The PRR H32 covered hopper- what did it carry?

[thomasjmdavis]

I recently acquired a BLI model of a PRR H32 covered hopper.  It is certainly unusual for a 70 ton hopper of the late 1940s-when most were substantially shorter and generally 2 bays.  Given the size, and the fact that there were relatively few of them, led me to wonder if these were designed to haul some particular, relatively light weight (say, carbon black or some lighter mineral) material.  Anyone have info on how there cars were utilized and what they commonly carried?

[dougnelson]

They carried any variety of bulk materials.  Due to differing densities of bulk materials, the cars had specific loading instructions to keep within weight limits.  Denser materials were loaded X feet and inches from the top according the instructions.

More information here:  https://riverraisinmodels.com/libraryData/prrh30h32.pdf

From the above source:
"While these cars are generally thought of as cement cars, they hauled many different commodities, some more dense and some less dense than cement. The general lading for these cars, in order of increasing density, included pulverized coal, soda ash (anhydrous sodium carbonate, used for industrial cleaning and chemical or soap production), lime (calcium oxide, used in making cement and mortar), cement, sand, sodium nitrate (saltpeter, used in fertilizers, explosives, and various chemical processes), feldspar (crystalline mineral mainly of aluminum silicates, used in metal alloys), and dolomite (mineral consisting of magnesium and calcium carbonates, used in the chemical and steel industries). "

[thomasjmdavis]

Thanks Doug, the article is very helpful. Many thanks. And while PRR clearly used them in a variety of services, it does note that a major reason for designing the H32 was to handle lower density commodities that would fill an H30 before reaching its weight capacity.  I was thinking of something more specific, but still helps with planning realistic car routing and such.  Actually better for me, modeling the midwest, that they were used as they were, and not in some captive service between an eastern mine and factory.