PRR Class H30 hoppers

H30 3 bay covered hoppers

H30, Photographer PRR Photo, Image from online auction, used by permission of seller.

PRR 254327 H30 PRR Photo

General information:

H30 had cast bolsters
H30a had welded bolsters, except for some low-numbered H30a's which hadcast bolsters (probably parts left over from building the H30's).

The 1951-built cars had a 5-ton greater capacity than the earlier cars,as well as slightly different roof rivet positions and hatch details.Source: C.R. Yungkurth, MR 10/81 "Pennsylvania H30A covered hoppers"

During the '60's, the capacity of the remaining cars was increased to 77tons from 70, probably by changing trucks.Source: Bill Metzger, NE Rails July 1980 "Pennsylvania H30 Covered Hopper"

(Information supplied by Scott Heiden)

Some stats:

Class	H30	H30a
Diagram?	yes	yes
Type	Covered	Covered
Capacity	140,000	140,000
Weight	50,000	50,000
Capacity box	1,973	1,973
# Panels	6	6
Side Type	girder	girder
# bays	3	3
Inside Length	31' 0"	31' 0"
Length Over Sills	37' 0"	37' 0"
Truck Centers	27' 0"	27' 0"
Inside Width	9' 10-⁵/₈"	9' 10-⁵/₈"
Extreme Width	10' 5"	10' 5"
Height	11' 3"	11' 6-³/₈"
Comments	Cast Bolsters	welded bolsters (most)

Types of trucks used

Class	Car	Numbers	Truck Class	Truck Name	Qty cars:
H30	254251	254350	2E-F2	Crown	100
H30	254351	254450	2E-F10	Double Truss	100
H30	254451	254550	2E-F11	National	100
H30	254551	254650	2E-F12	Young	100
H30	254651	254950	2E-F15	Young	300
H30	254951	255026	2E-F14	National	76
H30	255027	255050	2E-F4A		24
H30	255051	255275	2E-F15	Young	225
H30	255276	255575	2E-f22	A.S.F. Ride control	300
H30			2E-F2	Crown
H30			2E-F2a
H30			2E-F10	Double Truss
H30			2E-F11	National
H30			2E-F12	Young
H30			2E-F14	National
H30			2E-F15	Young
H30 1946			2E-F21	National type B-1
Truck data is from PRR documents circa 1940's. Other truck classes may also have been used.

Cars on the PRR roster (as listed in the Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER)):

Class	Car	Number	AAR Class	PRR Oct 44	PRR Oct 48	PRR Apr 52	PRR Oct 53	PRR Oct 58	PRR Oct 63	PRR Apr 68
H30	254251	255575	LO	1025	1325	1325	1325	1297	1292	938
H30a	255576	255825	LO	-	-	224	250	250	250	240
Roster data compiled by Rich Orr

Modeling Information:

Funaro & Camerlengo
H30	HO	6840	PRR H30 Covered Hopper - White Circle Keystone Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30	HO	6841	PRR H30 Covered Hopper - Black Circle Keystone Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30	HO	6842	PRR H30 Covered Hopper - Shadow Keystone Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30	HO	6843	PRR H30 Covered Hopper - Plain Keystone Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30	HO	6844	PRR H30 Covered Hopper - White Penn Central Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30	HO	6845	PRR H30 Covered Hopper - Black Penn Central Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30001	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Less Decals	resin kit	-
H30a	HO	30010	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - White Steam Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30020	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Shadow Keystone Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30030	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Penn Central White Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30040	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Black Steam Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30050	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Conrail Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30060	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Penn Central Black Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
H30a	HO	30070	PRR H30A Covered Hopper - Plain Keystone Decals	resin kit w/ decals	-
Nickle Plate Products
H30a	HO	-	Pennsylvania H30a Covered Hopper Car	brass - rtr	-
Oriental Limited
H30	HO	?	PRR H30 Covered Hopper	brass - rtr	-

Photos online:

Report Mark Class Description Location Date Photographer

PRR 254252 H30 builders photo end view - ? PRR photo (B&W)

PRR 254252 H30 builders photo (E10005) - 5/24/1935 PRR photo (B&W)

PRR 254351 H30 - - - PRR Photo (B&W) from Modern Locos & Cars 1939

PRR 488053, PRR 498059 H30 488053 is freight car color, 498059 is MOW yellow Conway Yard, Conway, PA 7/3/1975 Ed Martin (Kodachrome 64)

Photos in print:

