MODEL INFORMATION
Company: Lionel
Product #: 6-27011
Gauge: Standard O
First Cataloged: 2007
Trucks: Die-cast, Sprung
Couplers: Die-cast, Operating
Notes: Part of 3 car, individually numbered, set 6-21881
Product Website
PROTOTYPE INFORMATION
Builder: Pullman Standard
Era: 40's, 50's, 60's
Primary Use: Coal
Notes: As early as the late 1920s, the American Association of Railroads began designing standardized 50-ton open hopper cars. These hoppers would ride the rails for decades. The A.A.R standard 50-ton open hopper was classified HM, which designated it as a self-clearing open top car with two divided hoppers, fixed ends, fixed sides and doors hinged crosswise to allow dumping between the rails. The cars became widespread on coal hauling railroads throughout the country, seeing service behind steam and diesel locomotives.
Tens of thousands of these cars were built in the first half of the 20th century and many lasted well into the diesel era and were pulled by all sorts of locomotives from 0-6-0s to mallets to modern six axle road switchers.
As shown, cars were designed with enough volume to allow loading them with coal to maximum weight capacity. They were used to haul anthracite for home heating, steam coal for power plants and factories and metallurgical coal for steel making. While coal was the primary product carried in these hoppers they were used for other products if a back haul was available. If a higher density material like rock or iron ore was carried the cars could not be loaded to full volume.
