Dennis Storzek wrote:

"Mulehide" was treated canvas, available in sheets wide enough to do the entire width of a car, as far as I know (their ad in the Car Builder's Cyclopedias only shows a roll on the lower deck of a passenger car roof). When new, it would have been smooth, and seamless. However, it was often mopped with tar, especially when it got older, which would give it more texture.

I don't know what brand of material was used, but SP wood cabooses had a canvas covering over the wood, and were mopped with car cement. I know of no SP freight or passenger cars which had tar paper on roofs.

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