Unlike equipment that carried a variety of loads, like boxcars, flatcars, and gondolas, this 3-bay hopper was designed specifically for one cargo: bituminous coal. Its capacity matched the volume of coal that a pair of typical 70-ton freight trucks could carry. And its slope sheets - the angled floors at either end of the car - were set at precisely the angle at which coal would flow easily from its bottom doors. (Covered grain hoppers, for example, require much steeper slope sheets.)
The large 3-bay car was ideal for delivery of bituminous coal to large industrial customers and railroads. In contrast, cleaner-burning anthracite coal, shipped more commonly to small, local coal dealers who served the home heating market, often traveled in smaller 2-bay hoppers.
MTH Premier O Scale freight car sets are the perfect complement to many of the locomotives featured earlier in this catalog. They also go great with any manufacturer's scale proportioned O Gauge locomotives.
Each car in these sets is individually numbered for authentic realism. And, each set is available in two item numbers. The second item number features an entirely different set of 6 cars, each also individually numbered, allowing you to obtain a total of 12 different numbered cars if desired. When you prefer the convenience of a ready-to-run unit train, M.T.H. Premier Line 6-car sets are a great choice.
