| BN 800000 Beth-Combo™, an experimental combination covered hopper and boxcar, preserved at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum at Duluth, MN on 24 Jun. '16. Built at Bethlehem Johnstown, BLT 12-89, Plate C, LD LMT 20?600, LT WT ??400, EXH 15'-6", W 1'-8", EXW 10'-8", H 3'-5", EW 10'-0", H 14'-8", IL 50'-6", IW 9'-6", IH 11'-0", CU FT 5277. The prototype was unveiled in Nov. '88. It was "designed to curb the expensive necessity of deadheading, or returning hopper cars empty from a delivery." It was estimated the cars would cost $60,000 to $80,000, a new conventional covered hopper cost about $45,000 at the time. I don't know how many were ultimately constructed, but BN's initial order was eight cars for testing. Beth-Combo Bopper was another trademarked name for this car, but it is commonly referred to as simply "bopper," "box-hopper," "boxhop," and probably other nicknames. |