NORTH AMERICAN CAR COMPANY
PD3000 COVERED HOPPER HO Scale
NAHX Original Paint Scheme on Phase Ia body, Kit 110.1a
Penn Central H58, Kit 110.5
Starting in 1970, North American Car Company began producing these unique covered hoppers. These cars are unique in that they are pressure differential cars. This describes the method used to unload the cars. Essentially, the cars are pressurized and the contents are blown out through the discharge pipes located along the bottom of the hopper outlets. NACC leased these cars to several railroads as well as small industries. Many wore plain NAHX reporting marks, a few had more interesting company specific graphics.
This urethane craftsman kit represents the earliest design of the 3000 cu. ft. cars which have never been available in HO scale before. The earliest 100 (approx.) of these cars built were constructed using the Phase Ia weld seam arrangement. Cars after this point were all made with the Phase Ib arrangement. All Phase I cars are identified by the presence of 16 body mounted roof walk supports and a low weld seam along the cylindrical side sheet.
Later designs used fewer roof walk supports, a weld seam positioned higher along the side and different bolster designs. See photos at bottom of page for car phase differences.
PD3000 Ph Ia, right side.
PD3000 Ph 1a, Left Side
PD3000, B end.
Kit 110 Contents
This kit will feature a single piece body with separate roof and other cast detail parts including the product discharge plumbing. An extensive array of etched metal parts are supplied to model the end frames, roof walks and bolsters. Kits will include trucks with semi-scale metal wheelsets, decals and comprehensive assembly instructions on a Mini CD-ROM . Original and repaint generic NAHX cars will be available with your choice of Phase Ia or Ib body. Other decal options will have the body phase appropriate for the road name or lessee scheme selected. Cast parts for white cars, such as the Filtrol Catalysts car, will be cast in white urethane to make painting easier.
Kit 110: North American Car Co. PD3000 Covered Hopper
Kit Description
Lettering Diagram
Price
Buy
110.1A: Original NAHX Scheme, Phase Ia body
$46.95
110.1B: Original NAHX Scheme, Phase Ib body
$46.95
110.2A: NAHX Solid Letter Repaints, Ph Ia body
$46.95
110.2B: NAHX Solid Letter Repaints, Ph Ib body
$46.95
110.3A: NAHX Stencil Letter Repaints, Ph Ia body
$46.95
110.3B: NAHX Stencil Letter Repaints, Ph Ib body
$46.95
110.4: NACC Demonstrator Scheme, Ph Ib body
$46.95
110.5: Penn Central H58 Flexi-Flo
$46.95
110.6: Conrail Early H58 Flexi-Flo
$46.95
110.7: Conrail Late H58 Flexi-Flo
$46.95
110.8: Boston & Maine
$46.95
110.9: Ideal White Cement
$46.95
110.10: Atlas Cements
$46.95
110.11: Filtrol Catalysts
$46.95
110.12: Maule Industries
$46.95
110.13: Blue Circle Cement
$46.95
110.14: IMCO Services (Halliburton)
$46.95
Roster information also shows the following PD3000 cars:
Atlantic & Western, 5 cars: ATW 93084, 93229, 93271, 93279, 93333 PPG Industries, 7 cars: PPGX 12941-12947 Providence & Worcester, 1 car: PW 50002 Ideal Cement "Modern Scheme", different than the one offered. (no car number info available)
If you can help out with photos of any of these cars, please contact us at the e-mail address at the bottom of this page.
I am also in need of photos of early & late Conrail Flexi-Flow H58 cars.
A photo of a PPGX car shows four additional roof top hatches. These hatches appear different than the standard three roof hatches found on other PD3000 cars. Additional photos will be required to determine if I can adapt the current casting to include these details and offer a PPGX car.
Below are a few images of the prototype PD3000 cars wearing most of the paint schemes offered, plus the PPGX car which currently is not available.
NAHX 93447, Solid Letter Repaint. Photo from the collection of Gene Fusco. Kit 110.2b
NAHX 93317, Stencil Letter Repaint. Laramie, WY 9/23/05, photo by Gene Fusco. Kit 110.3b
NAHX 93271, an ex-ATW car now wearing the PD3000 deomstrator scheme. Photo by Ken Goslett. Kit 110.4
PC 898058, H58 Flexi-Flow Scheme. Photo by Joe Jack. Kit 110.5
B&M 5908, leased to Boston & Maine. Photo by George Melvin. Kit 110.8
NAHX 93001, leased to Ideal Cement Co. Photo by Jim Kinkaid. Kit 110.9
NAHX 93001, leased to Atlas Cements. Photo by Jim Thorington. Kit 110.10
NAHX 93399, leased to Filtrol Catalysts. Photo by Jim Kinkaid. Kit 110.11
NAHX 93078, leased to Maule Industries. Photo by Chuck Higdon. Kit 110.12
BCAX 10240, an ex-PC/CR car now leased by Blue Circle Cement. Photo by Gareth Bayer. Kit 110.13
NAHX 93207, Leased to IMCO (International Mud Company) Photo by Jim Kinkaid. Kit 110.14
PPGX 12947, Leased to PPG Industries. Note the four extra roof hatches. These cars also used "drip strips" to protect lettering from spills of the Caustic Soda. Photo by Chris Butts.
NACC PD3000 Phase Identification
The major spotting features to determine the design "phase" of these cars are:
1. Number of roof walk supports: Phase I cars have 4 narrow supports between wider supports. The Phase II & Phase III cars have an alternating wide/narrow arrangement.
2. The body side weld on Phase I cars is about 6" above the side sill and 20" above the side sill on Phase II & Phase III cars.
3. The boslter design on Phase I & II cars includes a plate steel cap & roping loop. The Phase III bolster has a triangular web and the roping loop is cut through the side sill.
4. The corner post angle "faces out" on Phase I cars. It is oriented facing in on Phase II & III.
