Bluford Shops N 74150 Offset Side 70-Ton 3-Bay Hopper, Southern Pacific (T&NO) #4894

Roman billboard scheme

70-ton 3-bay offset side hoppers first appeared in the late 1920s and by the late '30s had become an AAR standard design with cars delivered from a number of builders in large quantities. The last of these cars were delivered in the late 1960s and many remained in service through the '80s.

Southern Pacific ordered these hoppers on behalf of their subsidiary Texas & New Orleans in 1953 from Bethlehem Steel. SP's adoption of heavy gothic billboard lettering was still a few years away. These cars were used for coal and coke (as presented here,) limestone, aggregate, sulfur and in later years unprocessed salt.

Features:
Diecast slope sheet-hopper bay-center sill assembly
Injection molded plastic sides, ends, and hopper doors
Fully molded brake tank, valve and air lines
Slope sheet braces
Separately molded vertical brake rod and lever assembly
Body mounted brake hose detail
"Coal" load except as noted
Body mounted magnetically operating couplers
Close coupling
Friction bearing or roller bearing trucks as appropriate for each road name