Bluford Shops N 74115 Offset Side 70-Ton 3-Bay Hopper, Ontario Northland (C&O Service) #140165

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.

Around 1957, Ontario Northland found themselves with a temporary glut of hoppers. ONT made an arrangement with Chesapeake & Ohio and these 3-bay offset side hoppers were sent south to move coal on the C&O. They were not renumbered so to prevent C&O agents from routing the empty cars back to Canada, they received what must be the largest routing instructions ever applied to car sides: "TIDE COAL ONLY. WHEN EMPTY RETURN TO HANDLEY FROM THE WEST OR THURMOND FROM THE EAST, C&O RWY. MUST NOT BE LOADED TO OR MOVED TO CANADA." The cars were eventually returned to ONT, and could be found in the mid-60s assigned to the Dane, Ontario iron ore pool and sporting a new paint job.

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