Bluford Shops N 63137 2-Bay War Emergency Composite Hopper, Burlington #194763

These 2-Bay War Emergency Composite Hopper cars were built during the Second World War with wood siding and slope sheets at the direction of the War Production Board in hopes of saving as much steel as possible for the war effort. This was especially the case with hoppers that were usually built with copper-bearing steel to resist corrosion. The car sides were built with the Pratt truss design using a combination of vertical and diagonal ribs.

Burlington Route built their 1,000 car fleet of 2-bay composite hoppers at their own Havelock, Nebraska shops in 1944. As was their custom, the paint scheme included "Way of the Zephyrs" on one side and "Everywhere West" on the other. Due to the rib arrangement, Havelock made special stencils for the mottos with different lettering angles for each side.

Features:
Die cast slope sheet-hopper bay-center sill assembly
Injection molded plastic sides, ends, and hopper doors
Fully molded brake tank, valve and air lines
Body mounted brake hose detail
Removeable load
Body mounted magnetically operating knuckle couplers
Close coupling
Fox Valley Models metal wheels