Another interesting instance of a signature boxcar of one railroad being acquired by means of a wreck to be subsequently "rebranded" and used by a second railroad is related in Sunshine's PDS liner notes accompanying their Milwaukee/GB&W/Ma & Pa single sheath boxcar kits (#47.2).

While on the Maryland & Pennsylvania RR in 1944, a Milwaukee single sheathed boxcar was purchased by the Ma & PA apparently in exchange for a Ma & Pa car lost or damaged on Milwaukee lines. Because all of the Ma & Pa's cars had arch bar trucks and such cars (under the war emergency of the time) reportedly did on occasion go off line, the Milwaukee removed the cast steel trucks under its donated boxcar, and replaced them with with the arch bar trucks removed from the damaged/destroyed Ma & Pa car.

Martin explains that the Ma & Pa commonly transferred incoming interchange freight from foreign cars to its own cars at port of entry (to minimize per diem). As a result, the Ma & Pa's own small fleet of box cars was generally restricted to its own lines- hence the arch bars.

How many other penurious railroads routinely transferred freight to avoid per diems?

Denny


--
Denny S. Anspach, MD
Sacramento