Operator HO Scale Gunderson 5188 Covered Hopper, Norfolk Southern/Horsehead

Grain and grain products are one of the leading commodities hauled by railroads today. Typically carried in covered hoppers, designs have evolved over the years to increase the efficiency of handling this vital commodity. One of the more popular designs to emerge in recent years is the Gunderson-GIMSA/Concarril 5188cf Covered Hopper.

The Gunderson 5188cf is a large 3-bay hopper that measures 58’ over the coupler centers and is built to fit within the Plate C clearance diagram. These all-steel cars feature a capacity of 5,188 cubic feet and are equipped with trough-style loading hatches for efficient loading. The hatch covers can either be made of metal or non-metal materials depending upon customer specifications. Each of its three bays features a 30” x 30” outlet opening, which can be outfitted with a variety of outlet types depending upon customer requirements and/or commodities to be handled.

With the production of these cars starting in 2007, they have gone through several design changes including the quantity and width of panels used to construct the car sides, addition of two or four large horizontal ribs on the car sides, and placement and design of pulling loops.