----- Original Message -----
From: Russ Strodtz
To: Steam Era Freight
Sent: Friday, June 30, 2006 7:21 AM
Subject: Re: [STMFC] Digest Number 3197 GN Box Cars


Charlie,

The age of the cars was a moot point. Age did not become
an issue in car usage until the 80's.

"War Emergency Cars"? Don't know what you mean there.

While GN had a large fleet of double sheathed cars the NP,
CB&Q, and SOO were mostly single sheathed.

The GN got their money's worth out of that fleet of cars.
At the time of the merger with the exception of the oddball
157M series every GN stock car in service had been converted
from a box car. By the late 70's many were back in grain
service. Other groups of double sheathed cars had been given
steel sides and were still in service

Russ
1a. Re: grain box cars
Posted by: "Charlie Vlk" cvlk@... ncbqguy
Date: Tue Jun 27, 2006 10:00 am (PDT)

During the 50's and 60's the CB&Q, GN and NP still had substantial numbers of wood-sided boxcars in general service.
These cars were no less modern than all-steel cars and were quite a bit younger than some of the eastern road's cars
that were still running (B&O "wagontops", PRR X29, etc..).
Besides "War Emergency" cars the Hill Roads were late converts to steel sheathed cars; a combination of a deeply
engrained streak of frugality and allegiance to lumber industry shippers. In general, the wood sheathed cars were
maintained in A1 condidtion right up to the end.
Charlie Vlk

Here's another thought. I grew up in central Minnesota and watched
many solid trains of red wooden boxcars moving towards Duluth-Superior
on the GN; late 50's, early 60's. We would count the number of boxcars
(usually around 100) and look at the built dates to see who could spot
the oldest one. There were many from the 20's and 30's. I do NOT
recall looking at the road name on these boxcars but I do recall that
they were a mix of DS and SS. From these vague memories, I wonder if
these cars were olde enough to not be in interchange service, but kept
around for homeroad grain rush duty.