HO SCALE PROTO 2000 52’-6” DROP-END MILL GONDOLA

Description: HO SCALE PROTO 2000 52’-6” DROP-END MILL GONDOLA – ERIE-LACKAWANNA #EL 11523 NEW OLD STOCK from a closed hobby store. HISTORY OF THE CAR: This style of steel mill gondola was first designed and built by the GREENVILLE STEEL CAR COMPANY for the Erie Railroad. The gondola has a 70 ton capacity with a 52’-6” bed. Its innovative design includes drop ends which allow for even longer cargo. When carrying longer loads it usually traveled with a flat car at each end. The flat cars served as “spacers” to allow room for the extended cargo. This gondola could carry just about any kind of load, from structural steel to lumber and even coal. This versatile “Greenville Design” car quickly grew in popularity. After World War II, numerous railroads purchased Greenville-style mill gondolas, and this design became the unofficial industry standard for more than 20 years. Thousands of Gondolas were owned by steel mills and hundreds more were owned by railroads. Whether in original form or modified form, many of these cars lasted into the 1970’s and some were still in revenue service as late as the early 1980’s. HISTORY OF THE ERIE-LACKAWANNA:The Erie Lackawanna Railway (reporting mark EL), known as the Erie Lackawanna Railroad until 1968, was formed from the 1960 merger of the Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The official motto of the line was "The Friendly Service Route".The Interstate Commerce Commission approved the merger on Sept. 13, 1960, and on Oct. 17 the Erie Railroad and Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad merged to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad.The EL struggled for most of the 16 years it existed. The two railroads that created it were steadily losing passengers, freight traffic and money, and were heavily burdened by years of accumulated debt and extensive, money-losing commuter operations. These two historic lines, the Erie and the DL&W, started to consolidate facilities on the Hudson River waterfront and across southern New York State in 1956, four years before formal corporate merger. The Lackawanna route was severely affected by the decline of anthracite and cement traffic from Pennsylvania by the late 1940s. The Erie was burdened by the continuing loss of high-tariff fruit and vegetable traffic from the western states into the New York City region as highways improved in the 1950s. Both lines were also affected by the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1959, which allowed ocean-going cargo ships to travel between European, African and South American ports and cities on the Great Lakes, such as Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Duluth, Chicago, etc. The DL&W had previously carried much traffic to and from ocean ships, having its own port facilities at Hoboken Terminal on the Hudson River.Like many railroads in the northeast already financially vulnerable from the expanding U.S. Interstate Highway System, the line was severely weakened fiscally by the extent, duration and record flood levels due to Hurricane Agnes in 1972. It would never recover. Most of the corporation's holdings became part of Conrail in 1976, ending its sixteen years as an independent operating railroad company. FEATURES OF THE MODEL: PROTO 2000’s 52’-6” Drop End Mill Gondola kit is guaranteed to add authenticity to any layout. This car was a frequent sight in interchange service, even on railroads that didn’t own these cars. Features on this model include: DREADNAUGHT ENDS: Can be positioned up or down. HANDBRAKES: Correct Lever Style NON-MAGNETIC Blackened Metal Wheels AAR STANDARD UNDERFRAME with AB Brake system. PROTO 2000 MAGNETIC KNUCKLE COUPLERS with screw on coupler covers. STAKE / TIEDOWN DETAILS on Interior Sidewalls SEPERATELY APPLIED FLOOR MANY add-on detail parts.

Price: 10.99 USD

Location: Gilbert, Arizona

End Time: 2024-12-25T01:30:04.000Z

Shipping Cost: 8.75 USD