Hopper - Open Top
PRR #220558
Likely an H21a class hopper car, (2 bay ribbed, top-loaded, and bottom-discharged using gravity) which were 70-ton capacity and widely used for hauling coal on the PRR system from the 1920s to well into the Penn Central era. The H21a class was very numerous, with over 39,000 cars built. The H21 class was originally built between 1909 and 1923, and later upgraded to H21a with heavier trucks and modifications like replacing clamshell doors with saw-tooth hopper doors, increasing capacity and making them easier to maintain. These cars saw extensive service, transporting coal and various other bulk commodities, and some remained in service even into the Penn Central era. During their lives, some H21a cars were also leased to other railroads such as the Norfolk & Western and Virginian.