New Q Connection Projects Announced...

2009 
GATX Pressure Slide Hoppers
HO Scale Resin Kit

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Q Connection, in cooperation with Wright Trak Railroad Models, is pleased to announce our first ever resin freight car kit, the GATX Pressure Slide Hoppers. These high-quality HO scale kits will be produced in two, prototypically correct versions, CB&Q and SAL.  The kits will be an undecorated, one piece cast resin body design with stainless steel photo etchings, Athearn’s A-3 Ride Control roller bearing trucks and Kadee® #58 couplers included.  They will be of the same high quality that has been maintained by the toolmakers of Wright Trak Railroad Models since 2001.  These cars have only been available previously in brass, most recently from Railway Classics at $285.00 each. 

We are estimating the price of this kit to be in the $50-$60 range, but for those who make a $10 per car reservation deposit prior to the car's release, the price will be 10% off the retail price per kit. As always, if there are insufficient reservations to justify the production of this kit, your deposits will be refunded.

We are working closely with Microscale Industries and they will be adding appropriate decals for these models to their product line.

Athearn A-3 Ride Control roller bearing trucks 

History of the cars:

In 1965, General American Transportation Corporation (GATX), designed a new-style covered hoppers called “Pressure-Slide” for the transporting of dry bulk material.  They provided only one compartment that was pneumatically discharged using an elaborate low pressure (50-80 p.s.i.) air ductwork system.  The unique shape of the tank quickly led to their nickname, “whalebelly hoppers.”  The 38’ 7” long cars had a capacity of 2,800 cubic feet (appx. 100-ton) of material.

The Seaboard Air Line (SAL) purchased 50 from GATX in 1966.  Classed LS-21, they were assigned road Nos. 7050 through 7099.  These were equipped with A-3 Ride Control trucks and Timkin roller bearings.  All cars were assigned to service out of Lehigh, FL.

The SAL cars became Seaboard Coast Line (SCL) cars 747050 through 747099 in 1967.  Initially, the only change being the Empty Return instructions in a yellow box from “Return Agent SAL Lehigh FLA” to “When empty return to SCLRR Lehigh Fla”.  We will do the SAL version with the SAL yellow box.  These later received a new Seaboard (SBD) red with yellow band paint scheme.  These were later lettered for the CSXT after the merger.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy (CB&Q) purchased 50 of these cars with slightly different brake plumbing from GATX in January 1967.  Classed LO-9, they were assigned road Nos. 84950 through 84999.  An unusual feature of these cars was the obvious omission of a Burlington Route herald from the paint scheme.  They were immediately placed in cement service over the whole system.

The CB&Q cars became Burlington Northern (BN) cars 495000 through 495049 in 1970 and were eventually repainted with black, stacked Burlington Northern lettering and a large BN logo.  The BN cars became Dragon Cement cars in the 300 and the 2800 series in the late 1990s and were repainted with black, Dragon lettering.