The MP gon is probably on MoW duty on the MoPac line into Omaha.  The embankment appears to be pretty well established, with grass on either side of the work area which has been bladed off.  There is a pole line on this side of the embankment, and what appears to be scrap rail or ties that are just being covered.

This suggests either repairing a washout, or perhaps widening the embankment at this point.  The car was built in 1919, 3000 cars from three builders, and by 1949 some surviving cars were being rebuilt with steel superstructure.  Non-rebuilt ones appear to have been gone by 1952.  The original USRA gons had eight drop doors.  Clones were built later, but with 10 drop doors.

Ron Merrick

The statement by Ray Breyer:  "LPTC, please.  The X didn't come until after 1926." conflicts with my November 1926 ORER.  In the Live Poultry Transit Co. listing, there is no mention of LPTC.  It's LPTX.  L. P. T. X., actually.  There are massive listings in the back of the book for privately owned cars, and it's awash with "X"'s.  I DID find the H. J. Heinz listing, and THAT one does not end in X.  It is shown as H. J. H. Co.

My suspicion is that it was around 1926 when the "X" became required.  Previously, it appears to have been optional, although hugely widespread in 1926.  It is interesting that Heinz is listed in the index at the front of the book, but there are NO reporting marks shown.

I guess there's required, and then there's required.  In the January 1939 listing for Heinz, it says:

Cars marked (Temporary Marks) "H. J. H. Co." (Reporting Marks--"H. J. H. X.")...

So those temporary marks lingered for at least 13 years.

In the listing for Live Poultry, it notes "Total, 2200 cars."  Car numbers are said to range from 399 to 3599.  There is no mention of names on cars.  With 2200 cars, it would likely have been an irritation.



Ed

Edward Sutorik

Rock Island modified a number of old class B1 double sheathed boxcars, from
circa 1910,to use as transfer cabooses at various terminals. Some even had
the proverbial park bench on the roof. They were numbered in the low 19xxx
range. See this example from 1946.

Steve Hile

N&W 84300 to SP&S X-356 (Ice car, end bunkers removed), MOW, AFE 7617, June 1945

Something is wrong here. N&W 84300 was a 50-ton twin hopper in 1945.

David Thompson

From the Sanborn maps, it appears that L Street is the overpass. That places the station along the UP tracks which UP called the Old Main Line. The UP is the nearest 3 tracks to the station. The station I am almost sure is UP's South Omaha station. The other tracks belonged to Union Stock Yards Company. The stock yards are to the left (west) of the photographer.

Bill Hirt

Cool image.  Car name is "EGG", clearly seen above door in car attendant cabin.  Word "Live" can also be seen in the sill under panel 3 from left, so agree with Eric.  Perhaps somewhere is a list of LPTC (or X) car names, which might include more details?

 

 

I’ve got to disagree with Tony here. The old growth Sitka spruce trees were absolutely huge. Both tall and thick. 

If you download the super high resolution version, there is a window in the car end along with the side. This looks to me like a boxcar that has been converted to MOW service.

Sunkist Flour is painted on the building behind the CGW. This would suggest this facility is associated with Maney Milling Company in Omaha as that was their brand name for their flour.

Bill Hirt

I can't read the numbers on the other cars clearly, but the closest two were built as auto cars with end doors, 205800-206199.

Most of this series was listed as XM cars in 1935, but about 64 were listed as XA cars with the end doors permanently closed. Interesting that one has a steel roof and the other doesn't.

Paul Krueger
Seattle, WA

Here is a very early photo of SP&S 10092 C.T., probably shortly after being built.

Rich Wilkens

Here is a list of the foreign road cars that were wrecked on the SP&S and were salvaged and rebuilt for maintenance of way and commercial service. This list does not include the hundreds of freight cars purchased from parent roads GN & NP as well as the hundreds of second hand drop bottom gondolas purchased to be converted to woodchip cars.

Rich Wilkens

B&A 39280 to SP&S X-303 (Box car used as cable car) MOW, AFE 7647, October 1945

C&NW 122524 to SP&S X-285 (Outfit box car) MOW, AFE 7690, October 1945

CB&Q 44351 to SP&S X-144 (Box car water service), MOW, AFE 5951, July 1935

D&H 23754 to SP&S X-14 (Outfit box car) MOW, AFE 7270, December 1943

FGE 31660 to SP&S X-357 (Ice car, end bunkers removed), MOW, AFE 7617, June 1945

GN 65059 to SP&S X-146 (Flat car, GN car wrecked at North Bonneville, WA) MOW, AFE 6457, December 1938

N&W 84300 to SP&S X-356 (Ice car, end bunkers removed), MOW, AFE 7617, June 1945

NP 13815 to SP&S X-12 (Outfit flat car), MOW, AFE 7166, June 1943

NP 39762 to X-300 (Outfit box car), MOW, AFE 7028, December 1941

NP 44264 to X-9 (Idler car for wrecker), MOW, AFE 3920, September 1923

NP 69880 to SP&S X-6 (Flat car), MOW, AFE 4480, February 1926

NYNH&H 79835 to SP&S X-25 (Flat car), MOW, AFE 3131, April 1920

CRI&P 62119 to SP&S X-124 (Cook and dining car, RI car destroyed by fire at Vancouver, WA March 6, 1926), MOW, AFE 4617, June 1926

SDRX 6112 to SP&S X-84 (Water tank car), MOW, AFE 7592, August 1945

SDRX 6151 to SP&S X-85 (Water tank car), MOW, AFE 7592, August 1945

SLSF 147645 to SP&S X-86 (Flat car fitted with old 4,000 gal. tender oil cistern and used to hold water), MOW, AFE 7573, April 1945

SP 24332 (Box) to SP&S X-111 (Outfit flat car, mounting car for crane X-37) MOW, AFE 6893, August 1941

UP 13500 (Box) to SP&S 32003 (Flat car built from salvage of UP 13500 destroyed by fire at Amber, WA on September 1, 1916), Commercial service (later to MOW X-29), AFE 1665, February 1917

Bob thanks for sharing. Interesting photo.

First photo I have seen with the what I am guessing is the door to the center aisle out of the car attendant’s quarters or is it the side of the cages?

Lester Breuer

Bill,
As-Built, the metal roofing just wraps over the top of the sides. No fascia. Presence of a fascia indicates a replacement roof, and at that point various owners' choices diverge, and other mods may also appear. 

Jack Mullen