Dear Group...

I've gone through my files and here is what I found on the ex-B&O hoppers that the Maine Central picked up. Almost all had heavily rusted sides:

CAR # Location Date

MEC #3728................Deerfield, Mass...................11-23-85

MEC #3754................Deerfield, Mass...................11-23-85

MEC #3782................Deerfield, Mass...................11-23-85

MEC #3783...............S. Portland, Maine..................4-9-89

MEC #3785...............S. Portland, Maine..................4-9-89

MEC #3789................Deerfield, Mass..................October 84

MEC #3798 (*)...........S. Portland, Maine..................4-9-89

MEC #3826 (*)...........S. Portland, Maine..................4-9-89

MEC #3833................Deerfield, Mass....................5-12-84

MEC #3840...............S. Portland, Maine..................4-9-89

MEC #3841................Deerfield, Mass....................3-5-88

MEC #3860 (*)............Deerfield, Mass....................4-10-87

MEC #3882..............Hoosic Tunnel, Mass.................10-27-84

MEC #3892 (*)........North Conway, New Hampshire.........October 1984

Numbers with (*) denote cars with trace B&O lettering showing through the V-E-R-Y rusty sides.

These cars had a very short life span (five years) on the MEC before they were off the roster.

MEC #3892 first showed up on the Conway Scenic Railroad in 1984, still in the MEC patch paint scheme with B&O showing through.

By 9-19-87, this car was repainted all black, with only B&O #829839 and reporting marks under the car number. And by 9-15-90, the car was giver the Baltimore and Ohio lettering on its sides, along with the oval herald.

If anyone out there knows what happened to those MEC/B&O hoppers, I'd love to know.

Hope this report helps.

Steve Vallee