Bathtub Gondola
Prototype Information
The bathtub gondola is a type of open-top railcar designed for carrying bulk commodities like coal, aggregates, and scrap metal. It is named for its distinctive “bathtub” shape, which maximizes capacity while allowing for efficient loading and unloading.
The bathtub gondola evolved from traditional open-top hopper cars that had sloped chutes for unloading. In the mid-20th century, railroads and manufacturers sought a design that could carry more cargo per trip, leading to the development of smooth-walled gondolas with higher capacity. Bathtub gondolas are designed for rotary coupler operations, allowing them to be emptied by rotating the entire car.
These cars became popular in the 1960s and 1970s, especially for coal transport on major North American railroads. Manufacturers like Hawker Siddeley, Bethlehem Steel, Thrall, and National Steel Car produced variations of the bathtub gondola. Their smooth interior walls reduce material hang-up, improving efficiency compared to traditional hopper designs.
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Intermountain HO Bathtub Coal Car DREX “ex CP”
$35.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Intermountain HO Bathtub Coal Car DREX “ex Procor”
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Intermountain HO Bathtub Coal Car MWCX “ex CP”
$35.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
Intermountain HO Bathtub Coal Car Sims Metal Management “MLMX”
$35.00 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
