Scaletrains SXT11468 Operator Bethgon Coal Gondola, Kansas City Power & Light/KCLX #795241 HO Scale

Scaletrains SXT11468 Operator Bethgon Coal Gondola, Kansas City Power & Light/KCLX #795241 HO Scale (Picture may show a different road number).

Developed in the late 1980s by Bethlehem Steel Company (BXC), the Bethgon Coal Gondola has become one of the most common cars for hauling coal of all time. Several thousand Bethgons have been built with varying capacities and thousands more similar cars have been produced by other builders. Many continue in service today.

Product Details

• Era: 1995 – Present, Built 2-95
• KCLX Series 795001-795375
• Road numbers 795010, 795014, 795041, 795120, 795158, 795212, 795226, 795241, 795276, 795289, 795300 and 795338
• Multiple road numbers
• Fully assembled
• Simplified brake rigging
• Simplified printing and lettering legible even under magnification
• Body mounted semi-scale knuckle couplers
• Body comprised of several parts including main body, separate end sheets for both the A and B car end and side bearing supports.
• Separate brake detail including brake cylinder and arm, air reservoir, control valve, brake wheel and brake wheel housing
• Diecast center sill
• Die cast end frame floors with integral coupler box
• ASF Motion Control 100-ton trucks
• 36” machined metal wheels
• Minimum radius: 18”
• Recommended radius: 22”
• Accurately profiled .110″ wide wheel tread
• Weighted to Industry standards
• Operates on Code 70, 83 and 100 rail
• Color matched to Tru-Color Paint colors whenever possible
• Packaging safely stores model
  
• Detail kit available separately: includes metal grab irons, coupler cut levers, trainline hoses and more (SXT81625)
• Two version of coal loads, sold separately
  • SXT81340 Offset
  • SXT81341 Symmetrical

Developed in the late 1980s by Bethlehem Steel Company’s (BSC, later Johnstown America, and finally FreightCar America), the Bethgon has become one of the most common cars for hauling coal. Originally called the “Coal Porter”, the name was changed to Bethgon when the family of singer Cole Porter asked BSC to change the name.

The Bethgon’s basic shape is that of hopper with sloped end sheets. Two tubs run between the trucks adding capacity for 18 additional tons of coal while lowering the center of gravity making the car more stable. Most Bethgons have been built of aluminum which reduces the weight of the car by some 12 tons compared to a traditional steel hopper of the same capacity. Since the first Bethgon was built, many thousands more with varying capacities have been built along with thousands of similar cars from other builders.

In 1997, Conrail built 600 Bethgons at the Hollidaysburg Car Shop from engineering drawings supplied by Johnstown America. These were 4100 cubic-foot cars with a capacity of 116 tons of coal. They were Conrail class G52X.

After the breakup of Conrail, most of these cars went to Norfolk Southern where they can be found in almost every Norfolk Southern coal train still today.