A Limited Edition HO-Scale Rapido Autoflood III Coal Hopper painted for freelance model railroad Yankeetown Dock Corporation!
The Modern Yankeetown Dock Corporation Rapido Autoflood III is an exciting proto-freelance car that has roots in the prototype world. The Yankeetown Dock Corporation (YDC) was a coal hauling railroad in southern Indiana that operated from the 1960's to the 2000's. In the proto-freelance world the modern YDC has evolved to include an expanded customer base and route miles.
With their expanding customer base, the modern YDC turned to the Powder River Basin to satisfy the needed volume. The Autoflood III coal hopper helped supplement the fleet of aging hoppers and sustain reliable service stretching across long distances to reach customers along the Ohio River. The modern YDC Autofloods can be seen on Class I railroads across the midwest and are a perfect example of a suitable car for this modern coal hauling railroad.
New Date: x-2009
About the Prototype:
Beginning production in 2004, the all-aluminum body prototype has been produced in the thousands and has traversed all over North America. With millions of tons of coal per year being mined and hauled out of various locations across the country, you would be hard pressed to not have seen one of these prototype cars in a modern day coal train.
This 4200 cubic foot, exterior post prototype (not to be confused with other prototype exterior post or interior post models) is primarily used as a rapid discharge car which can unload the payload in a matter of seconds via the bottom bay doors. However, the car can also be equipped with rotary couplers, as indicated by the color blocks on the end of the car, for either rotary or bottom discharge unloading based on the infrastructure at the final destination.
- Die-cast frame and floor for optimum car weight
- Full interior rivet and K-member details
- Super-detailed end cages including separate air and brake piping
- Barber S-2 100-ton trucks with metal wheels
- Hopper bays feature highly-detailed outlet gates
The Rapido Trains HO scale Autoflood III Hopper features:
- Etched, see-through end cross-over platforms
- Full end detail, including uncoupling levers
- Separate grab irons installed at the factory
- Crisp paint and lettering
- Removable coal load included
- Multiple road numbers available for each scheme