Class	Publication	Page	Car No	Scheme	Location	Date	Comments
H30	Cars of the Pennsy	53	PRR 254252	PK	-	5/35	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	22	PRR 254821	CK	-	-	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	23	PRR 255284	CK	Zanesville, OH	1954	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	28	PRR 254306	SK1b	-	-	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	28	PRR 254554	SK1b	Bound Brook, NJ	10/1972	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	28	PRR 255323	CK	-	-	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	38	PRR 155409	PK	Camden, NJ	-	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	45	PRR 255656	SK2b	-	-	-
H30	Keystone Vol 35, #2	48	PRR 254772	PK	-	-	-
H30	Model Railroader, 10/81	66	PC 875304	PC grn	?	late 70's?	PC green paint-stencilled 'grain load only'
H30	Model Railroader, 10/81	66	PRR 255552	PRR red	?	50's?	orig PRR red w/white ball keystone
H30	Model Railroader, 10/81	67	PRR 255105	PRR gry	?	late 50's?	PRR grey-shadow keystone
H30	PC Color Guide	120	PC 32308	PC	Mingo Jct, OH	9/28/78	company stores service, nee PRR ??????
H30	Pennsy Power 3	408	PRR 254821	CK	-	-	-
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 1	112	PRR 255419	PK	-	6/73	sand service
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 1	112	PRR 498057	PK-mow	-	4/73	sand service
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 1	112	PRR 498058	PK-S	-	8/73	sand service
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 2	113	PRR 498053	-	-	-	-
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 2	65	PRR 254306	SK1b	-	-	-
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 2	65	PRR 254523	PK	-	-	-
H30	PRR Color Guide Vol 2	65	PRR 254824	PK	-	1/80	-
H30	Rails Northeast, 7/80	6	PRR 254390	PRR gry	Hollidaysburg, PA	late 70's?	scrap line
H30	Rails Northeast, 7/80	6	PRR 255771	PRR red	Hollidaysburg, PA	late 70's?	scrap line
H30	Rails Northeast, 7/80	7	PC 33806	PC co.gry	Olean, NY	70's?	sand serv-PC Williamsport Div-Dual Control trucks (Also has shots of both ends of this car as well)
H30	Rails Northeast, 7/80	7	PC 33807	PC co.gry	Renovo, PA	70's?	sand serv-PC Williamsport Div-Andrews Trucks
H30a	Keystone Vol 35, #2	22	PRR 255576	CK	-	-	-
H30a	Keystone Vol 35, #2	28	PRR 255750	CK	RRM of PA	-	restored
H30a	Keystone Vol 35, #2	47	PRR 255808	SK2b	Logansport	10/1982	-
H30a	Keystone Vol 35, #2	61	PRR 255713	PK	-	-	-
H30a	Model Railroader, 10/81	66	CR 878666	CR red	?	after 78?	CR red paint- stencilled 'grain load only'
H30a	PRR Color Guide Vol 2	66	PRR 255763	PK	-	2/65	-
H30a	PRR Color Guide Vol 2	66	PRR 255808	SK2b	-	3/83	-
H30a	Rails Northeast, 7/80	6	PRR 255707	PRR gry2	Camp Hill, PA yd	1980	last PRR scheme
H30a	Rails Northeast, 7/80	7	PRR 498054	PRR co.red	?	late 70's?	PRR co.sand serv./RB converted trucks
H30a	Rails Northeast, 7/80	8	CR 878510	CR grey	?	1980?	Early CR revenue paint scheme-friction bearing trucks?( listed in 1979 ORER as a H40- but photos don't lie!)
H30b	Rails Northeast, 7/80	8	CR 74004	CR co.gry	?	late 70's?	sand serv-CR grey co. paint-RB converted trucks
H30b	Rails Northeast, 7/80	8	PC 32301	PC co.grn	Mingo Jct	70's?	sand serv-PC green w/'S'-RB converted trucks

Equipment Diagrams online:

Class(es) tracing # View

H30 E-405854 elevation

H30a 453879 elevation

Plans and diagrams in print:

Applicable Classes	Type	Publication	Page	Description	Tracing Number
H30, H30a	Arrangement of Lettering	Keystone Vol. 35, No. 2	30	SK1b	D454476-C
H30, H30a	Arrangement of Lettering	Keystone Vol. 35, No. 2	50	PK	D458635-B
H30, H31, H30a	Lettering Diagram	Keystone Vol. 35, No. 2	24	CK	D406330-K
H30,H30a	Arrangement of Lettering	PRR Compendium Vol 1	67	Shadow Key - H30 shown
H30,H30a	Arrangement of Lettering	PRR Compendium Vol 1	72	Plain key - H30 shown
H30a	Class Diagram	PRR Pass. & Frt. Car Diagrams	87
H30a	Plan	Model Railroader-10/81		Nos.255576-255825 covered hopper

References:

KEY 12/82 - Covered Hopper Development - Classes GLe to H33 (Burg, Richard)
KEY 6/02 - Lettering Schemes for PRR Covered Hopper Cars, 1931 to 1968 (Tipton, Rick)
KEY 3/15 - H30 Covered Hoppers (Buchan, Al and Johnson, Robert)
MR 10/81 - Pennsylvania H30a Covered Hoppers (C.R. Yungkurth)
RNE 7/80 - PRR H30 Covered Hoppers (Metzger, Bill)

Report Mark	Class	Description	Location	Date	Photographer
PRR 254252	H30	builders photo end view	-	?	PRR photo (B&W)
PRR 254252	H30	builders photo (E10005)	-	5/24/1935	PRR photo (B&W)
PRR 254351	H30	-	-	-	PRR Photo (B&W) from Modern Locos & Cars 1939
PRR 488053, PRR 498059	H30	488053 is freight car color, 498059 is MOW yellow	Conway Yard, Conway, PA	7/3/1975	Ed Martin (Kodachrome 64)

Class(es)	tracing #	View
H30	E-405854	elevation
H30a	453879	elevation