ACF 4460, 4650 and 4700 cu-ft Hopper Cars

These three hopper car types are related and share the same length and width.  All three types have 2 rectanglar panels per side (early production) or 6 panels per side (later production) and they have 3 bays.

4650:
-most common of the three
-Plate C, 15' 6" high

4460:
-Plate B, 15' 1" high

4700:
-variation of the 4460
-Plate B, 15' 1" high
-shallower end slopes

Several variations occured during production.  Not all phases apply to 4460 and 4700 cu-ft cars.

Phase 1a: High-mounted handbrake, smooth top side ridge, full-height right side ladders, wide left side grabirons, thin mid-height lateral rib, 2 side panels
Phase 1b: Low-mounted handbrake, half-height side ladders (no wide grabirons), contoured side sheets around ladder supports
Phase 1c: Straight side sheets around ladder supports
Phase 2a: Ribbed top side ridge, no thin mid-height lateral rib, 6 side panels, three variations in roofwalk support spacing
Phase 2b: Equal-thickness roofwalk supports (replacing alternating thick/thin pairs)

The ACF 4650 hopper is produced by Athearn and Atlas in HO Scale.  Atlas groups Phase 1 cars as "pre-1971" and Phase 2 cars as "post-1971".

ACF 4600 cu-ft Hopper Cars

The 4600 is similar in appearance to the three above, but it's longer and narrower and has 7 panels per side.  It's a Plate B car, like the 4460 and 4700, and has 3 bays.

Accurail's HO model is a 4600 cu-ft car.

ACF 5250 cu-ft Hopper Cars

The 5250 is similar to the 4600, but it's taller (Plate C), it has 4 bays (vs. 3) and it's 6 inches longer.
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Michael Eby 2007