Dave Nelson wrote, in part:

...CA was ranked #2 for receiving auto parts in rail
shipments, NY #4 -- so the data suggests those two
did have some assembly plants ( and from other sources
I know CA did)...

Dave, there were two General Motors plants in Southern
California that I know of: the Van Nuys plant for Chevy's
and Pontiacs, and the South Gate plant for Cadillac's. The
Espee Raymer Yard facility in Van Nuys was basically a
staging yard for shoving cars of parts in for assembly of
Camaros and Firebirds.

Paging through a 1951 ORER the other night, I was made aware
that while auto-parts cars might be listed as equipped for
"transmission" or "axle" or "battery" loading, the ORER did
not specify which *manufacturer* the parts were intended for!
This makes it that much harder to determine which cars on the
roster might have gone where.

I did discover that the New York Central in 1951 had a TON of
gondolas assigned to auto frame service, including drop-bottom
GS cars, which surprised me a bit. Guess I'm in need of quite a
few more photos of NYC gondolas...

Shawn Beckert