Model Railroading > Coalporters

I have over 100 of these and just wanted to know if they were around in 1994 or 95, and which roads had them?

Not sure when they started showing up on the rails but if you were to name all the roads the list would be lengthy. Just a few: BN, BNSF, UP, DEEX, SATX, NS, CR, NRGX, CSX, KCLX, GRDX, AECX, CWEX, JECX, AEPX, and so many others...

Also keep in mind the coalporter is a rather generic term. There is Freight Car America that makes the Bethgon, and Trinity makes an almost identical car.

maw1204 Wrote:
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> Not sure when they started showing up on the rails
> but if you were to name all the roads the list
> would be lengthy. Just a few: BN, BNSF, UP, DEEX,
> SATX, NS, CR, NRGX, CSX, KCLX, GRDX, AECX, CWEX,
> JECX, AEPX, and so many others...
>
> Also keep in mind the coalporter is a rather
> generic term. There is Freight Car America that
> makes the Bethgon, and Trinity makes an almost
> identical car.

I don't think Trinity would agree with you that "Coalporter" is a rather generic term. Then-Johnstown America, builder of Coalporters, sued them over the design.

The generic term is bathtub gondola. "Coalporter" is like Kleenex. It's a trademark name.

..and Cole Porter sings the blues ...
Yes, you're good on the dates for your bath tubs.


TCS - not to be confused with coalchamber

I remember seeing BSCX Bethgons (not quite the Athearn model) in 1982, coming up the Carrothers Branch in Toledo with UBH trains. Even back then, the cars looked to have been in service for several years.

Sorry if I confused anyone but I was looking for the Walthers or Athearn type coalporters either steel or aluminum. I've seen some pics with both alum. and steel dated for 1994 but I don't know if the pics are correct.

Both the Athearn and Walthers models are based off of aluminum versions of the JA BethGon. The original Bethlehem steel cars are different in a couple of ways, rib shape, # of ribs, etc., The same is true for CSX and Conrail rebuilds.

Thrall and Trinity have close variants of the "BethGon", but correct versons have not been produced to match these other prototypes, at least to th equlaity of detail level that Athearn & Walthers have produced.

NSTopHat

LarryG Wrote:
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> I don't think Trinity would agree with you that
> "Coalporter" is a rather generic term.
> Then-Johnstown America, builder of Coalporters,
> sued them over the design.



Specifcally, they sued them over the tub design. This lawsuit is why NS TopGons have a flat bottom.