Tangent HO Bethlehem 70-Ton Riveted Drop-End Gondola Lehigh Valley

Description

Railroad Short Name: LV

Tangent Scale Models is pleased to offer the 52-6 riveted 70-ton drop-end gondola car as designed and produced by Bethlehem Steel. First produced in March 1937 for Baltimore & Ohio Railroad as class O-59, B&O alone purchased 4,000 of these drop-end gondolas which served every corner of North America in many services. Five additional railroads purchased these Bethlehem-design gondolas in intervening years until production ceased in 1957, with some going to second-hand owners as well. Most of these gondolas were phased from revenue service by the mid-1980s, with many serving additional years in various MOW roles.

Lehigh Valley in the “Original 1942” brings some color to this release, exhibiting the Lehigh Valley’s oxide red paint and white lettering. These cars are part of the LV’s second order of 400 gondolas. Take your time – enjoy the nuances of accurate LV lettering: The unevenly spaced LD LMT line, the classic LEHIGH VALLEY typestyle, and black & white diamond. The Lehigh Valley requested conventional draft gear, wood floor, and Dreadnaught ends for these cars, all duplicated with the Tangent offering.

Bethlehem 70-ton riveted Drop-end Gondola replicas include:

• Dimensional accuracy – scaled exactly from Bethlehem Steel plans
• Highly accurate “true to life” colors
• Exact fonts and lettering placement – compare our replicas to the prototype photos on our website!
• Detail variations: Tie downs appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: Steel or wood decks inside the car
• Detail variations: Duryea or conventional end sills appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: End door variations (Dreadnaught and Straight Corrugated) appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: Tack board locations appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: Brake platforms appropriate for each paint scheme
• Detail variations: Handbrakes applied to match production specifications (Universal, Ajax, or Equipco handbrakes available as separate parts, too!)
• Interior deck sits at the scale height
• Interior detail inside the gondola
• Wire grab irons and coupler lift bars
• Separate air hoses
• Weighted to NMRA specs for smooth operation
• Genuine Kadee® scale metal couplers
• Tangent 70-ton ASF A-3 Ride-Control trucks
• CNC-machined 33” wheels in high quality Tangent Scale Models trucks, with semi-scale wheels available separately
• Recommended age 14 years and older.