Rivet Counter N Scale 5750 Carbon Black Covered Hopper, Columbian Chemicals/CCX (R2)

ScaleTrains.com is the only manufacturer to offer N Scale plastic models of contemporary Thrall 5750 cubic foot and Thrall 4727 cubic foot carbon black covered hoppers. The 5750 represents the 1970s to present while the 4727 is appropriate for the 1990s to today.

Found throughout North America, these unique freight cars are commonly found in large groups near major carbon black producers or users.  They can also be seen singularly or in small blocks of cars in mixed freight trains.  Both prototypes were painstakingly researched from field documentation, photographs, reference books, and builder drawings.

During the 1970s, Thrall Manufacturing Co. introduced a new railcar designed for handling carbon black.  These 3-bay, 70-ton capacity covered hopper cars boasted a volume of 5750 cubic feet and measured 51’ over the ends.  Unlike traditional covered hopper designs where the end slope sheets are plainly visible, these cars featured an enclosed, boxy design, which was a necessity due to a special design feature to aid in the unloading of carbon black.

At the inside ends of the car are special inflatable bags, called “granuflators”.  When the car is loaded, the bags lay flat inside the car.  When inflated with pressurized air, the granuflators expand, and push the carbon black towards the outlets.  And as typical with cars designed to haul carbon black, they featured tight-sealing 16” round roof hatches (22 hatches on most, but some customers specified 28), sampling spigots on the car sides, and “butterfly” type outlet gates.

The “1980s” 5750 represents Thrall 5750 production from 1979 to 1989.  These cars featured twelve column-style posts per side, and a revised roofline that saw the dual-slope and shoulder roofline continue from end to end.  Several “1980s” 5750s are still in service today.