Not just the embalmed whale presumably inside the rail car, but what about that automobile?
There seems to be a tow line connecting its back end to the railroad with a whale inside.
Perhaps this photo was arranged by an automobile dealer to advertise on how powerful that new car was?

Ed Bommer

Also note, strangely, the automobile is hitched to the car via a rope. Someone was having some fun. 
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Ben Sullivan
Brookeville, MD

I've attached a Bill Armstrong photo take on a lowly branchline in central Iowa. Shows they crawled out on some of the skinniest limbs  ;  ))
CW Propst

Photo: Embalmed Whale Carrier

A 1930 photo from the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture:

https://ferrisarchives.northwestmuseum.org/Item/Index/9099

A special car.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photo: MILW Flat Cat 57026 With Auto Carriers & Banner

A 1960 photo from the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture:

https://ferrisarchives.northwestmuseum.org/Item/Index/26811

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photo: UP Boxcar 13356 With Banner

A 1923 photo from the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture:

https://ferrisarchives.northwestmuseum.org/Item/Index/6527

Only a fair quality photo.

Banner advertises motor oil.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photo: Northern Refrigerator Car Co. Reefer 9200

A 1928 photo from the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture:

https://ferrisarchives.northwestmuseum.org/Item/Index/7020

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

Photo: Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Boxcar 23206

A 1923 photo from the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture:

https://ferrisarchives.northwestmuseum.org/Item/Index/4744

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

I've never read that the Westinghouse brake schedule designations had any meaning beyond just being a designation for the schedule of equipment, but they had to come from somewhere. The meaning of C and D in the K brake schedules are pretty obvious, as are several generations of locomotive equipment; 6ET equipment was used to equip Engines and Tenders, 14EL equipment was used on Electric Locomotives, and 24RL was used on Road Locomotives. However, Westinghouse avoided attaching any significance to the letters, which left them free to use the next letter in line, or a different letter, when they developed an upgrade. P was the designation for the passenger triple valve that was contemporary with the K freight brake, but the next improvement was L, and M and R were used on electric railway motor cars.

Dennis Storzek

Bruce,

Thank you, very helpful link to that PRR paint page!  And, yes, reweigh date of course.
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Jeff Helm
Bremerton WA

Sorry - re-weigh date, not rebuild
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Jeff Helm
Bremerton WA

I too have a similar question as raised by Jim, except for 1965. I “think” it’s some variation of Shadow Keystone, but I was unable to read the rebuild dates on Rapido’s illustrations for the cars.
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Jeff Helm
Bremerton WA

The original Westinghouse automatic brake valve was designated the "F"  It was patented in 1872.   It did not have "fast action".  In general it was good for a train of 8-10 cars.  The F valve did not meet the minimum standard (no valve did) at the first Burlington Air Brake trial in 1886, which used a 50 car train..  In response Westinghouse offered the "H" brake valve, which did have "fast action".  In a fast action, the air brake valve not only applies air in response to dropping the air pressure in the train line, but also recognizes a rapid air pressure loss as an emergency, and in that case in addition to a maximum brake application the valve also vents the train line, reducing pressure in the train line.  As a result the change in pressure is much more rapid, and the brakes apply much quicker.

The "K" valve was introduced in 1906/07 as an improved "H" valve.  They used the same mounting flange (to the brake reservoir if a "HC" or "KC" ("F" used a different flange) Externally the only difference between a "H" and "K" was an added flange on the valve body casting.  Westinghouse offered a kit to convert a "H" to a "K".  That kit included a sheet metal flange to be added to the valve body to give the "H" valve the same silhouette as a "K".

On the D&RG(W) "F" valves were used on tenders until the end of operation.  Most passenger cars on the D&RG(W) had "F" valves, and they are in use on the C&TS historic cars.  The D&RG freight car order of 1903 (3000 class box cars, 30' stock cars, & drop bottom gons all had "H" valves, all of which were converted to "K" with the added sheet metal flange.

Randy Hees