Operating Era: 1933-1990. Canadian National Railways. CN received 500 48'6" gondolas from Eastern Car Co. in 1933. They had drop ends, manual pump handles and Symington trucks. The design proved so successful that three more deliveries were taken from Eastern in 1935-43 for a total of 1,750 cars. These latter orders used power pump handles and National B-1 70-ton trucks. The first three orders were painted black but the last arrived just as the switch to freight car red was taking place. The lettering style was changed to a billboard style in 1958. Our kits model the cars with the drop ends in either position using cast dreadnaught ends with detail on both sides. Sides are also detailed inside and out on a single casting. Both manual and power handbrakes are included so that all deliveries may be duplicated. Kits 7100/01 model the car without side stakes in place, with the hold downs modeled. Kits 7110/11 model the car with separate cast side stakes with the hold downs modeled on the stakes so that, when in place the car is correctly modeled - the first kit in the hobby to do so. Kits 7101/11 include decals to model the lettering through the life of the car up to rebuilding in the mid-1960's.