Center Sill Covered Hopper Cars

Scope: Interior abrasive blast cleaning and lining of the interior compartments, and the painting of the exterior surfaces, of 205 center sill covered hopper cars for a major U.S. freight car manufacturer.

Coatings applied: The product applied to both the interior and exterior surfaces was an epoxy provided by the Davis-Frost company.

Method: The Davis-Frost paint, in 300-gallon totes, was pumped to the heated plural component pump, which was then pumped approximately 150 feet away into a mixing block, and then 50-75 feet further via the whip line to the painter. The car interiors were painted with airless spray.

Challenges: Painters were asked to build scaffolding work platforms in each compartment. At any one time during this project Vulcan had 45 hopper car compartments erected with scaffolding platforms, scattered throughout the manufacturing facility, which is over a mile long.