--- In STMFC@..., "Justin Kahn" <harumd@...> wrote:

Comparing views on the Elwood site with some excellent prints sent me

by

another list member, I had long noticed that the Wabash billboard-

style

roadname on hoppers and gondolas came in two sizes: large and larger

(about

50% larger in the latter from the former). I assume there was a

prototype

rationale for the two sizes, probably correlated with time-frame, but

I've

never found a full discussion of the practice.

Jace,

The change from 18" letters to 33" was authorized on April 5, 1955 for
hopper cars and gons 52 foot and longer. Cars that received the new
larger lettering were the 37000 series panel hoppers and repainted 52'
and 65' gons. Two other groups of cars, purchased used, just past the
cut-off date for this group, the 11300-11799 series 52'6" Bethlehem
gons from the CNJ in 1962 and the 38000-38358 series H2 class hoppers
from the N&W in 1963, also were lettered with the 33" WABASH.

Chet French
Dixon, IL