HO - 1966 Scheme 40' Drop Bottom Gondola

HO Scale Northern Pacific 1966 Scheme 40' Drop Bottom Gondola

The NPRHA is extremely excited to announce the arrival of these HO scale models of the Northern Pacific GS Drop Bottom Gondolas. This is car series 50000 to 50499 originally purchased from Pressed Steel Car Co. in 1940, these cars hauled coal, ore, pulpwood, scrap metal, hog fuel, and many other materials for the NP.

This gondola was developed as a partnership between the NPRHA and Rapido Trains, with the original CAD work developed by the NPRHA in exceptionally exacting detail.

HO model features include the following:

• Designed from in-depth field measurements and NP drawings of the lone remaining car at Toppenish, WA
• Highly detailed underbody arrangements appropriate for this specific car
• 4 different car numbers for the 1966 paint scheme
• Very detailed lettering for this car series.
• Accurate free-rolling trucks
• Metal magnetic knuckle couplers
• Did we mention that the detail and fidelity on this model is extremely accurate? Over the top.

From Rapido's website: 

The Pressed Steel Car Company built five hundred 41’-6” drop bottom gondolas for the Northern Pacific in 1940. Numbered in the 50000-50499 series these cars were used in general service on the NP, in particular coal and ore service. Additional groups of cars were built with just minor changes in construction, primarily on the underframe. Over their long service lives many were assigned to pulpwood loading, and many more were given extended height sides for use in woodchip and beet loading.

Between 1966 and 1968 groups of these cars were renumbered into the 58250-58749 series. Some cars lasted into the BN era, though it is unlikely that many got more than a patch out paint job at this late date. The last cars were removed from service in 1982, although some still soldiered on in BN work service.