Tangent Scale Models HO 32012-17 Bethlehem Steel 3350CuFt Quad Coal Hopper Seaboard System/CSXT 'Black Repaint 1987+' SBD #346184

SBD / CSXT “Black Repaint 1987+” takes us back to early days of the CSX. In 1987, the ex-L&N South Louisville Car Shops were still in full swing, repainting cars. These repaints featured SBD reporting marks and the now-familiar CSX logo on the hopper car sides. This group of CSX repaints is pulled from ex-L&N Bethlehem cars built in 1976. The models feature an accurate body for this ex-L&N series, including rounded top chord corner caps, paired lower posts at the side bolsters, and tiny accurate triangle supports on the bottom chord near the bolster posts. The B-end of the model features an accurate Universal 7400 high handbrake, 'modern' brake wheel and Morton-style brake step. Inside, the models have a gorgeous, and removable, flood-style coal load. These coal cars roll on Tangent 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with separate truck brake beams and rotating Timken caps. The CSX lettering on the cars is carefully replicated, and includes varying CAPY data, South Louisville paint codes and COTS data across the different car numbers.

These models are available with month-specific repaint dates:

• SKUs -01 through -11 are 6-87.
• SKUs -12 through -21 are 5-87.
• SKUs -22 through -24 are 4-87

Our Bethlehem Steel 3350cf Quad Coal Hopper era and railroad-specific details and variations include:

• Dimensional accuracy – designed from Bethlehem Steel 3350cf Quad Coal Hopper plans and verified with field measurements
• Highly correct true to life colors
• Industry-leading 'Hyper-Accurate' lettering including exact fonts and lettering placement
• Genuine Kadee scale couplers
• 'Near-scale' draft gear box with beautifully-rendered side 'key' detail
• Multiple road numbers for each scheme
• Multiple Bethlehem 1974, 1976-1978, 1979 and 1980 bodies and assembly builds, with correct bolster post/detail variations, roping plate versions and top chord corner cap options
• Two coal load options: Flood vs. Tipple Style
• See through brake step platform
• Road-specific details for each scheme, including 7 brake wheel housing options, 2 ABD Valve options, 2 retainer valve mounting options and 2 different routing board options.
• Beautiful details including separately-applied scale wire grab irons and coupler lift bars
• Separate flexible rubber air hoses
• CNC-machined 36” wheels with accurate front and back detail
• Our precision Tangent Scale Models 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with prototype-specific rotating bearing caps, four possible options, and separate brake beam part, 2 possible options
• Weighted to NMRA specifications – even with the coal load removed!
• Recommended age 14 years and older

Prototype Information:

From 1974 to 1980, the Bethlehem Steel Corporation built 8,715 100-Ton 'Eastern Design Quad' coal hoppers of 3350 cubic foot capacity. These quad hoppers were purchased in large build groups by Louisville & Nashville 'L&N' and Clinchfield Railroad 'CRR' for loading at Appalachian coal mines, and these quad hoppers became the backbones for both railroad’s coal fleets, plus SCWX South Carolina utility fleet cars. These cars served well into the CSXT era in un-rebuilt configurations due to their importance in CSXT’s coal-hauling strategy. These 3350 cubic foot quad coal hoppers are visually similar but not the same as the 'Western design' 3600 cubic foot quad hoppers as utilized by Union Pacific, also offered by Tangent.