News & Reviews News Rapido Trains announces AutoFlood III coal hopper exclusive series

Rapido Trains announces AutoFlood III coal hopper exclusive series

By Nastassia Putz | April 20, 2022

| Last updated on April 25, 2022

This 4200 cubic foot exterior post prototype is primarily used as a rapid discharge car

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HO/N scale freight cars

AutoFlood III coal hopper: Rapido Trains Inc. is proud to announce a series of exclusive AutoFlood III coal hopper road names and numbers for Heartland Hobby Wholesale in both HO and N Scale!

Whatever your name for it, this commodity is best transported across the country by rail. Enter the AutoFlood III rapid discharge hopper car!

small, silver hopper
N AutoFlood III coal hopper by Rapido Trains Inc.

Beginning production in 2004, the all aluminum body prototype has been produced in the thousands and has traversed all over North America. With millions of tons of coal per year being mined and hauled out of various locations across the country, you would be hard pressed to not have seen one of these prototype cars in a modern-day coal train.

This 4200 cubic foot, exterior post prototype (not to be confused with other types of prototype exterior-post or interior post models) is primarily used as a rapid discharge car, which can unload their cargo in a matter of seconds via the bottom bay doors. However, the car can also be equipped with a rotary coupler at the A end of the car (or on both ends on double-rotary cars), as indicated by the color blocks on the cars’ ends, for either bottom discharge or rotary unloading based on the infrastructure at the final processing facility.

illustration of HO scale silver hopper
HO scale AutoFlood III coal hopper

Features:

  • Die-cast frame and floor for optimum car weight
  • Full interior rivet and K-member details
  • Super-detailed end cages including air and brake piping
  • Barber S-2 100-ton Trucks with metal wheels
  • Hopper bays feature highly-detailed outlet gates
  • Separately applied end cross-over platforms
  • Separately applied uncoupling levers
  • Accurate paint and lettering
  • Removable coal load included
  • Multiple road numbers available for each scheme
  • Multi-packs boxed for individual sale

Paint schemes: 

  • FEPX FirstEnergy Generation Corp
  • LNTX Alliant Energy
  • MBKX Mitsui Rail Corp
  • XCLX Xcel Energy

Decorated cars have six or twelve individual car numbers per paint scheme. These will be available as a six pack (six individual cars shrink wrapped together that are easily broken up for individual sale).

The HO and N Scale AutoFlood hoppers will also have a set amount ordered by Heartland Hobby. You’ll need to order them ASAP in order to ensure you get the cars you want! Contact your dealer or local hobby shop today!

Manufacturer: Rapido Trains Inc.

Rapido Trains Inc. is a high-end manufacturer of model trains and accessories in HO, OO and N (North American 1:160 and British 1:148) scales. Our aim is to recreate the entire rail travel experience, from fully-detailed interiors and underframe equipment on our trains to fully-wired telephone poles for your model railroad.

Reproduced from Rapido Trains Inc. news release April 13, 2022 

 

News & Products is a regular feature of Trains.com for model railroad operators and builders to get the latest information about locomotives, freight cars, passenger cars, tools, track, and more. Model railroad product news may include HO, N, O, and Z scales. Product release dates and prices will vary according to each manufacturer.

If you are a manufacturer and have new product releases, please email Group Technical Editor Cody Grivno at cgrivno@kalmbach.com for more information. Click the following link to view more News & Products.

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