CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), agreed in 1997 to split the system approximately equally, returning rail freight competition to the Northeast by essentially undoing the 1968 merger of the Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central Railroad that created Penn Central. Following Surface Transportation Board approval, CSX and NS took control in August 1998, and on June 1, 1999, began operating their portions of Conrail.

Brand/Importer Information: BLMA Models was founded in July of 2000 to bring Z, N, and HO Scale products of superior quality and originality to the model train community. At BLMA Models, we understand that quality and accuracy count in producing realistic scale models. Our passion revolves around accuracy, diversity, innovation and satisfaction to prototype model railroaders by providing exceptional products and service that goes beyond your expectations.

BLMA was acquired by Atlas Model Railroad in January of 2016.