By Harry K. Wong
Ballast, or crushed rock in a uniform size is an essential component to any railroad’s infrastructure. It is used to form the trackbed upon which ties and rail are laid. Ballast keeps the track level, and provides drainage and stability to the track. Railroad maintenance crews need to drop new ballast anywhere on the railroad that needs it using either older open-top hopper cars, or purpose-built cars for this duty. In the mid-1970s, National Steel Car (NSC) designed and developed a welded open-top hopper specifically for ballast service, complete with four bottom chutes to spread the rocks along the rails.
The Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National purchased these NSC ballast cars in large quantities, under the 1978 Government of Canada Branch Line Rehabilitation Program. Fleet numbers were also an identifier for these cars as well as their Branch Line Rehabilitation stencil. Many of these cars continue to wear those stencils to this day.
Similar cars like this can also be found on many American railroads. Now available from Rapido Trains are HO scale NSC Ballast Hoppers. Each car features a removable simulated ballast load, diecast frame, separately applied metal grab irons, coupler cut levers and air hoses,full underbody brake rigging, machined metal wheelsets, metal knuckle couplers and much more.
Road names for this inaugural production include: CN, CN-Branchline, CP Rail, CP Rail – Branchline, BC Rail Early (black), BC Rail (late – dark green), Amtrak (orange), CSX (orange),Herzog (gray), Milwaukee Road (brown), Union Pacific (MoW Green), and unlettered cars in silver, yellow or orange. Multiple road numbers are available for each scheme where appropriate. $54.95 each MSRP, or $329.70 per six-pack.
Available now while supplies last from your favorite dealer or direct.
Rapido Trains, 500 Alden Road, Unit 21 Markham, Ontario L3R 5H5, Canada;1-855-572-6917; www.rapidotrains.com
Unlike conventional open hoppers which typically feature outlet gates perpendicular to the rails, modern ballast cars have outlet gates oriented longitudinally that can distribute rock either between the rails or to the outside of the rail.
A magnetic wand is provided to enable easy insertion and removal of the simulated ballast load which is also included with every car.
