Mr. Hendrickson wrote:

Your facts are all messed up, but I'll let Thompson
straighten you out, since he can do it off the top
of his head (but he's on a weekend trip and won't
be contributing to the list for several days).
Meanwhile, I'll just point out that the SP had no
covered hoppers at all until 1947-'48 and its early
covered hopper purchases were all cement cars.

I don't need to be clubbed by Tony again, thank you.
A look at Lee Gautreaux's website reveals this info:

3-Bay Covered Hoppers
---------------------

SSW 76075-76149 Pullman-Standard 1955
SSW 76500-76799 Pullman-Standard 1959
SP 490000-490099 Pullman-Standard 1959

I was off by seven years. Sorry. The last sentence in
my post read "So rice-and other grains-would move in
boxcars on the SP until gradually replaced by the covered
hoppers of the 1950's and '60's." Judging from the data
given above, that statement still stands.

Shawn Beckert