I concur with the other comments regarding this hopper car. It is definitely not a USRA hopper car. It is probably, as others have pointed out, one of the early twin hopper cars purchased by the New York Central System during the second decade of the 20th century.

If I can read the date built correctly, it looks as if this car was manufactured in 1917, which would make it part of a lot made by Standard Steel Car Company that year. A builder's photo of that series is available from Keith Retterer.

These cars appeared on the Susquehanna & New York about April 1940 and served until the road ceased operations a couple of years later. They were obviously purchased second hand.

They had an inside length of 30'0", inside width of 9'7 1/2" (?), and inside height of 10' 0". The exterior dimensions were 30' 8", 10' 1 1/2", and 10' 0", with a capacity of 1660 cubic feet. (The dimensions listed by the S&NY differ slightly from those of the NYC, but I suspect its the same car.) They both had a capacity of 1660 cubic feet.

The NYC built a similar car in 1917 with a height of 10'6" and a capacity of 1800 cubic feet.

These cars differed from the 1905 common design in that they had three pressed steel endposts and lacked the platform end sill. The end sill did project slightly, but not to the extent of the common design. (There was considerable discussion during this period about the elimination of the platform end sill.)

Note that the stirrup steps and the grab irons differ from the available photos I have of the NYC cars built by AC&F. (Thanks to Al Westerfield!) Standard Steel may have altered the design when it built its lot.

I don't have drawings of this car, but Roger Hinman is the expert on NYC open top cars. He may be able to help in that regard.

Hope this helps.

Bob Karig

The drawings of this car are available from the Standard Steel collections at the IRM and Harrisburg. The NYCHS drawing collection does not have drawings of this car that I know of. I can give specific drawing numbers if anyone is interested.


Roger Hinman

I concur with the other comments regarding this hopper car. It is definitely not a USRA hopper car. It is probably, as others have pointed out, one of the early twin hopper cars purchased by the New York Central System during the second decade of the 20th century.

If I can read the date built correctly, it looks as if this car was manufactured in 1917, which would make it part of a lot made by Standard Steel Car Company that year. A builder's photo of that series is available from Keith Retterer.

These cars appeared on the Susquehanna & New York about April 1940 and served until the road ceased operations a couple of years later. They were obviously purchased second hand.

They had an inside length of 30'0", inside width of 9'7 1/2" (?), and inside height of 10' 0". The exterior dimensions were 30' 8", 10' 1 1/2", and 10' 0", with a capacity of 1660 cubic feet. (The dimensions listed by the S&NY differ slightly from those of the NYC, but I suspect its the same car.) They both had a capacity of 1660 cubic feet.

The NYC built a similar car in 1917 with a height of 10'6" and a capacity of 1800 cubic feet.

These cars differed from the 1905 common design in that they had three pressed steel endposts and lacked the platform end sill. The end sill did project slightly, but not to the extent of the common design. (There was considerable discussion during this period about the elimination of the platform end sill.)

Note that the stirrup steps and the grab irons differ from the available photos I have of the NYC cars built by AC&F. (Thanks to Al Westerfield!) Standard Steel may have altered the design when it built its lot.

I don't have drawings of this car, but Roger Hinman is the expert on NYC open top cars. He may be able to help in that regard.

Hope this helps.

Bob Karig