Introduction

Class One Model Works FC00517 HO Scale ARI 5200 Covered Hopper Union Pacific UP 98703

American Railcar Industries (ARI) was founded in 1994 through the acquisition of the railcar component manufacturing and maintenance units of American Car & Foundry (ACF). In 2005, ARI began manufacturing 5200 cubic foot, 3-bay hopper cars for Union Pacific under their CMO (former CNW) reporting marks since UP had more cars than available numbers for this car order. The design followed close ties to former ACF hopper car products. UP under the Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer RR (CHTT) placed another order in 2006, as did CIT Group for ownership and for leasing operations. Kansas City Southern Railway placed a substantial order of these cars in 2007, choosing to bring back the Southern Belle paint scheme, creating a stunning black/red/yellow/gray combination of colors. UP again placed another car order in 2014, choosing to bring these cars out with UP reporting marks, having divested some older cars from the fleet.

These cars are very recognizable by such spotting features as the triple-ribbed top sill on the main body, two vertical end supports toward the middle of the end panels, and a narrow drop sill on the bottom ends of the car which provide a distinct difference from other cars similar in style. Some of the car owners had the cars fitted with pneumatic impactors on one end to help flow products out of the car. Four different roof loading hatch variants were used on these cars. In 2019, ARI was acquired from ITE Management by The Greenbrier Companies.

FEATURES:

• Each owner of the ARI hopper cars had differing requirements for roof loading hatch styles. Class One Model Works provides the proper roof loading hatch variant for each car owner, verified through photos and aerial photography. The car owners that have been selected represent four different variants, and they have provided them all.
• Class One Model Works provides accurate paint and lettering taken from photographs of the prototype, and numbering that matches the class numbers for each operator or railroad. These hopper cars come with the correct body color and decoration schemes used by each car owner. All lettering on the car accurately reflects the prototype markings of each car.
• These hopper cars have been accurately reproduced from prototype drawings and hand-measured field dimensions of the prototype cars, right down to every visible detail. Class One Model Works stands for accuracy and they strive to provide that with every model they produce.
• Class One Model Works believes in providing models that accurately depict the prototype equipment. Keeping that at the core, they are proud to provide highly-detailed car ladders, brake gear and piping, and even include body side impactors if the owner had them provided on its car.

NOTE: Road number may vary from picture shown