5 bay rapid discharge hoppers

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did the Southern Railway have 5 bay rapid discharge hoppers and what were their numbers. Roundhouse HO scale models made the Ortner's 10,000th car in this 5 bay style, with the number 390399. Also in a video I spotted a green w/white stripe bay window caboose. I was wondering what this was used for, how many they had, and what number or numbers they had.

-- Janet Rock (jrock@nordson.com), May 17, 2000

Answers

Janet - There is an article in the July 1981 issue of RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN magazine on Ortner's Rapid Discharge hoppers. A caption on page 73 indicates that "most railroads bought 5 bay discharge hoppers instead of the 4-bay type used on the Southern". SR cars were numbered #390000-390379(1978) and #390380-390499(1980), within which group is the 10,000th Ortner Rapid Discharge car, #390399. If the model has 5 bays, it is incorrect for the Southern. Depending on the level of craftsmanship of the modeler, it would appear that removing the center bay of the Roundhouse/MDC model would achieve a SR car without disturbing the factory paintscheme. Your caboose query I'll leave to others.

-- Tom Underwood (tlunder@attglobal.net), May 18, 2000.

The ONLY green caboose with a white stripe lettered SOUTHERN was, maybe is, still being used on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad west of Asheville, NC on what was the old Murphy Branch. The SR, to my knowledge, ever had a caboose so painted, much less a small fleet of them.

-- matt bumgarner (stealthnfo@aol.com), May 18, 2000.

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