Covered Hoppers/Gondola's

[IronGoat]

I am building a Steam/Early Diesel layout, circa 1948-1950. Did they have covered hoppers and covered gondola's during that time ? I am modeling a sanding tower and bin, and have read that they shipped sand in covered gon's, but I cannot recall any being around during that time. It seems that it just came in "uncovered" and they dryed it, before use.

Any comments will be appreciated... Thanks.

[MKT fan]

The 2-Bay Covered Hopper Car is based upon a design similar to the steam-era 70-ton railcars produced during the late 1930's to the late 1950's by American Car & Foundry / ACF of Berwick, PA. Prototype examples of this style freight car are still in use on America?s railroads today.

http://www.wholesaletrains.com/SMImages/LG3873.jpg

[Stourbridge Lion]

Here is another example of a 2 Bay PS-2 Hopper

http://www.trainweb.org/dhvm/images/models/Atlas/3161.jpg

[IronGoat]

Thanks guys. it would be prototypical for sand to be delivered either by a drop-bottom 'gon, or by a covered hopper. Question answered...

Thanks again.. Bob

[pjb]

They didn't use newer cars like covered hoppers
for company sand service. They may have been
carrying sand, but if so, it was to glass makers or forges and foundrys for moldmaking. Sand to
sand houses came in old boxcars or in gondolas.
Retrofitted covered gondolas were around, but
they almost always were created to carry some
commodity, without investing in newer expensive
freight cars. In otherwords they carried bulk fertilizer, commercial sands (like molding sand,etc) ,and low grade stuff that needed weather protection.

Later, in the DE era these cars would have
found there way to company service, as
they were replaced with more modern cars
or the railroads lost the traffic ; but
not during the time of the steamer that was
essentially foreclosed by 1960 everywhere in NA.