Coalporter Prototype?

[Ryan87]

Here's one for John! (you asked how to make a Atlas 3 bay look like a coalporter ;D)

http://www.morscher.com/rr/2000/20000602_04.jpg

OK, What's the story behind this car? When was it rebuilt? How many were done? Are they still in service?

[GonzoCRFan]

Let me check with the CRHS brain trust. I know we've talked about a one-off smooth-sided coalporter that Hollidaysburg built, but that number puzzles me, as it's in the MOW series...

[Ryan87]

Thanks Sean,

I wonder if this was done before of after Johnstown started building Coalporters...

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[GonzoCRFan]

Here's what our resident freight-car expert has scrounged so far:

It is/was the Ashtubula Scale car. It was made from one of CR's bathtub
gons - former number is CR 475070, but that may be the original
pre-bathtub number.

No idea why in the world CR would make a coalporter into a scale test car, though...all their others were either purpose-built or were made from old non-revenue hoppers (both open and covered).

[Chris333]

There is a dumper at Ashtabula Harbor. Maybe the scale is in close proximity and they need it to go through the dumper as well?  Just guessing.

http://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/_storage/Pages/1080/ash_hbr.jpg

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[GonzoCRFan]

But obviously it had gone through some portion of the coalporter rebuild program. Perhaps the boys in Hollidaysburg decided putting new sides and ends on the car wasn't worth the trouble, and just welded on the tubs and plated over the sides...

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[Ryan87]

Than what's the story behind this car...?

Since Conrail's Coalporters were in the 50xxxx series, and the 475070 number is a hopper car number perhaps this car was rebuilt from a hopper to a scale test car...

One thing I just noticed in the photo I posted there's no rotary coupler on the end shown (A end). Would they have one only on the B end? or assuming it ever had one would it have been removed when converted to a STC?

[wcfn100]

Just looking the number up on the web reveals two references to it being a scale test car.

http://lists.railfan.net/erielack-digest/199811/msg00501.html

http://www.morscher.com/rr/sort_00-00date.htm


The fact that it's a mystery is a bit surprising since the photo is from the second site which gives a description of the car.



Jason

[Ryan87]

However the description doesn't say why or when the car was converted from a hopper to a coalporter.
It just says it's a scale test car...

[Robbman]

Message deleted

[Ryan87]

Why would it have one?  CR didn't have any 100T hoppers with rotary couplers... especially not any H43As.
As an aside, since cars that were rebuilt into Coalporters retained the original sill, and thus draft gear, the rebuilds don't have rotary coupers either... (in fact, the only Coalporters that CR had that were rotary equipped were the former System Fuels Coalporters)

So to unload a train they would have to uncouple every car?

[Chris333]

Doesn't look like they rotate in here:
http://www.answers.com/topic/dscn4525-ashtabularailyard-e-jpg-1

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=479732