Atlas N Trainman | 90 Ton Hopper | ATSF

The 90 to 100 ton rib-sided steel hopper was the mainstay of coal hauling railroads since the 1960s.  Replacing the venerable 2-bay, 55-ton USRA open hoppers, these 3-bay cars have been produced by nearly every major car manufacturer including Bethlehem and Pullman, and have served long lifetimes due to their optimal capacities, sturdy construction and practical design.  These designs enabled cars to haul not just coal, but crushed stone, gravel, dirt, rock and other commodities not affected by exposure to the elements.  Many cars originally fitted with friction bearing trucks were later outfitted with 100-ton roller bearing trucks, enabling modest increases in tonnage before the advent of lighter, aluminum-bodied cars and purpose-built unit train cars (such as rotary dump gondolas) became the norm.  Steel rib-sided hoppers continued to serve, however through the mid 2010s on many roads in both coal and MOW service.