HO GEN GATC 2600 Airslide Covered Hopper GACX/Nebraska Consolidated Mills #42400 (ATHG-2138)

HO-scale GATC 2600 Airslide Covered Hopper in GACX / Nebraska Consolidated Mills livery is a faithful model recreating General American Transportation’s early bulk-car design. Airslide hoppers were developed to move bulk goods that don’t flow well in ordinary hoppers—such as flour, starch, sugar and plastics—by pumping air through a permeable bottom to fluidize the load and discharge it through the outlets. The original 2,600-cubic-foot, 70-ton single-bay car first appeared in the 1950s, with some cars leased to sugar and bakery companies; later, larger configurations were introduced, and some smaller cars were permanently joined into two-unit sets for a total capacity of 5,200 cubic feet.

On the model, three body styles are offered, with a highly detailed underbody and outlet piping; see-through roof walk; factory-installed wire grab irons and brake piping; separately applied round roof hatches and brake wheel; options for roller bearing or Bettendorf trucks; machined metal wheels with RP25 contours; weighting for stable operation; body-mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers; accurately painted and printed details on a highly detailed injection-molded body; and an 18-inch minimum radius, making it compatible with most HO layouts.