A number of eastern roads rostered low side gons for coal
service.........often referred to as "Shovel Cars." They were often used to load business
consumers' bins, which had a coal bin door opening right out on to the consignee
siding.

D&H, MEC, L&NE, LV (I think), CNJ and B&M had these low sides gons, though I
can't say if they were purpose built, acquired elsewhere or what.

I can recall seeing a shovel car being unloaded at Preston Coal, in Lowell,
Mass. as later as the mid-1970s. The process was to stand a couple of guys
right in the gon, in the coal pile, and then have 'em bail it out by
shovel........onto a pile on the ground, after which it was loaded into bags for sale
as stove coal........

Mal Houck



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.