Question for freight car experts: Are there still any ps 4427 hoppers - both high and low side - running on the rails in 2016 or have they reached the end of the line?
Would depend if the had passed their 40 year age & had not been remanufactured. Some times it's cheaper to do that than buy new ones.
Montana Rail Link shows ten still rostered, but all are stored and it appears that several may need a little work.
From railcarphotos.com: 4427 PS hopper I put in from Jan 1st 2014 thru Jan 1st 2016 for search time frame. Looks like they are still rolling!
Quick search found these pics from a few years ago. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=531920 http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=817543 http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=1014713
"I put in from Jan 1st 2014 thru Jan 1st 2016 for search time frame. Looks like they are still rolling!" I'll be dammed! The reason I posted this question is I'm going start a n scale layout set in the modern era with a flour mill as the main industry so I have been on a cov hopper buying binge. I bought some 4427s to help fill up the roster since I'm starting from scratch in n scale. Thanks for the info!
Saw one of these running in a short train on a recent video taken in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. It even still sported MILW's identification marks. BTW, what kind of load were these hoppers made for? Dom