42004 S Scale GATC 4180 Airslide ‘TZH’ Covered Hopper

GATC 4180 Airslide ‘TZH’ Covered Hopper

GATC first offered the 4180 cu.ft. airslide covered hopper in 1963. They were designed to transport flour, starch, and sugar, and used their proprietary “airslide” pressurized air system to aerate the hopper bay fabric lining for unloading.

There were 6 iterations of the 4180 airslides:  
-    HAT built 2/1963 – 5/1964
-    TZH built 6/1965 – 3/1966
-    TZC built the first half of 1966
-    TZL built 9/1966 – 1/1969
-    HZ built 8/1969 – 1/1970

The TZH, manufactured from June 1965 through March 1966, is the second in the series. Spotting features are hat-shaped side posts (the bolster post is thinner than the others), Z-shaped end braces, Apex roof walk and brake platform, brake housing and wheel just below roof level.  It was the first to have bolster jacking plates with integral roping eyes – this feature remain unchanged until the end of production in 1980.

*Please note that the comparison model pics provided are pre-production models provided to show differences between the kit versions only. The new TZH models are on the left side and the bottom of the the respective photographs.