#FT-3603   Interstate   2-Pack • 2 x Heap Shield Hoppers   $52.00 retail ea. • $52.00 Set #1: #INT 9348, 9367 • August 2026 Set #1 2-Pack • Hay Brothers detailed loads • Full Throttle's Bowser Buckler Trucks • Blackened Metal wheels • Knuckle Couplers

The INTERSTATE Railroad (INT), of southwest Virginia, extended from the Clinchfield RR and ran parallel to the N&W RR, L&N RR, and Southern RR at various points, but diversified, having many Lines and Spurs running into the mountains of the Kentucky border. The company still exists as a subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Corporation, but is operated as an NS RR Line. A favorite of RR Hobbyists because of the magnificent mountainous scenery modeled, the NS has painted one of their "Predecessor" GE ES44AC engines, NS #8105, in the INTERSTATE diesel color scheme of orange, cream and gray, and it is known as the "Creamsicle!" Coal drags in the mountains of the Eastern USA, covered routes with myriad stops and starts. Many of the hoppers involved wore the "Heap Shields" at their ends to prevent loss of product during the haul. Even after larger hopper cars evolved for carrying great quantities of coal to Electric Plants, the smaller cars were still needed to traverse the often steep-curvy-tight trackage to and from the mines of the coal fields and breakers to the spacious holding facilities. Heap Shields were an adjunct for smaller open hopper car ends, used to prevent spillage/waste from piled coal loads at stops and starts in mountainous areas or while hauling as fast freight. An economic asset, these peaked finials, conceived in the 19th century, found many USA Rail Lines, some exclusively, employing their use from the 1930's onward. Usually in an arched or angled form, during the mid 1940's an opening notch was often cut out to make access from end ladders into the car interior more accessible. This additional practice was popular and remained until 100-ton plus hoppers riding on double axle trucks made the Shield supplement moot.

#FT-3602   NKP   2-Pack • 2 x Heap Shield Hoppers   $50.00 retail ea. Set #1: Road #NKP 33028, #33059 • August 2022 Set #1   • Hay Brothers detailed loads • Full Throttle's Bowser Buckler Trucks • Blackened Metal wheels • Knuckle Couplers

The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (NKP), abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central USA, having extensive networks through Ohio and Indiana. It's nickname, Nickel Plate Road, was adopted during the 1880's due to it's "glittering" prospects and substantial financial backing which had many Ohio cities vying for the rail line to pass through them. The railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri and Illinois. Its primary connections included Buffalo/New York, Chicago/Illinois, Cleveland/Ohio, Indianapolis/Indiana, St. Louis/Missouri, and Toledo/Ohio. The Nickel Plate Railroad was constructed in 1881 along the South Shore of the Great Lakes connecting Buffalo/New York and Chicago/Illinois. In 1964, the Nickel Plate Road and several other mid-western carriers were merged into the larger Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), to form a more competitive and successful system serving 14 US States and the Canadian province of Ontario on more than 7,000 miles of railroad. The profitable N&W was itself combined with the Southern Railway, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) in 1982.