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Athearn #ATH81597 HO Bethgon Coalporter with Load, BNSF #3 (5)
MODEL FEATURES:
Newly Re-tooled Body
Separate wire form grab irons, etched metal coupler platforms
Separately applied brake wheel
Multiple road numbers
36” machined metal wheels with RP25 contours
Weighted for optimum performance
Body-mounted McHenry® operating scale knuckle couplers
Highly-detailed, injection-molded body
Painted and printed for realistic decoration
Minimum radius: 18”
PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:
The Coalporter was developed in an effort to create a higher-capacity, more efficient coal car. Built by Bethlehem Steel’s Johnstown American Corporation, the BethGon features all-aluminum construction and a unique trough-style bottom for added carrying capacity.
This ‘Bathtub’ design increased the cubic capacity of the car and gave the added advantage of a lower center of gravity for better tracking. Coalporters generally operate in solid unit trains. One end of each car is equipped with a rotary coupler, to allow a train to be fed through a rotary unloader without uncoupling the cars.
