Clark and all,

The Lehigh Portland Cement plant in Mitchell, IN was on the B&O.  the Monon interchanged with the B&O at Mitchell and both railroads  provided covered hoppers to the plant for bulk loading.  I suspect the same was true for boxcars for bagged cement loading.

The B&O served another cement plant in southern Indiana indirectly.  The plant was at Speed, IN, on the PRR.  The plant owned/operated the Southern Indiana Railroad which switched the plant and  had trackage over a former electric line to Watson, IN so they could interchange with the B&O.  I always saw both B&O, PRR and other boxcars for bagged cement loading and B&O and PRR covered hoppers for bulk loading at the plant in Speed.

Where I’m going with all of this is in the 1950’s I would see B&O sidings in southern Indiana full of M-26 class low interior height boxcars just waiting for warm weather.  They were perfect for cement and gain loading in the area.  Most showed reweigh and repack stencils from the B&O shops in Washington, IN.

I’m sure boxcar loads of  bagged cement were shipped well into the 1960’s.  Most lumber years carried bagged cement back then, like the big box stores with lumber yards do now. 

FYI, I still weather my cement hoppers with real cement.  I use the fine cement the big box stores sell for setting lag bolts in foundations. 

Mont      

Montford L. Switzer

President

Switzer Tank Lines, Inc.

Fall Creek Leasing, LLC.

mswitzer@...

(765) 836-2914