Full Throttle - FT-4028-2 - Open Hopper, 3-Bay, 70 Ton Offset - Canada Southern - 2-Pack

Specific Item Information: Road Numbers: CA-SO 3436 & 3443

Model Information: To satisfy America's industrial hunger for coal, 70-ton hoppers were ushered into service by the 1920s. As with the smaller 50-tonners, the economical offset-side design was adapted to these larger capacity units. By the mid-1930s an AAR "standard" 70-ton offset-side hopper car was developed. After the steel shortages caused by WWII, this large smooth-side version blossomed; however, certain inherent problems became apparent. The inside ribs or stakes were more prone to corrosion than with their construction on the outside, and they suffered more damage from coal being loaded directly onto them. The offset-side concept dwindled during the 1950s, and by the 60s was all but abandoned for new cars built afterwards. The late 20th Century saw the advent of modern rotary dumping and other railroad improvements which led to even larger coalers without a need to employ hopper bottoms.

Prototype History: 70 ton 3-bay offset side hoppers first appeared in the late 20s and by the late 30s had become an AAR standard design with cars being delivered from a number of builders in large quantities to railroads across the country. The last of these cars were delivered in the mid-'60s and many remained in service through the 80s.

Road Name History: The CSR was established in 1868 under the name Erie & Niagara Extension Railway Company with the goal of building a line from Fort Erie (just across the border from Buffalo, New York) to St. Thomas and Windsor in southern Ontario. The name was changed to Canada Southern the following year and the first locomotives were delivered in 1871. They then took over the Erie & Niagara Railway and a bit later the Fort Erie Railway. By 1883, CSR was running a short segment on the Fort Erie end of the planned route and the Essex to Windsor segment on the western end of the planned route. At this point, Michigan Central leased the property for 21 years. The CSR was subsequently completed from Windsor to Fort Erie, giving the Michigan Central (which was controlled by the New York Central) a line from the Detroit area to Buffalo through southern Ontario. Michigan Central extended their lease another 99 years and in 1929, sub-leased it to their parent New York Central. Most rolling stock on the CSR during this period carried NYC lettering as the CSR straddled the line between operating and paper railroad. NYC began to de-emphasize the route in the 1960s and it subsequently passed to Penn Central, then Conrail. In 1977, CSR’s “CASO” freight car reporting marks were retired. Conrail sold the line to Canadian National and Canadian Pacific in 1985.

Brand/Importer Information: Greetings, I'm Will, a Fine Arts graduate of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania who grew up in the Delaware Valley. I worked for 30 years with the Pennsylvania German Folklife Society. For ten years I had a permanent booth, each month showing my "PA Dutch" wares, at the country's largest under-roof Antique Market in Atlanta, GA. When Mom and Dad started to have health issues, I was forced to give up the nomadic life, but during my travels I came to love Z Scale Model Railroading, as I could easily take small layouts with me to the motels and play with my trains in the evenings!
Now that Mom and Dad are gone, and after many years of providing care for my "Pappy" in Florida, I find myself a homebody in the "Sunshine State" with a neat little business, supplying interested Z hobbyists with rolling stock and unique quality products!