Date
1 - 7 of 7
Gondola identification
Ted Schnepf
Hello Everyone, Gondola's are the forgotten railroad cars. Very little had been written about them and there are so many variations. I want to ID a mill type gon. Its inside length is 47' 6" and inside height about 3' 9". The sides have a straight sill (no fish belly) with 12 panels and 11 side stakes. The fixed ends are dreadnought. The car is riveted construction. I started by looking at PRR books, but no match (a G31D might be close). Mr Kresse's book about C&O gons show one of the correct general length, but has taller sides for use in coal hauling. Thought about a USRA mill gon, but doesn't seem to match. In most freight car books, gons are very limited in space covered. Can anyone identify my roughly 49 foot, 11 side stake, riveted gondola? Ted Schnepf 126 Will Scarlet, Elgin, Ill. 60120 847=697-5353
|
|
mopacfirst
Do you have a picture, or some other way we can see what you're describing? As a total shot in the dark, there was a class of SP gons at about 48' that I think were straight sides. I built a model of one, perhaps from Speedwitch, but both the model and my SP books are packed so I can't be more specific.
Ron Merrick
|
|
Ted Schnepf
Hi Ron, I looked in Thompson's SP book and did not see a match. The model does not have any drop doors. Ted Schnepf 126 Will Scarlet, Elgin, Ill. 60120 847=697-5353
On Monday, January 6, 2020, 07:14:40 PM CST, mopacfirst <ron.merrick@...> wrote:
Do you have a picture, or some other way we can see what you're describing? As a total shot in the dark, there was a class of SP gons at about 48' that I think were straight sides. I built a model of one, perhaps from Speedwitch, but both the model and my SP books are packed so I can't be more specific. Ron Merrick
|
|
mel perry
a picture would be nice, so we would know what you are talking about? thanks mel perry
On Mon, Jan 6, 2020, 6:40 PM Ted Schnepf <railsunl@...> wrote:
|
|
The B&O had 47'1" IL TOFC flat cars (P-54) rebuilt from O-27 gondolas. A PRR G31D is NOTHING like your description.
On 1/6/2020 5:04 PM, Ted Schnepf wrote:
--
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts
|
|
Ted Schnepf
Hi Tim, Thanks for the lead. The O27 matches my car in appearance. Only difference is 12 ribs versus 11 on the model. Ted Schnepf 126 Will Scarlet, Elgin, Ill. 60120 847=697-5353
On Tuesday, January 7, 2020, 08:38:54 AM CST, Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...> wrote:
The B&O had 47'1" IL TOFC flat cars (P-54) rebuilt from O-27 gondolas. A PRR G31D is NOTHING like your description. On 1/6/2020 5:04 PM, Ted Schnepf wrote: Hello Everyone,
Gondola's are the
forgotten railroad cars. Very little had been written
about them and there are so many variations.
I want to ID a mill
type gon. Its inside length is 47' 6" and inside height
about 3' 9". The sides have a straight sill (no fish
belly) with 12 panels and 11 side stakes. The fixed ends
are dreadnought. The car is riveted construction.
I started by looking at
PRR books, but no match (a G31D might be close). Mr
Kresse's book about C&O gons show one of the correct
general length, but has taller sides for use in coal
hauling. Thought about a USRA mill gon, but doesn't seem
to match.
In most freight car
books, gons are very limited in space covered.
Can anyone identify my
roughly 49 foot, 11 side stake, riveted gondola?
Ted Schnepf
126 Will Scarlet,
Elgin, Ill. 60120
847=697-5353
-- Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts
|
|
Jack Mullen
Ted,
Have you looked at PRR G29 class? True, IL is only 46', but it's 3'8" IH with 11 stake sides. NYC also had 11 stake steel gons, but the ones I'm aware of, 324xxx series, are 50' IL and a foot taller. Most steel, straight-side mill gons seem to have an odd number of panels. Could yours be a composite gon that's been resheathed with diagonal truss members removed? A number of roads had 12 panel composite gons with straight sills, including your Milwaukee, iirc. It would *really* help to have a photo. There are many details that might cue recognition, or tend to support or reject a possible match. A few such as whether the centersill is straight or fishbelly; end sills flush or projecting; spacing of stakes and their shape might be described, but it's a lot easier to recognize a picture of a face than a description. Jack Mullen
|
|