The unit train concept was pioneered by Ortner Freight Car Co. in 1960 as an effort to streamline bulk cargo unloading. Robert Ortner, developer of the rapid-discharge door system, targeted unloading a train of rapid discharge cars in 30 minutes to an hour. Previously this same task would take four hours or longer. Unit trains shuttle back and forth between mines and power plants eliminating dwell time in yards. The concept has become ubiquitous to the modern railroading scene. In more recent years many of these cars have been converted to sugar beet hauling service and had capacity extensions installed.

FEATURES:
Removable load
Highly-detailed, injection-molded body
Separately applied brake wheel
Body mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
Minimum radius: 18"
Machined metal wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
IPSX, OMAX, and SMEX are coal service cars. CBNS, HLMX, an