Date
1 - 11 of 11
Lets identify an odd freight car!
Robert G P
Hello everyone,
I was using my free time to enjoy some archive films, to my astonishment I saw in a NYC clip a very strange looking covered hopper type car.
Unfortunately the footage only shows the first half of the car and I cannot even tell how many bays it has (3-4), but it looks like nothing I have ever seen before and ive basically made a hobby out of identifying obscure rolling stock.
Almost looks like a steel outside braced steel bodied car. I can only assume whatever they hauled it was pretty dense. And I have proof more than one of these cars existed because in the shot just before the one you see below a whole rake of about 4-5 can be spotted in the train. I did not include that shot because its not helpful in identification because its only a small angled shot in a shadow. But they are definitely this car type.
This was captured on the NYC in the mid 50s somewhere in northern Ohio.
Wish I couldve gotten better data, but im glad with what is here.
Thanks and Merry Christmas with a Happy New Year,
Rob
Benjamin Hom
Rob GP wrote:
"I was using my free time to enjoy some archive films, to my astonishment I saw in a NYC clip a very strange looking covered hopper type car.
<<snip>>
Almost looks like a steel outside braced steel bodied car. I can only assume whatever they hauled it was pretty dense. And I have proof more than one of these cars existed because in the shot just before the one you see below a whole rake of about 4-5 can be spotted in the train. I did not include that shot because it's not helpful in identification because it's only a small angled shot in a shadow. But they are definitely this car type. "
I think you discovered a unicorn.
AHM included in its HO and N scale rolling stock lines a number of very specialized cars that they decorated in many bogus paint schemes, including wooden tank ("pickle") cars, NYC Flexi-Flo hoppers, early Southern Railway all-door boxcars, and these container cars (first eBay link is an N-scale example; second link is a blurry photo of an HO example in its original box):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234815412036
https://www.ebay.com/itm/314075979472
IIRC, these were specialized container cars; however, the only photo of one that I've seen was a builders photo of an unloaded example, so I'm not sure if these were the containers.
Great find! What's the source?
Ben Hom
"I was using my free time to enjoy some archive films, to my astonishment I saw in a NYC clip a very strange looking covered hopper type car.
<<snip>>
Almost looks like a steel outside braced steel bodied car. I can only assume whatever they hauled it was pretty dense. And I have proof more than one of these cars existed because in the shot just before the one you see below a whole rake of about 4-5 can be spotted in the train. I did not include that shot because it's not helpful in identification because it's only a small angled shot in a shadow. But they are definitely this car type. "
I think you discovered a unicorn.
AHM included in its HO and N scale rolling stock lines a number of very specialized cars that they decorated in many bogus paint schemes, including wooden tank ("pickle") cars, NYC Flexi-Flo hoppers, early Southern Railway all-door boxcars, and these container cars (first eBay link is an N-scale example; second link is a blurry photo of an HO example in its original box):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234815412036
https://www.ebay.com/itm/314075979472
IIRC, these were specialized container cars; however, the only photo of one that I've seen was a builders photo of an unloaded example, so I'm not sure if these were the containers.
Great find! What's the source?
Ben Hom
I think that car is a General American 55' "Trans-Flo" covered hopper of the 1950's.
A precursor of the later "Air Slide" covered hopper, it was used for bulk shipments of flour, plastics and chemicals
according to General American's ad on Page 259 of the 1953 Car Builder's Cyclopedia.
Ed Bommer
A precursor of the later "Air Slide" covered hopper, it was used for bulk shipments of flour, plastics and chemicals
according to General American's ad on Page 259 of the 1953 Car Builder's Cyclopedia.
Ed Bommer
Robert G P
The Trans-Flo car is definitely it, I was way off with assuming "3-4 bays", but it was low lighting.
I have never seen one of these before, it was in a group 4-6 from the looks of it (head on poor angle). Due to the novel nature of the car I have a feeling it was either: A). In demo service or B). Being transported for demo service. Year was 53-55. Cannot be sure.
Does anyone know anything about these General American 55' Trans-Flo covered hoppers? I cannot find anything online so far.
Thanks to Ed Bommer for the photo of the full car and cracking the code first, and to Ed M and Ben H for the honourable mention of calcium carbide/container car.
Cheers,
Rob
On Tue, Dec 27, 2022 at 3:54 PM Edward <edb8381@...> wrote:
I think that car is a General American 55' "Trans-Flo" covered hopper of the 1950's.
A precursor of the later "Air Slide" covered hopper, it was used for bulk shipments of flour, plastics and chemicals
according to General American's ad on Page 259 of the 1953 Car Builder's Cyclopedia.
Ed BommerAttachments:
spsalso
There are two photos of this type of car on pages 258-259 of the 1953 Car Builders' Cyclopedia.
They are not exactly the same car design, though VERY similar.
One is GACX 41001, as pictured in the post above. The other is GACX 41027. This latter version is a match to Rob's sample.
They are both in a single car series in my April 1961 ORER: GACX 41000-41098 (39 cars). There are only 24 cars in the series in the October 1950 ORER. There is a note saying: "...special LO type cars with insulation."
Curiously, there is no mention of insulation in the extensive commentary that accompanies the photo of 41001.
Ed
Edward Sutorik
They are not exactly the same car design, though VERY similar.
One is GACX 41001, as pictured in the post above. The other is GACX 41027. This latter version is a match to Rob's sample.
They are both in a single car series in my April 1961 ORER: GACX 41000-41098 (39 cars). There are only 24 cars in the series in the October 1950 ORER. There is a note saying: "...special LO type cars with insulation."
