Canton Car Company re-built the 100 hopper cars that became the Great Northern 73000 to 73099 class. The cars were 33'-9" over the pulling faces with an interior length of 29"-10" and a height of 10"-6 3/4". While the cars on the GN had 4 side posts, a diagram that Staffan Ehnbom located shows the units with 9, so that may have been the car's shape prior to the 1929 rebuild. GN, of course, purchased the cars from J.H.Grace of Chicago. I always thought that the 4 post look was odd, and a rebuild would explain why the cars don't seem to match other designs. Any ideas whose cars were re-built for the GN?

On a Xmas note, just so you all know how long Al Westerfield's family has been working in resin reproductions, the latest issue of Archaeology magazine shows lion models from 1340 AD, and i could swear that i can make out a carved "AW" on the lion!

gary laakso
south of Mike Brock
vasa0vasa@...
EarthLink Revolves Around You.

I have posted two pictures to a folder "Grace Tank Car Lines GRYX".
These are from the files of Grace Tank Car Lines which was the company owned by J.H. Grace of Chicago.
I don't have any more information about the origin of the cars or how Grace became involved in the project;
he was primarily a owner and lessor of tank cars but did get involved in the brokerage of used equipment,
more so in the early years of the company.
Note that the car pictured in the Canton Car Company photo is 73196 which is outside of the series stated
and carries a NEW C.C.Co. 9-30 date.
The other photo (which looks like it was taken when the car was new in 1-29) was of 73010 which is in the
series noted.
Charlie Vlk


Canton Car Company re-built the 100 hopper cars that became the Great Northern 73000 to 73099 class. The cars were 33'-9" over the pulling faces with an interior length of 29"-10" and a height of 10"-6 3/4". While the cars on the GN had 4 side posts, a diagram that Staffan Ehnbom located shows the units with 9, so that may have been the car's shape prior to the 1929 rebuild. GN, of course, purchased the cars from J.H.Grace of Chicago. I always thought that the 4 post look was odd, and a rebuild would explain why the cars don't seem to match other designs. Any ideas whose cars were re-built for the GN?
.