Details: Written by Josh Baakko; Category: Quick Reviews; Published: 29 January 2019; Hits: 2771

Intermountain Railway Company Procor Pressure Flow Hopper

Intermountain Railway Company's first release of the Procor 3300 cubic foot pressurized unloading hopper came decorated in 3 paint schemes. Stock numbers 48901-01 through -06 featured a Canadian/Canadien National scheme, with gray paint, and red lettering. This model is shown here, is stock number 48901-03, CN #374537. Also available were 6 road numbers for British Columbia Railway (green and black with white lettering), stock numbers 48902-01 through -06, and one road number for a Halliburton leased car (light gray and red with white lettering), stock number 48903-01.

The cars are ready-to-run, and come equipped with Kadee #78 couplers, and standard tread (Code 110) 36” wheels. The prototype was equipped with truck mounted brakes, Intermountain included this detail on the trucks. The roof walks are finely etched metal, as are a number of the details.

These cars have a retail price of $32.95, and are available now. Intermountain announced a second run, due in March/April 2011. The second run will include the following schemes: Stelco (green and black with white lettering), stock numbers 48904-01 through -06; Mountain Minerals (tan with black lettering), stock numbers 48905-01 and -02; Canadian National (white with red lettering), stock numbers 48906-01 through -06; and Procor (gray with black lettering), stock numbers 48907-01 and -02.

The Prototype Procor 3300 Cu. Ft. Pressure Differential Covered Hopper

With a little help from Jeff Shultz, we've been able to collect a little info on the prototype.

Procor, a Canadian subsidiary of Union Tank Lines (UTLX) was formed in late 1952, as Products Tank Line of Canada. In 1962 they changed the corporate name to the current name of Procor, and in 1974 inaugurated the use of the PROX reporting marks, vice the prior used UTLX reporting marks.

In the late 1950's Procor started assembling “kits” in their shops, and in 1964 they began ground-up construction of freight cars, mostly tank cars.

The 3300 Cu. Ft. covered hopper modeled by Intermountain was introduced in 1972, and produced through 1975. It shares a body design with several sister cars, namely a 3800 Cu. Ft. car, which at one time was available from Overland Model Inc. in HO scale. They also offered a 3000 Cu. Ft. car, and possibly another size (I'd assume around 4000 Cu. Ft.).

The CN car shown in the First Look article seems to have been used in cement service in the Northeast US market, along with their subsidiary Central Vermont, and B&M/Guilford. It seems they were also common in the Pacific Northwest, namely Washington, and common through out Canada.

The Procor 3300 Cu. Ft. car can still be found today, in CN, CNIS, UNPX and ARR reporting marks, along with several others.

For a nice modern history on the Procor pressure differential car (3000 Cu. Ft. version), check out this Union Tank Car article:

http://www.utlx.com/TA/Lubrizol_TA_August_2008.pdf