The Freight Yard - 9501 - Covered Hopper, 3-Bay, PS-2-CD 4750 - Welch Grain - 30486

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. The 4740 model can be distinguished from the 4750 model by counting the ribs. The 4740 has 16 ribs and the 4750 has 18 ribs. The ribs on the 4750 are a little chubbier as well.

Fox Valley later acquired all N Scale toolings from Red Caboose and proceeded to re-release an updated version of the 4750 PS-2 Covered Hopper in 2017. The new versions carry MTL body-mounted couplers and low-profile blackened-metal wheels.

Prototype History: Manufactured by Pullman Standard from 1972 through the 1990's at least, these 4750 Cu. Ft. Hoppers were considered the 'Standard of the Industry' at the time. It is one of the most common freight cars in the rail scene since the late '70's. Features unique to this car include the 18 vertical posts on the car side (19 panel side) and compound curve roof (called by some a clerestory roof).
The 4,740 and 4,750 designs are often mistaken for each other, although the 4,750 has two more panels.

Road Name History: Elkhart Grain was founded in 1990 with the purchase of the Elkhart facility from Welch Agribusiness. In 1996, we enlarged our trade area to the north with the purchase of the Broadwell elevator from Broadwell Grain Company. Both facilities are located just off I-55 in southwestern Logan County. In 2004 the opportunity to purchase the grain facilities of Lake Fork Grain Co. in Mt. Pulaski and Lake Fork allowed Elkhart Grain to more than double its storage capacity and to broaden our customer base to the east.

Brand/Importer Information: The Freight Yard was a hobby shop that did custom decoration and special runs of other manufacturers' N Scale products. It sold its custom products under several brands or collections: Premiere Editions, by The Freight Yard and Dreams Design.
It was located in Anaheim, California and then moved to 2006 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Established in the late 1980s, it stopped business under this name by the end of the 2000s.
The Freight Yard was owned and operated by Darren J. Cohen. Darren is now operating North Valley Trains.
The Freight Yard / Premiere Editions runs are usually available in series of two to twelve different numbers (suffixed A to M, with I not used).
The first two digits of the stock number correspond to the release year (9x being 199x, and 2x being 200x).