01-17-2010, 06:29 PM
Wonder if these were built in Johnstown - from Freightcar America's site: "The cars are designed with a new electric, solar-powered activation system, whereby ballast can be dumped remotely by radio control. Their air-operated doors from W. H. Miner Enterprises function like traditional ballast cars, capable of distributing ballast either on the inside or outside of the rails. The electric operating system, provided by Georgetown Rail Equipment, is the first of its kind. BNSF will use the cars in track maintenance system-wide. " NS had similar cars with R/C dump doors, but they were equipped with dual air hoses, the second hose m/u'd to the loco's main reservior (150psi) to supply the operating pressure - this is newer stuff, I guess. :o Bob C.
James Thurber - "It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers."