The Trinity Industries “Pullman-design” 4,750-cubic-foot capacity three-bay covered hopper is now available from Tangent Scale Models. Features on the HO scale car, designed from Pullman-Standard plans and field measurements, include road-specific details, Barber S-2 100-ton trucks with rotating bearing caps and separate brake beam detail, and Kadee scale couplers.
Prototype history
The Tangent model is based on full-size cars built by Trinity between 1988 and 1995. The carbuilder acquired various P-S car designs and patents in the early 1980s. Trinity ended production of its own 4750 three-bay covered hopper to focus on the Pullman-design car, which many railroads requested be brought back. Among the largest customers were Burlington Northern (BN), CSX, and Union Pacific.
Our review car is decorated as BN 466404, part of the railroad’s 466000 through 466999 series built at Trinity’s Greenville, Pa., under File No. 2111 between June and October 1990. This was the first of six orders BN placed for the 4750 covered hopper between 1990 and 1995, totaling 5,500 cars.
Trinity made modifications to its Pullman-design cars during the course of the production run. Our BN review sample is a Phase 4 car. Among the spotting features are an overhanging clerestory roof, four-piece trough hatch covers, 17 running board supports, two running board end extension supports, welded corners, long jack pads with bolster extension, and 18 exterior posts.
Covered hoppers from this BN series were folded into the BNSF Ry. fleet following the 1995 merger with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe. Some cars from the 466000 through 466999 series are in secondary ownership, now wearing Atlantic & Western (ATW), Infinity Transportation (ITFX), and Searles Valley Minerals Operations (DGHX) reporting marks.
Model details
Tangent’s Trinity 4750 three-bay covered hopper has a multi-piece plastic body consisting of the sides, ends, and bays; roof; bolsters; and center sills. The end cages are separate, factory-applied plastic castings with formed wire grab irons.
Rooftop features include a four-piece trough hatch cover casting painted to look like galvanized steel. The hatch covers are framed by a see-through, etched-metal Morton-design running board. Following prototype practice, the running board supports are painted Cascade Green. Formed wire grab irons, painted yellow, are attached to the latitudinal boards above the full-height end ladders.
The brake system includes numerous freestanding parts, including the air reservoir, brake cylinder, center-tube brake adjustment line, and control valve. The related piping is all formed wire.
An Ellcon National D-5600 brake housing is attached to the end cage on the B end of the car. Both ends of the car are fitted with see-through, etched-metal crossover platforms and wire uncoupling levers.
Underneath, the covered hopper has factory-applied vibrator brackets, center sills with access holes, and bolt-on outlet gates. The Barber S-2 100-ton trucks have rotating bearing caps.
Model vs. prototype
Our sample car features a smooth, even coat of BN Cascade Green paint. The white and yellow graphics are opaque, with the smallest type legible under magnification. The lettering placement matches prototype photos of other cars from the 466000 through 466999 series. The “AAR Test Wheels” stencil was applied to full-size cars indicating the covered hopper was equipped with a new wheel design.
Prototype drawings of BN’s Trinity 4750 three-bay covered hopper were published in BNSF Railway Freight Cars Volume One by Robert C. DelGrosso (Great Northern Pacific Publications, 2004). The Tangent model closely follows published data.
The model will negotiate 18” radius curves. However, the overhang isn’t very realistic. The model will look better on 22” and greater curves.
As a BN fan, I’m thrilled Tangent Scale Models has added the Trinity 4750 three-bay covered hopper to its HO scale freight car lineup. The well-researched and detailed model would look good on any model railroad set between 1990 and today.
Facts & features
Price: $58.95
Manufacturer
Tangent Scale Models
P.O. Box 6514
Asheville, NC 28816
Era: 1988 to present (varies by paint scheme)
Road names: Burlington Northern, BNSF Ry., CSX, GATX Capital, General American Transportation Corp., Interstate Commodities Inc., North American Chemical, and Union Pacific. Four to 24 road numbers per paint scheme. Also available as undecorated ready-to-run in four versions.
Features
- CNC-machined 36” metal wheelsets, correctly gauged
- Kadee scale couplers, mounted at correct height
- Weight: 5.3 ounces, .5 ounce too heavy per National Model Railroad Association Recommended Practice 20.1.
Do any of the paint schemes have reflective stripes on the sides? Do the trucks have rotating bearings? Are semi-scale 0.088″ wheels available from Tangent? The narrow wheelsets are especially welcome on hoppers and tank cars, where wheels are quite visible.