Airslide Hopper

[conrail1973]

With all of the talk about the Micro-Trains airslide hopper, I was wondering if specific cars were designated for flour and sugar service.  Did specific railroads own airslide hoopers for certain commodities or were the hoppers used for the next available customer with a need to move a dry commodity?

Thanks,
Adam

[Spikre]

 
  most Airslides were in Captive service,RRs didn't like to waste
 time and funds cleaning them as they weren't the easiest cars
 to clean.
  so Sugar cars would stay in Sugar service unless the shipper
  stopped shipping by rail,moved,or closed down.
  Airslides were rarely used in Grain service,but were used in Flour
  service,Chemical service,powdered Plastic service,and other fine
  material service,some for their whole lives.
     Spikre
       

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Conrail had a few. Both single and two bay versions. I think they also ran dry flo hoppers as well. Pretty sure that these were used in talc service. I really want some Wonder Bread cars, though I think they were retired in favor of  PD 5125s and Interstate Brands PCIX Pressureaid Centerflow cars.

[loyalton]

For covered hoppers in captive service, you could (and I think still can) find ones owned by leasing companies with the logo of the customer in question. Kelloggs, Wonder Bread, etc. The logos weren't very big, so they would be invisible in N, but they were the customer logos.

Dicalite Mineral Corp., a supplier of diatomaceous earth (something shipped in Airslides), was the last online shipper for the McCloud RR. I once took pictures of typical plain gray covered hoppers being switched in Klamath Falls, and upon blowing up the pics some years later discovered a small rectangular Dicalite logo right in the middle of the car sides.

[conrail1973]

My questions were answered.  Thanks!

Adam

[Robbman]

Conrail had a few. Both single and two bay versions. I think they also ran dry flo hoppers as well. Pretty sure that these were used in talc service. I really want some Wonder Bread cars, though I think they were retired in favor of  PD 5125s and Interstate Brands PCIX Pressureaid Centerflow cars.

They had four 4180s, former CNJ (acquired from GATXs lease fleet, they're all different phases too).  Pretty sure the Wonder bread cars are the taller Plate C 4577s.