Tangent Scale Models HO 32114-14 IC Centralia Shops 3834CuFt Quad Coal Hopper Illinois Central Gulf 'Delivery Black 1977' ICG #363165

• Truck: Tangent 100-ton Barber S-2 trucks with rotating Timken bearing caps and separate brake beam part
• Wheels: CNC-Machined 36″ Wheels
• Era: 1977-1997

In 1968, Southern Illinois and Kentucky Bituminous coal was on the rise. In response to increased carloadings and unit train opportunities, the Illinois Central Railroad (“IC”) tasked its own Centralia, Illinois, Car Shops to modernize the IC coal hopper fleet. Their answer was an all-new 100-ton 3834 cubic foot Quad Coal Hopper. These modern coal hoppers utilized exterior-post construction and quad unloading chutes. Centralia Shops built multiple orders of the cars on an assembly line between 1968 and 1977. 3,420 “Centralia Quads” became the backbone of the IC(G)’s modern coal hauling capacity. IC/ICG Centralia also built an additional 330 cars for Inland Steel and 50 cars for Indianapolis Power & Light. While over half of the ICG fleet was rebuilt into visually different 3614cf cars between 1980-1982, more than 700 cars survived in their original build configuration. Some original Centralia Quads would see extended lives on ICG spin-offs like the Chicago Central and Paducah & Louisville. The original fleet of Centralia Quads dwindled quickly through the early 1990s.

Interestingly, in 1973, the ICG experienced record levels of grain shipments while at the same time the ICG’s grain hopper fleet was fully utilized, so Centralia Quad “coal” hoppers were quickly pressed into service. Proform Incorporated developed a fiberglass “Hopper Topper” that provided ICG an easy path to convert some of the Centralia Quad coal hopper fleet to grain service as needed. The “Hopper Topper” included trough hatches on the roof and kept the food grade lading dry like a traditional covered hopper