Fox Valley - 85402-1 - Covered Hopper, 2-Bay, 3000 c.f. - Calaveras Cement - 103

Model Information: Precision Masters first released this body style in kit form. Later on, they released the same body as a RTR (Ready-to-Run) model. In 2005, Red Caboose acquired this tooling from PM. Red Caboose released this model in RTR form. Fox Valley acquired the tooling from Red Caboose in 2015. As of 2017, Fox Valley has not yet re-released cars from this tooling, but if they do, likely it will be with body mount couplers and their famous metal wheels.

Prototype History: 3000 Cu.Ft. 2-Bay Hoppers like this one or similar to it have been made by Greenville Car Co., Pullman Standard and Trinity Industries Inc. The first 3000 Cu.Ft. Hopper design first appeared in service in the mid-60s, and can still be found in service by many railroads today. Commodities carried include, but are not limited to, cement, flour, drilling sand, sand, sugar and other 'heavy' commodities. The car can also be used for lighter commodities especially when smaller volumes are being transported and the cost of a larger capacity car is not justified. This design typically features rib sides and top hatches along the central axis with a roofwalk around perimeter of the top.

Road Name History: The Lodi Lumber Company bought one of the first carloads of Calaveras Cement. The first shipment was delivered to Lodi on June 14, 1926, one year after the plant was built on the huge limestone deposit by the Kentucky House trading post near San Andreas.

First, the hilly San Andreas region was known for its role in the Gold Rush. Beginning In the 1920s, its notoriety came from cement. Although less glamorous than gold but still lucrative, huge deposits of high-grade limestone and shale were discovered in the hills near the trading post called Kentucky House, two miles south of San Andreas in Calaveras County.

With the Southern Pacific branch line completed, construction could begin on the cement plant. Ground was broken on May 1, 1925. Just over a year later, the Calaveras Cement Company plant opened with 15,000 guests attending a barbecue. The event included railroad rides and inspection tours of the wet-process cement mill that produced up to 3,000 barrels of cement a day.

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.