Arrowhead Models HO ACF 4600 Covered Hopper Chicago & Northwestern “9-1977 As Delivered”

Description

Railroad Short Name: CNW

In 1977, the Chicago and Northwestern placed its second order for the ACF 4600 covered hoppers. According to Ira D. Kulbersh, who was the Chief Mechanical Engineer for the CNW and who helped author the book ‘Chicago and North Western Final Freight Car Roster’, this specific series of freight car was the pride of the CNW fleet. When Kulbersh spoke at the May 1986 CNW Historical Society annual conference, he said that the ACF cars were “purchased to replace a fleet of 750 cars built by Pullman-Standard.” CNW shippers, and many other roads, were very aggravated with the Pullman cars. Apparently, the railroad was paying considerable claims to account for loss associated with leaking roofs, hatches, and gates. When a purchase order for 500 ACF cars was issued, Kulbersh suggested that the cars be painted a golden yellow–the color of cold beer. The logic was simple, he said: the cars were to be employed in malt service for breweries, and adopting this color would be a reminder to malt shippers that the CNW was providing a new car designed and built with them in mind.

235 total parts per car–which, to the best of our knowledge, is quantitatively the most detailed freight car ever created–ever.

An all-new approach to body tooling that we developed for the specific purpose of better matching the build methodologies and part thicknesses of the ACF prototypes.

Absolutely meticulous attention to lettering accuracy, including distinct, separately drawn lettering libraries for CNW’s Roman 3″ capacity data block, 2″ stenciling (as opposed to drawing one library and scaling it to fit). And, distinct, separately drawn lettering libraries for CNW’s Gothic lettering. Check out our amazing 48″ “Employee Owned” Ball-and-Bar logo.

Project details were informed by a full set of build prints, 4 large binders stuffed with hundreds of individual field notes, years of labor, and the cooperation of a metal scrapper who allowed us to torch a car for the purpose of establishing with absolute confidence any dimension, profile or angle–all of which is reflected in our design.

Features:

49 individual etched brass parts per car, including: slope sheet braces and stiffners, hopper face plates,  ACF Gravity Pneumatic 5124 sanitary plate guides, hatch clasps, brake wheel mounting plates, air reservoir brackets, brake cylinder mounting plates, slope sheet brace gussets, cross-over walks, running boards and more.

61 individual wire parts per car, including: air lines, release and retaining valve rods, grab irons, roof hatch handles, ACF Gravity Pneumatic 5124 rack and pinion guards and sanitary plate anchors, train lines, brake hangers, pull loops and more.

5-piece Ellcon-National D-1600-2 hand brake, with separate brake housing, mounting plate, brake wheel, release lever and chain.

“Scale” draft box and details, including: key, shank and full bolt detail. Accurately shaped and located air hose bracket, and outboard brake levers.

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