Peter's Model Railroading | The PRR Chartiers Branch | Equipment
H21a
Description
The "H21a" class was created in 1911 by PRR's Lines West to carry large quantities of coal. The H21a hoppers were the dominant four-bay hoppers of the H21 class, with 14,270 built between 1915 and 1918. Over time, the H22 and H22a class hoppers (originally designed for the lighter coke service) were converted to H21a, and so the H21a class kept growing to a total of 39,123 in 1947 at its peak. The key thing to note about the hoppers is that the two pair each face each other, whereas other railroads had them all facing toward the center of the car.
Specifications
These cars measured 42' end sill to end sill, and had an overall width of 10'2-1/2". They weighed 30,300 pounds and could carry a load of up to 140,000 pounds, or 2,833cuft. The cars rode on Crown (heavy-duty Andrews-style) trucks. The cars were outfitted with K brakes, but all were upgraded later in life with AB brakes. A lot of the construction of this car is similar to the GLa hopper.
