Todd, you're probably correct. My guess was based on the proximity of the wreck to either Dundalk Marine Terminal (Baltimore) and the port of Philadelphia/Camden. The St. Lawrence Seaway opened in '58

Jeffrey White wrote: Whether this was true on the IC or not, I don't know, but PFE documents clearly identify the banana messengers as responsible for the welfare of the cargo (in that way, much

In Message #123512 Elden Gatwood listed the commoditieshauled in Pennsylvania’sH32 covered hoppers and noted these car were seen outside of PRR’s territory. Iassume the same commodity list applied

After spending significantly more time researching this than I did computing the average weight of lead lost on California's roads, I concur. I couldn't find a single reference to anything other than

"This is the origin of the term 'second banana.'" Sounds more like some original baloney to me. "Top banana," etc., are show-biz terms dating to the old vaudeville days. Andy

Steve: Thanks, this too is very helpful. The 94785 number is consistent with my 1935 OERE, but not the 1930, suggesting an early 1930s acquisition by Union. The 77340 number is consistent with

I agree with Dave that the load was of crates of some type much longer in one dimension than the other two. There appears to be packing material surrounding some type object that I have no clue what

Tim ( O'Connor). I think we are in agreement, but I don't understand your point. My point was that if the containers in the photo were 9' long, like the Walthers model, and were set 6 of them

Yep there is a LOT of info I didn’t type into the note too.

The 10-1939 Pullman Standard builder photo in the CBC is NKP 76007,loaded with 11 Youngstown bulk material containers. The LD LMT is 205000. On another page is an in-service photo of NKP 75006, with 8

Sorry I have not had time to dig through things to be able to give a more definitive response until now. I have the NKP 1947 folio diagrams for freight cars in our Folio Book and it includes

I don't know anything about the UP operations but the IC rostered a Banana Messenger caboose as late as 1960. It's my understanding that produce buyers rode the trains. The IC also

Dave, The photo of 94785 was used by Richard inan article on the P2k 8000 gallon Type 21 cars in the February 1998 RMJ. The photo was taken in 1945 and if from the MD McCarter collection. Thecar

The Walthers containers measure out at 9'0" x 4'6" .. Thosedimensions probably were chosen to fit their USRA gondola model. In the 1943 CBC are several photos of a 46'0" x 9'3" NKPgondola with 11

lol. let's see where lead leads us. at least it ain't bananas!

And when there were too many bananas for one train, there would beanother section of the train with another banana attendent. This is the origin ofthe term "second banana". Tim O'Connor

Yes, and 0.015625 lbs * 16 oz/lb = 0.25

The challenge is made more difficult bythe fact the relatively few photos we have to show the ends of class Z carswere taken over a span of more than 30 years. So, the basic Z couldcontinue while

Dave, I find a little hard to believe that those are imported pieces of steel given the date of the photo. I'm not saying it didn't happen, but in 1958 there was imported steel coming into the the

I'm sure if you post this on PCL you'll get lots of messages, but I recall from old timetables about how some categories of reduced fare couldn't ride the extra fare or reserved seat trains. Clergy,