Covered hoppers

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Hi,
Is there car leasing companies that leases covered hoppers like TTX’s Railbox?
Please let me know.
Thanks.

2

There are several. Actually, there are probably several hundred. However, I do not know of any owned by railroad companies, if that is what yo mean by “like TTX’s Railbox”.

3

TTX Railboxes are general service cars and aren’t leased per se.

Dave H.

4

Thank you, Dave and ericsp.
What is general service car?

5

Railboxes are pooled equipment. If they railroad pays into TTX (and most do) they can use the equipement without per-diem charges. General service cars can be used for any customer, and, within reason, any commodity.

Leasing companies, like General Tank Car (GATX), Union Tank Car (UTLX), American Car and Foundry(ACFX, SHPX), and First Union (FURX) usually lease cars to shippers, rather then railroads. Those cars are normally kept in captive service for that customer. It’s much easier to keep loading the same commodity for the same customer, then to clean each the car each time for general service.

Nick

6

Thank you, Nick.
Where can I have more information about coverd hoppers?
I’d like to see how they load and unload.
If you anyone know detail info. please let me know!!

7

dats there are several leasing compnaies and also private owner covered hoppers. grain hoppers are usually 3 bay while 4 bays are for plastic pellets. most grain cars are railroad owned with some private owber while 4 bay are usually private owner. to distinguish between railroad and private owner- a railroad owned car will have the railroad reporting marks like bn or atsf while a private owner leasing company will have an x the end of the reporting mark such as chvx for chevron.

hope this helps

tom

8

Four bay grain hoppers are starting to become quite common. Also Greenbrier Leasing (GBRX) and General Electric Railcar Services (ACFX, yes ACF Industries sold GE the ACFX reporting marks) have been converting ACFX plastic pellet hoppers to grain hoppers by changing the discharge gates on them. In addition, many of the new grain hoppers are being built with four bays. I am not sure it is accurate any more to say that grain hoppers are usually 3 bay.

9

ok eric i wasnt aware of this change in plans. makes for some interesting modelling now. i do know that grain cars have a trough hatch loading and pellet cars have the round hatches, unless this changes as well.

tom

10

The ACFX markings aren’t GEs per-say. ACF cars on long-term lease to the GE lease fleet are destignated with ACFX and the rest of ACF’s fleet use SHPX.

Grain hoppers use the tough hatches and plastic and chemical cars use the round ones, (easier to protect against contamination.)

Nick

11

Those leasing companies have general territory?..I mean… if you are modeling southern California area, for example, some company’s cars more appear there than others and so on…
I know TTX is own by railroads so pretty much their cars would go everywhere.
Thanks.

12

Leasing company cars roam free. So you can see any car, any where. However, the larger the lease fleet, the more likely you are to see the cars. IE, ACFX/SHPX and UTLX are far larger then FURX, so you see more ACFX or UTLX cars then FURX cars.

You are also likely to see cars in captive service cycle through your area on a sort of regular schedual.

Nick

13

Any car of any type who’s reporting mark ends in X is a privately owned car hence TTX, HELX, UTLX, GATX, etc. are private cars not for general service.

14

I see a few different types of covered hopper cars.
Are they all have specific commodities to each type?
I don’t think a hopper car used for plastic pallets would not use for grain. Right?
How do they wa***he car? Water with special soup or something?

15

No. As an example, Southern Illinois Railcar (SIRX) cars are common out here. Of course they bring in grain from the Midwest.

Cars that carry products in bulk (the car is the container) will have a specific commodity. They can be cleaned out (for safety reasons and/or the customer does not want the commodity contaminated) and reassigned a new commodity. Of course some types of cars are ill-suited to carry a specific commodity even if another type of the same car is well suited to carry it.

16

The commodity carried dictates the car type. Some examples:

  • Grain cars have tough hatches and gravity discarge gates.

  • Plastics cars; round hatches with non-contaminating seals, and pnuematic gates. Plastic cars also come is slightly varying lengths depending on the density of the plastic.

  • Flour cars have round hatches with special neoprene seals, and air bags to aid in loading.

  • Cement cars are short; with round hatches and gravity gates.

To be cleaned, cars normally go to a company that specializes in cleaning railcars. The process is rather involved, as some cars have special linings, or carry substances that react with water.

Nick

17


All kinds of Grain hoppers notice old 3 bays, 4 bays different kinds of such, new 4bays.
Its a mix of ADM/ IC equipment sorry about the pic