Brick Load

Photo courtesy of R.J. Ihle on the Facebook Railroad Images of Bygone Days group.

He comments:

“One of 47 Illinois Central box cars loaded with Egyptian bricks circa 1927 in Murphysboro, IL.  Egyptian bricks were also used in in the construction of the Panama Canal.”
Notice Fox trucks.

Bob Chaparro

Hemet, CA

The label "Egyptian bricks" on the photo may refer to the fact that southern Illinois has historically been referred to "Little Eqypt". Witness the towns of Cairo, Thebes, etc. Even the Southern Illinois University mascot is the Saluki, one of several breeds that can trace its lineage back to the ancient Egyptians.
Jim Murrie
Durham NC

Bob wrote:

“One of 47 Illinois Central box cars loaded with Egyptian bricks circa 1927 in Murphysboro, IL. Egyptian bricks were also used in in the construction of the Panama Canal.

Notice Fox trucks.”

Publicity photo. The car definitely would have been stripped of the banners before rolling towards its destination — especially if the 1927 date is accurate.

Guy Wilber
Reno, Nevada

Looks like that might have been a trademark of that brick company. https://thatwasourwork.tumblr.com/post/21018853984/murphysboro-paving-brick-company-egyptian-block/amp

Dave Smith (just home from a week of looking at lots of Egyptian bricks (not this kind) in Cairo (not the one in Illinois))

I live in "Little Egypt" well to be technical, about 5 miles north of the "Gateway to Little Egypt".  Local lore says the Little Egypt name for Southern Illinois originated during the drought and heatwaves in the 1930s.  That seems to be past the date of the photo.  A lot of businesses  in the area are named Egyptian __________   In Salem there was Egyptian Concrete. They made cast concrete products and were served by the B&O in our era (later CSX until CSX shut the line down several years ago).  "Little Egypt" was a much bigger thing during the era of this list then it is today although Salem still has a Little Egypt Festival and Parade the first Saturday in October. 

Jeff White

Alma IL

It in fact is a brand name and here is some more history. I'd be intrigued how they stacked and loaded them . . . but labor was cheap.

https://www.semissourian.com/blogs/pavementends/entry/47195

Kevin

NGMC

On Aug 6, 2022, at 22:34, Philip Dove <philipdove22@...> wrote:

I thought Cairo was the southern most tip of Illinois.

In particular, it's at the confluence of the Ohio and the Big Muddy, where Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri meet.
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The thong is ended but the malady lingers on