Ann Arbor ran a 300 mile line from Toledo northwest through Ann Arbor, Michigan to the Lake Michigan port of Frankfort. Rail traffic was then ferried across the lake to ports in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, thus providing a shortcut between the Industrial Midwest and the Northern Plains. Wabash bought control of the Ann Arbor in 1925 and from that point, Ann Arbor’s paint and lettering style took on a Wabash flavor. Wabash sold the Ann Arbor to DT&I in 1963.

 These cars first appeared in the 1930’s as some early 2-bay hoppers came due for heavy maintenance. A predecessor of Standard Railway Equipment introduced replacement side panels that were bulged outward between the ribs for the purpose of increasing the interior capacity of the cars. A number of railroads adopted these panels, or those from competing suppliers, for a portion of their 30’6” 2-Bay Hopper fleets.

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.)