FVM 10071 Trinity RD-4 Coal Hopper, C&NW Chicago & NorthWestern #880030 Fox Valley Models N Scale

The Fox Valley Models N Scale FVM 10071 Trinity RD - 4 Coal Hopper represents C&NW Chicago & North Western #880030. Note that the picture might show a different road number. The Trinity RD - 4 Coal hopper is a 4200 - cubic - foot modern car built since the mid - 1990s and still in service today. Railroads and public utilities use these aluminum hopper cars in unit trains to transport coal from fields to power plants or ports for export. Key features of the FVM RD - 4 Hopper - C&NW include new road numbers, an era from 1994 to present, series 880000 - 880249 built from Apr - May 1994. It's fully assembled with a detailed plastic body and a die - cast weight with interior detail. The modeler can apply interior braces, and it comes with a removable coal load. It has detailed free - rolling trucks, 36” machined metal wheels, body - mounted operating knuckle couplers compatible with Micro - Trains®. The printing and lettering are clear even under magnification. Weighted to industry standards, it operates on Code 55, 70, and 80 rail. It's safely stored in a clear jewel box packaging, with a minimum radius of 9 ¾” and a recommended radius of 11”. Coal has been transported by train since the start of railroads, evolving from single - car loads to modern unit trains. Cars developed from early wood and composite ones to standard steel hoppers, and eventually, the aluminum body became standard for modern coal hoppers. The Trinity RD - 4 is a modern aluminum car built from the mid - 1990s to the early 2000s, owned by multiple railroads and public utilities with various paint schemes. It has a 4200 - cubic - foot capacity and is a Plate F car. The RD means Rapid Discharge, and it can be emptied quickly either as a conventional bottom - dump car or with a rotary dumper due to its rotary couplers.

Using your Fox Valley Models N Scale FVM 10071 Trinity RD - 4 Coal Hopper is easy. First, place it on the Code 55, 70, or 80 rail. Make sure the radius of your track meets the minimum of 9 ¾” or better yet, the recommended 11”. You can operate it as part of a unit train just like the real - life counterparts used to transport coal. When it comes to the removable coal load, you can take it out and put it back in for different display or operation scenarios. For maintenance, keep it clean. You can use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the plastic body and the detailed parts. Check the wheels and couplers regularly to ensure they're in good working condition. Store it in the provided clear jewel box when not in use to protect it from dust and damage. Be careful when handling the modeler - applied interior braces as they might be delicate. Also, avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures or rough handling to keep it in top shape.