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  2. Unusual trucks on gon in American Smelting photo

Re: Unusual trucks on gon in American Smelting photo

Garth Groff and Sally Sanford <mallardlodge1000@...>
 

Friends,

Somewhere there is a close-up photo of these UP gondolas being loaded at a coal tipple. I seem to remember that Richard Hendrickson posted it back on the old Yahoo group. Does it jar any memories?

If it is the same car, I believe these were 46' IL with drop bottoms, and were intended for coal service.

Yours Aye,


Garth Groff  🦆



On Tue, Apr 14, 2020 at 1:21 PM spsalso via groups.io <Edwardsutorik=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
Scaling from the photo, I get a wheelbase of 6'-9".  Like I said, seems pretty long for a freight car.

I think built-up arch bar trucks were outlawed in interchange between 1938 and 1941.

It could be argued that this car, which I take to be UP, is on home road tracks, and not interchanging.  Possible.  But the train itself does appear to be otherwise made up of cars that would interchange.  The load looks like scrap, likely steel.  If it stayed on home rails, where would the scrap be delivered?

Nevertheless, the trucks are under the car.  It's carrying a load.  It doesn't look like it's in MOW service.

And the trucks are interesting.

TWO interesting cars in one train in one picture.  Neat.  Might be more.


Ed

Edward Sutorik
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