Rock Island picked up 105 of these panel side hoppers secondhand during the 1950s. This was a hopeful era for Rock Island. The troubled re-organization during the 1940s was behind them and the endless, convoluted, and ultimately pointless merger discussions and the bankruptcy that followed were still unseen over the horizon.

These ready-to-run cars will feature:

• diecast slope sheet-hopper bay-center sill assembly
• injection molded plastic sides, ends, and hopper doors
• fully molded brake tank, valve and air lines
• body mounted brake hose detail
• coal load
• lever-style hand brake
• body mounted magnetically operating knuckle couplers
• close coupling
• Fox Valley Models metal wheels

All road names will be available in multiple road numbers. For instance, order a single, a 2-pack and a 3-pack to get all six road numbers on a run. (Some road names will be available in just three road numbers.)