Rivet Counter HO Scale GATC 4180 Airslide Covered Hopper, GACX/Blue

Grouped product items
Item Number	Road Number	Our Price	Availability	Quantity
SXT32985	41066	$41.99	Sold Out	Notify Me If Available × *Please enter your email address to receive notification if stock becomes available. Inventory will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This field is required Please enter a valid E-mail Submit
SXT32986	46635	$41.99	Sold Out	Notify Me If Available × *Please enter your email address to receive notification if stock becomes available. Inventory will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This field is required Please enter a valid E-mail Submit
SXT32987	47332	$41.99	Sold Out	Notify Me If Available × *Please enter your email address to receive notification if stock becomes available. Inventory will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This field is required Please enter a valid E-mail Submit
SXT32988	47754	$41.99	Sold Out	Notify Me If Available × *Please enter your email address to receive notification if stock becomes available. Inventory will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. This field is required Please enter a valid E-mail Submit

Road Number Specific ScaleTrains

Era: 1990s to 2000s
Repainted from various series, build dates vary
All 4 road numbers have unique variations in data and placement
Road numbers 41066, 46835 and 47332
- Photo-etched stainless-steel see-through Apex (slotted) walkways and coupler platforms
Road number 47754
- Patched road number with light blue background
- Conspicuity stripes
- Photo-etched stainless-steel see-through Morton (round-hole) walkways and coupler platforms
Phase HC
- 4” square column style side posts
- Half-height ladder grab irons at the side corners
- Square tube-style horizontal end braces
- Low-mounted hand brake
- Body mounted brakes
- Roping eyes integral to the bolster plates
Gravity outlet gates
Fully assembled
Multiple road numbers
Factory-applied metal grab irons, coupler cut levers, and trainline hoses
Complete underbody brake system including wireform brake plumbing and brake rods with separately-applied air reservoir, control valve, retainer valve and brake levers
Durable die-cast metal semi-scale standard Type E couplers
Highly-detailed Barber S-2 100-ton trucks with finely rendered raised foundry data, rotating bearing caps, side bearing detail, and truck-mounted brake beams
36” machined metal wheels with accurately profiled .110” wheels
Printing and lettering legible even under magnification
Weighted to Industry standards for reliable operation
Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
Packaging safely stores model
Minimum radius: 18”
Recommended radius: 22”

In 1963, GATC introduced the 4180 Cubic Foot Airslide covered hopper to their product line. Designed for shippers of such commodities as flour, starch, and sugar, these two-bay cars featured ten round loading hatches and four outlets. As with their other Airslide designs, it featured their patented “Airslide” unloading system which uses pressurized air to aerate the special fabric lining of the bays, effectively fluidizing the commodity and allowing it to flow more easily during unloading.

As with most any locomotive or rolling stock, the 4180cf Airslides underwent production changes over their production span. These changes were typically the result of improvements in fabrication, changes in railroad regulations, and/or changes in vendor components. This evolution is unofficially termed as “phases” by railroad enthusiasts. Per noted freight car historian Eric Neubauer’s definitive work on Airslide covered hoppers, 4180cf Airslide production broke down as follows:

Phase “HAT” – These Airslides featured full-height ladders at the side corners, hat-section side posts, high handbrakes, and “Z” section horizontal end braces, and wire-loop roping eyes. Built from 2/63 – 5/64.

Phase “TZH” – This evolution to the 4180cf design was similar to the previous HAT cars, but with a change to the truck centers, and a change to bolster jacking plates with integral roping eyes, in place of the wire loops. Built from 6/65 – 3/66.

Phase “TZL” – Outwardly identical to Phase “TZH” cars, these Airslides featured low-mounted handbrakes and half-height ladder grabs at the side corners, to comply with changes to freight car appliance regulations. Built from 9/66 – 1/69.

Phase “TZC” – This phase introduced notable changes to the 4180cf design, mainly the change of the side posts (except those at the bolsters) to a fabricated square-column style. The posts at the bolsters remained “hat-section”, as on previous production. This phase was produced during the first half of 1966.

Phase “HZ” – This phase progression from Phase TZC saw the posts at the bolsters change from hat-section posts, to “I” beam style posts. Produced for a brief period from 8/69 to 1/70.

Phase “HC” – The final 4180cf Airslide variant, this version featured square tube-style horizontal end braces, in place of the “Z” style of previous versions. They were produced from 10/70 until 10/80.

Production of the 4180cf Airslide would continue until 1980 when it was superseded by the larger 4566cf Airslide design (also available from ScaleTrains.com). Most continued in service into the 2000s. Age and obsolescence thanks to larger Airslides and newer Pressure-Differential designs have slowly thinned their ranks. BNSF has repurposed several 4180cf Airslide Covered Hoppers for buffer car service so they continue in operation today.

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Downloadable Documentation

SXT80256_RC_HO_GATC_4566_4180_Airslide_2-23-web.pdf

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