An American Car & Foundry 2,970-cubic-foot capacity two-bay Center Flow covered hopper is now part of Athearn’s Genesis series. The N scale model, which we last reviewed in the June 2010 issue, still features injection-molded plastic construction, body-mounted couplers, and metal wheelsets. Among the product upgrades are rubber train line hoses; separate, factory-applied uncoupling levers; and lower-shelf couplers on cars decorated for Burlington Northern and CSX.
Prototype history
American Car & Foundry unveiled its first Center Flow covered hopper in June 1961. Unlike previous covered hoppers, the Center Flow design featured rounded sides, making the car easier to load and unload. Over the following decades, the Center Flow was offered in cubic foot capacities ranging from 2,700 to 6,600 with two, three, and four bays; continuous, elongated, and round hatch covers; and various outlet gates. The Center Flow name and design continues today under The Greenbrier Companies banner.
The full-size 2970 covered hoppers were designed to transport bentonite clay, cement, salt, silica sand, and other dense, dry commodities that weighed between 60 and 100 pounds per cubic foot.
The sample we received is decorated as Missouri Pacific No. 706027, part of the railroad’s 706000 through 706099 series. The full-size car was built in March 1967 under Lot 11-02498 as Texas & Pacific 706027. The car became part of Missouri Pacific’s fleet following the October 1976 merger between the two railroads. Cars from this series were still in service into the 2000s.
Model features
The Athearn model has a one-piece plastic body with a separate roof. The end cages are freestanding plastic castings with molded ladder rungs and crossover handrails. The handbrake (with molded chain) and brake wheel are also factory-applied parts. Etched-metal crossover platforms are attached to the bottom of the end cages above the draft-gear boxes. The B end of the car has a factory-applied air reservoir, brake cylinder, and control valve with related piping.
A one-piece, etched-metal running board is attached to the top of the car. The support brackets accurately have an alternating thick/thin pattern. Formed wire grab irons are located on the laterals closest to the full-height end ladders. Four standard 30” round hatch covers are located along the top of the roof.
The underbody features a mix of molded and factory-applied parts. Among the molded details are the screw bosses for the trucks, bolsters, shaker brackets, and draft-gear boxes. The draft-gear box covers are separate parts attached with screws.
The body bolsters and center sill stubs are cast as a single unit that fits around the bosses. The casting, which is secured with glue, has four alignment pins on the back. Freestanding gravity outlet gates are attached to the bottom of the bays.
Our sample is neatly painted gray with black and white graphics. The placement of the “screaming eagle” herald, reporting marks, road number, and other data follows prototype photos of other cars from the series.
Measuring up
The trucks on the MP car are molded in gray engineering plastic and fitted with correctly gauged 36” metal wheelsets. The body-mounted McHenry scale plastic couplers are at the correct height. At 1 ounce, the two-bay covered hopper is .1 ounce too heavy per National Model Railroad Association Recommended Practice 20.1.
I found prototype drawings of the ACF 2970 Center Flow in the 1970 edition of the Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice (Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp.) The dimensions on the Athearn model match or are within scale inches of published data.
It’s always fun to watch companies revisit existing tooling and find ways to make improvements. Details like uncoupling levers, rubber train line hoses, and railroad- specific couplers may seem like small upgrades. But I see improvements, whatever the size, as a positive indication that legacy companies like Athearn aren’t content resting on their name alone.
Facts & features
Price: single car, $39.99; three-pack, $99.99
Manufacturer
Athearn Trains
2904 Research Rd.
Champaign, IL 61822
Era: mid-1960s to 2010s (varies depending on paint scheme)
Road names: Missouri Pacific; ACF Leasing; Burlington Northern; Chicago, Burlington & Quincy; CSX; and Corning Glass Works. Two single cars and one three-pack per scheme.
Features
- 36” metal wheelsets, correctly gauged
- Body-mounted McHenry scale couplers, at correct height
- Minimum radius: 11”
- Weight: 1 ounce, .1 ounce too heavy per National Model Railroad Association Recommended Practice 20.1
