Our Accurail model is numbered in series GN 173800-999, the 200-car lot of 1966-67. GN cars had the ‘phase I’ body style with a stiffening rib along the upper portion of the car side, and carried 30-inch round roof hatches. They were purchased to haul cement, bentonite clay, and silica sand. Cement is a binder that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. The most common type, Portland cement is very dense, weighing 85 pounds per cubic foot.
Significant volumes of cement were moving at the time to support Department of Defense contracts for air fields and missile silos in Montana and North Dakota and to build Libby Dam in Montana. They were delivered in the light gray body color with the ‘Great Northern Railway’ herald.
Some of these cars were repainted to Big Sky Blue by the Great Northern between 1967 and 1970. Repainted cars retained their original car numbers. The models are offered in three car sets, OR single cars with our choice of one or two of three random car numbers.
This model fills a unique niche in the Great Northern’s car fleet. Get them now!
These Accurail cars, whether Gray or Blue, are the only Great Northern 100-ton cement service covered hopper models available.