I’d really like to know the history behind the high/low blue on white paint scheme typical of ACF “Pressuraide” Centerflow Hoppers. I’ve noticed this scheme is common on ACFX hoppers with 45100 and 51100 series road numbers as well as on other “Pressuraide” hoppers with different reporting marks such as SHPX 42000 series. I’ve yet to see this scheme on gravity discharged hoppers or on ANY other piece of rolling stock, for that matter.
I see so many of them here in S. Fla. and wish to model these cars and their related industries on my HO layout.
Thanks.
This scheme definitely seems to be particular to the Pressureaide hoppers, although not all have them. Perhaps the blue stripes symbolize the air stream coming through the pipes and into the hoppers.
If you want to model them, Atlas makes a few every two to three years. Otherwise you could kitbash a model of a regular Center-Flow hopper.
I’ve forgotten the descriptive adjective for that blue set of markings on the ACF/ARI PressureAide cars, but it appears on all cars owned by their leasing company (reporting marks ACFX and SHPX) unless a lessee specified otherwise (Cargill, Crosfield Chemicals, American Maize/Cerestar, and Penford Products were among those who did).
They can be found on ACFX’s upper 59000 series (above 59639), the 51000s, the 45000s, and the 42500s (I’m listing these in the order they were built), and SHPX 42000s,43000s, and 450000s. There are also some PCIX cars that carried (or carry) this paint job, and there were some Soo Line and ATW cars with the blue markings as well (they’ve since been relettered to ACFX series).
I have seen cars with the Cargill logo and the blue stripes. I am not sure about the reporting marks, but I think it was ACFX.