I found out this series of hoppers (43000-43029) were modified at the Sayre car shops in 1960, with sides built up by about two feet in order to increase their capacity. Originally built in 1929 by Bethlehem Steel, these 40-foot cars originally in the 41000 series were used on the LV’s State Line & Sullivan Branch (Towanda-Dushore) and hauled wood chips that were processed at an on-line operation at New Albany, Pa. They were kept busy for at least a couple of years; they were frequently seen in nearly every consist when the local freight that served the branch came through Towanda. The branch train would generally come through from Sayre late in the afternoon, returning from New Albany and Dushore late in the evening. Switch engine #118 was assigned to this run for many years. Hurricane Agnes did a number on the branch in 1972, and that was the end of it.
