Re: New York Central USRA 50-ton gondola paint color
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John Riba
Hello Everybody, The NYC USRA gondolas were rebuilt around 1938. They looked like all the other 40' gons with steel sides 4'10" high (no diagonal ribs). After rebuilding they did not look like USRA gondolas. They were lot # 379-G, 381-G,389-G,398-G,399-G,400-G,401-G,403-G. In 1940 they were still lettered for Michigan Central and NYC. This would mean they would be painted black when USRA style. The black paint was begun with new hoppers after 1940. John ' From: Jeff Pellas To: STMFC@... Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 6:02 PM Subject: Re: [STMFC] New York Central USRA 50-ton gondola paint color I once read an anecdotal account of how hoppers of the NYC first started being painted red. Take this with a grain of salt but what I read was that, when the NYC began rebuilding their vast USRA hopper fleet in the 1930s, the shops at Avis were where the first red ones originated. The reason for the color change was simply due to a surplus of red paint. Corporate management had to approve the use of red before it was actually applied but once it was, it was then decided to adopt red as the color of all hoppers new or rebuilt going forward. Whether or not this account is factual, what it illustrates is an adaptive or flexible approach to car rebuilding that was probably necessitated by the greatly increased traffic loads as the US began exporting goods to Europe prior to America officially entering the War. I imagine railroads wouldn't hold up a rebuild program because they were out of a
particular color of paint. It is also probable that similar cars (like the USRA gons) were being rebuilt at various locations around the vast NYC system resulting in paint variations. Jeff
jppellas@...
-----Original Message-----
From: RUTLANDRS To: STMFC Sent: Tue, Jan 14, 2014 11:44 am Subject: Re: [STMFC] New York Central USRA 50-ton gondola paint color Eric,
When you figure it out let me know. I'm still
convinced that in 48 the panel side hoppers were still black, at least mine
is.
Chuck Hladik
In a message dated 1/14/2014 11:28:51 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
eric@... writes:
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