Curiously, there is no mention of insulation in the extensive commentary that accompanies the photo of 41001.
Ed
Edward Sutorik
Ed Hawkins
On Dec 27, 2022, at 3:11 PM, Robert G P <bobgp5109@...> wrote:The Trans-Flo car is definitely it, I was way off with assuming "3-4 bays", but it was low lighting.I have never seen one of these before, it was in a group 4-6 from the looks of it (head on poor angle). Due to the novel nature of the car I have a feeling it was either: A). In demo service or B). Being transported for demo service. Year was 53-55. Cannot be sure.Does anyone know anything about these General American 55' Trans-Flo covered hoppers? I cannot find anything online so far.Thanks to Ed Bommer for the photo of the full car and cracking the code first, and to Ed M and Ben H for the honourable mention of calcium carbide/container car.Cheers,Rob
Rob and others interested,
Patrick Wider authored an article published in RP CYC Volume 17 with information and 22 photos of GATC Trans-Flo flour cars to include detail shots of the hatches & outlet.
Regards,
Ed Hawkins
Bruce Hendrick
Thanks to Rob for posing an interesting mystery and to Ed for solving it so quickly and for the ad photo.
Two follow ups…
Did anyone produce an HO model, possibly in brass?
Has anyone attempted a kitbash or scratchbuild?
If so, images please, including additional prototype cars. Thanks.
Bruce Hendrick
Brea, California
Robert G P
Thanks so much, that is quite interesting need to pick up a copy of each!
On Tue, Dec 27, 2022 at 4:23 PM Ed Hawkins <hawk0621@...> wrote:
On Dec 27, 2022, at 3:11 PM, Robert G P <bobgp5109@...> wrote:The Trans-Flo car is definitely it, I was way off with assuming "3-4 bays", but it was low lighting.I have never seen one of these before, it was in a group 4-6 from the looks of it (head on poor angle). Due to the novel nature of the car I have a feeling it was either: A). In demo service or B). Being transported for demo service. Year was 53-55. Cannot be sure.Does anyone know anything about these General American 55' Trans-Flo covered hoppers? I cannot find anything online so far.Thanks to Ed Bommer for the photo of the full car and cracking the code first, and to Ed M and Ben H for the honourable mention of calcium carbide/container car.Cheers,RobRob and others interested,Patrick Wider authored an article published in RP CYC Volume 17 with information and 22 photos of GATC Trans-Flo flour cars to include detail shots of the hatches & outlet.Regards,Ed Hawkins
Ian Cranstone
The July 1958 ORER shows 45 cars in the GACX 41001-41098 series that match the description in the 1953 CBC (there's also GACX 41000 which has the same notes, but is slightly smaller).
Ian Cranstone
Osgoode, Ontario, Canada
lamontc@...
On 2022-12-27 16:11, Robert G P wrote:
The Trans-Flo car is definitely it, I was way off with assuming "3-4 bays", but it was low lighting.I have never seen one of these before, it was in a group 4-6 from the looks of it (head on poor angle). Due to the novel nature of the car I have a feeling it was either: A). In demo service or B). Being transported for demo service. Year was 53-55. Cannot be sure.Does anyone know anything about these General American 55' Trans-Flo covered hoppers? I cannot find anything online so far.Thanks to Ed Bommer for the photo of the full car and cracking the code first, and to Ed M and Ben H for the honourable mention of calcium carbide/container car.Cheers,Rob
On Tue, Dec 27, 2022 at 3:54 PM Edward <edb8381@...> wrote:I think that car is a General American 55' "Trans-Flo" covered hopper of the 1950's.
A precursor of the later "Air Slide" covered hopper, it was used for bulk shipments of flour, plastics and chemicals
according to General American's ad on Page 259 of the 1953 Car Builder's Cyclopedia.
Ed BommerAttachments:
Robert G P
Guess GATC leased them out then. Happy to see more than just a few prototypes existed. This is definitely something I could imagine printing, now just need a diagram and RPC 17 at less than ebay super prices!
-Rob
On Tue, Dec 27, 2022 at 4:34 PM Ian Cranstone <lamontc@...> wrote:
The July 1958 ORER shows 45 cars in the GACX 41001-41098 series that match the description in the 1953 CBC (there's also GACX 41000 which has the same notes, but is slightly smaller).
Ian Cranstone
Osgoode, Ontario, Canada
lamontc@...
On 2022-12-27 16:11, Robert G P wrote:
The Trans-Flo car is definitely it, I was way off with assuming "3-4 bays", but it was low lighting.I have never seen one of these before, it was in a group 4-6 from the looks of it (head on poor angle). Due to the novel nature of the car I have a feeling it was either: A). In demo service or B). Being transported for demo service. Year was 53-55. Cannot be sure.Does anyone know anything about these General American 55' Trans-Flo covered hoppers? I cannot find anything online so far.Thanks to Ed Bommer for the photo of the full car and cracking the code first, and to Ed M and Ben H for the honourable mention of calcium carbide/container car.Cheers,Rob
On Tue, Dec 27, 2022 at 3:54 PM Edward <edb8381@...> wrote:I think that car is a General American 55' "Trans-Flo" covered hopper of the 1950's.
A precursor of the later "Air Slide" covered hopper, it was used for bulk shipments of flour, plastics and chemicals
according to General American's ad on Page 259 of the 1953 Car Builder's Cyclopedia.
Ed BommerAttachments: