Freight
Reading Company Covered Hopper, Class LOc, #79262
Background & History
Imagine, rebuilding a 4 bay coal hopper into a modern 2 bay covered hopper. Look at the second picture and then, think how you are going to make that car into the car shown above. That is the history of our covered hopper #79262.
4 bay coal hopper # 70757 was built in 1922 by the Pressed Steel Car Company. After many years of hard service on the Reading, it was time to put it out to pasture. But, railroads and particularly the Reading was very good at recycling. In August of 1941 car 70757 was converted into a much needed covered hopper, our 79262.
Covered Hopper #79262 at Leesport, PA in 2002.
(Photo courtesy of Mike Shirk)
Car 79262 before being turned into a covered hopper.
Car #79262 was one of the first fifty HTL cars to be converted to Class LOc. Completely rebuilt, its Duryea cushioned underframe shortened, modified discharge chutes added, and a radically improved top cover. Numbered 79250 thru 79349, 100 cars would be radically changed.
The newly rebuilt car was 27’ long, rated at 70 tons, and capable of 1800 cu. ft. capacity with its Duryea Cushioned Underframe intact.
Plans call for our car to be restored into its 1941 appearance in a gray color with Roman lettering.