Dear HO Customers:

We are pleased to announce the 2nd run of the

HO Scale 5431 cu. ft. Three-Bay Covered Hopper

A New Generation of Canadian Grain Hopper

Designed for modern grain transportation, the 5431-cubic-foot, three-bay covered hopper represents the next generation of Canadian grain cars.

Built to handle 286,000-pound gross rail loads, the prototype combines greater cubic capacity with a lighter car and a shorter overall length. Its continuous trough and standard 30-inch × 30-inch gravity outlet gates are designed to meet the demands of modern grain service.

At 55 ft. 8 in. over the pulling faces of the couplers, the car provides greater capacity per unit of train length. The prototype is designed to accommodate a range of options to suit specific shipping requirements.

A Successor to Canada's Cylindrical Grain Hoppers

Canadian grain transportation has relied on cylindrical hopper cars built throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The newer 5431-cubic-foot design reflects the industry's move toward greater capacity and more efficient use of train length.

Compared with the older 4550-cubic-foot hopper, which weighed approximately 62,000 pounds and measured about 60 feet long, the newer design offers substantially more volume while weighing approximately 2,000 pounds less and measuring more than four feet shorter.

The increased capacity is particularly useful for lower-density grains such as canola, oats, and barley, while the lighter car is beneficial when transporting higher-density commodities such as wheat, durum, soybeans, and peas.

The shorter car also allows more cars to fit within a given train length, helping railways move more grain with their available track capacity. The majority of cars are equipped with Q4 trucks.
Q4 trucks feature a self-steering design that helps wheels follow curves more smoothly, reducing wheel and rail wear. They also help improve tracking through curves and reduce the lateral forces exerted on the track.

Model Features

The HO scale model incorporates a range of prototype-specific details and variations, carefully researched and designed to represent the different configurations found on the real cars.

• Meticulously researched and designed

• Two running-board configurations, with 11 or 17 supports, in etched brass

• Etched-brass crossover platforms with individually applied supports

• Five end configurations with different bracing variations

• Two outlet-gate types: toggle lock and spiral cog

• Investment-cast capstans at the ends of the outlet gates

• Two hand-brake types: conventional and high-power Ellcon-National

• Two reservoir positions: low for truck-mounted brake cylinders and high for body-mounted brake cylinders

• External brake rods and associated levers on cars with body-mounted brake cylinders

• Three trough-hatch styles: smooth, slash, and V

• Kadee #58 semi-scale couplers

• Coupler cut bars

• Two bolster/ jack-pad styles, with flat and sloped faces

• North American Railcar high-performance, low-friction Barber S-2-E 100-ton trucks with semi-scale 36-inch wheels

Available Road Names

This run includes the following road names and reporting-mark variations:

• First Union Rail (FURX)

• G3 (GACX)

• Ontario Northland (ONT)

• Enkay Leasing Canada (NKLX), leased to Parrish & Heimbecker Company

• Enkay Leasing Canada (NKLX), leased to Richardson

• Canadian Pacific (CP)

• Union Pacific, with CMO reporting marks

• Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)

• Utah Central Railway (UCRY)

Each version features different roadnames specific details, representing the railroads and leasing companies operating these 5431-cubic-foot hoppers.

A great addition to your HO scale grain train, with prototype-specific details and equipment variations that bring the look of modern Canadian grain service to your layout.