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YesterYear Models - YYM61003IT-2148 - Covered Hopper, 3-Bay, Thrall 4750 - Illinois Terminal - 2148

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N Scale - YesterYear Models - YYM61003IT-2148 - Covered Hopper, 3-Bay, Thrall 4750 - Illinois Terminal - 2148
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Stock NumberYYM61003IT-2148
Original Retail Price$18.95
BrandYesterYear Models
ManufacturerInterMountain Railway
Body StyleInterMountain Covered Hopper 3-Bay 4750
Prototype VehicleCovered Hopper, 3-Bay, Thrall 4750 (Details)
Road or Company NameIllinois Terminal (Details)
Reporting MarksITC
Road or Reporting Number2148
Paint Color(s)Yellow
Print Color(s)Green
Coupler TypeIntermountain Magnetic Knuckle
Wheel TypeChemically Blackened Metal
Wheel ProfileSmall Flange (Low Profile)
Item CategoryRolling Stock (Freight)
Model TypeCovered Hopper
Model Subtype3-Bay
Model Variety4750 Cubic Foot
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era IV: 2nd Gen Diesel (1958 - 1978)
Scale1/160
Track GaugeN standard



Model Information: Rib-side, 3-bay covered hoppers. 4750 cubic foot capacity. Features etched metal roofwalks, sharp painting and lettering, multiple road numbers per paint scheme, and metal wheels (at least for the 2017 release - earlier releases likely have plastic wheelsets).

InterMountain does not refer to a specific prototype on their website for this model, but I have seen it referred to as both a PS (Pullman-Standard) as well as a Thrall. Perhaps the model has elements of both prototypes baked into the molding? Would love to hear from a prototype expert on this one...
Prototype History:
Starting around 1970 or so, every major railcar manufacturer produced a 4750 cubic foot covered hopper. Thrall was no exception. To be honest, these hoppers all look pretty similar. To make matters worse, these cars were modified as improvements were made to the design. In the case of the Thrall model, at least two major revisions were made to this car during the period in which it was produced. The cars were built starting in the late 1970s, this 263,000 lbs GRL (Gross Rail Loading) car is used primarily for grain transport. The thrall models feature 3 bays and rib sides. The roof is flat. These cars were used by the Burlington Northern in large numbers as well as by many other railroads.
Road Name History:
The Illinois Terminal has one of the most complicated histories for a railroad its size that I’ve ever seen. So without going into too much detail, the IT was established in 1890 when future US President William McKinley bought a streetcar line in the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois area. Within 20 years, he had an electrified interurban passenger and freight system linking Peoria, Bloomington, Danville, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur and Springfield with St. Louis. At its zenith, there was nearly 500 miles of line which included bypasses to keep the freight trains out of the city streets.

In 1904, McKinley went off to Congress and the Illinois Terminal became the Illinois Traction Company until the name reverted in 1937. The interurban passenger operations were significant and outlasted most other Midwestern lines. They were one of only 3 interurban lines in the country to operate sleepers. The principle sleeper route was between Peoria and St. Louis, which had no competition from the local steam roads. At the dawn of the Depression, IT had 124 interurban passenger cars, 22 steam locomotives, and 51 electric freight locomotives.

After the war, passenger service began to wane. By ’56, the intercity passenger service was gone and the last St. Louis area suburban service disappeared two years later. Diesels had begun to arrive in 1950, and by 1955, they had replaced steam and electrics in freight service. The earliest diesels were delivered in black with white trim which was later replaced with variations of bright green and yellow with silver trucks for the remainder of the line’s history.

Now just a hint of IT’s strange corporate machinations: in 1954, the Illinois-Missouri Terminal Railway was incorporated by B&O, C&EI, CB&Q, GM&O, Litchfield & Madison (later C&NW), IC, NKP, Frisco, and Wabash. The I-MT bought the IT 2 years later. The IT was then renamed “Liquidating Terminal” and the I-MT was renamed “Illinois Terminal.” NYC and RI would also buy slices of this IT. This was all for the purpose of providing neutral switching access in the St. Louis - Alton industrial belt for all of the city’s Class 1 carriers. Ironically, a decade before, the IT had been officially named “Liquidating Railway” and “Purchaser Railroad” for the brief period it took to transfer ownership at that time.

By 1980, IT had swapped nearly two thirds of their original mainline trackage for trackage rights on parallel Class 1’s rather than trying to upgrade their own. The freight was handled with 46 diesels with half a dozen SD39’s taking on the heaviest jobs. They also had over 2,600 freight cars. In 1981, the Illinois Terminal was purchased by Norfolk & Western and merged out of existence in 1982.
Item created by: gdm on 2017-10-25 13:07:32

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