Bob,
Experience on the Colorado Midland Rwy, the US Fish Commission had a
major hatchery located just west of Leadville CO on the CMs Aspen Short
Line cut off between Malta and Aspen Junction. The Fish Cars were
either transited as a special car on the scheduled passenger trains
going eastbound to Colorado Springs or westbound to Grand Junction.
When the Fish Commission was planting fry into the rivers along the
Midland mainline, the Fish Commission requested a "Special Train" which
was an extra for passenger service. So, at least for the Fish
Commission from the 1890s into the W.W.I period, the Fish Cars were
considered as a passenger car.

Tom VanWormer
Monument CO

Bob Chaparro wrote: