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Union Pacific Company Service Boxcar
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I have a photo of just the roof and B-end of a 50-ft Union Pacific steel boxcar in eastern Oregon around 1943. It has a flat end (not dreadnaught) and Murphy-style roof. It is coupled behind the locomotive tender. The number is O.S.L. X160015, on a regular (not MOW) freight train. I'd like confirmation that the X means a company service car not allowed in interchange service, and was wondering what would lead to selection of certain boxcars for company service for any railroad at that time? For example, could it have had arch bar trucks? Would relatively poor condition be a factor? Would such a car usually be located directly behind the locomotive or ahead of the caboose to better keep track of it? I'm also wondering how common it was to have such a car in a train in that era, and what it would usually transport?
Larry Fink Renton, Washington |
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Dennis Storzek
On Fri, Dec 16, 2022 at 02:46 PM, Larry Fink wrote:
I'd like confirmation that the X means a company service car not allowed in interchange service, and was wondering what would lead to selection of certain boxcars for company service for any railroad at that time?In general, company service cars were selected from the best cars slated for retirement. For example, could it have had arch bar trucks?Prior to the FRA imposing standards in the seventies and eighties, The AAR only 'banned' certain equipment from interchange service. Since unrestricted interchange meant that any road anyplace in the nation had to be able to repair any car, this relieved the railroads from having to stock obsolete parts everywhere. Since company service cars didn't go off line, this wasn't an issue so each road decided what they wanted to deal with. Would relatively poor condition be a factor?Usually age and general obsolescence. As I said, the best cars were chosen. How well they were maintained after they were in company service was up to the railroad. Would such a car usually be located directly behind the locomotive or ahead of the caboose to better keep track of it? I'm also wondering how common it was to have such a car in a train in that era, and what it would usually transport? There were different classes of service in the company service fleet. The car just behind the locomotive was likely a material car that brought parts from the main shops to the outlying terminals, and cycled worn parts back for reconditioning. Putting it right behind the locomotive meant it would end up at the roundhouse without any extra switching. Company service ballast cars could go anywhere in the train. B&B camp cars and tool cars tended to not move much and be the oldest cars, so were often stenciled "REAR END ONLY" and were restricted to moving just ahead of the caboose so as not to have to pull the weight of the whole train. Dennis Storzek |
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Good answers, Dennis.
I want to correct my description of a "flat end" on the car. I suspect it did have corregations below the image of the photo that only extends down to the top grab iron ladder. It had a vertical brake wheel staff, and might be consistent with a steel sheathed boxcar (with exposed bracing on the sides). Larry |
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Most UP "mofw" (company service) cars seem to have leading 0 or 9 digits. I think the use of the car is typically stenciled on each side. From above and the end you can't tell whether the car has been modified with doors and windows, for example. Or with a snowplow on the other end. :-) On 12/16/2022 3:46 PM, Larry Fink wrote: I have a photo of just the roof and B-end of a 50-ft Union Pacific steel boxcar in eastern Oregon around 1943. It has a flat end (not dreadnaught) and Murphy-style roof. It is coupled behind the locomotive tender. The number is O.S.L. X160015, on a regular (not MOW) freight train. I'd like confirmation that the X means a company service car not allowed in interchange service, and was wondering what would lead to selection of certain boxcars for company service for any railroad at that time? For example, could it have had arch bar trucks? Would relatively poor condition be a factor? Would such a car usually be located directly behind the locomotive or ahead of the caboose to better keep track of it? I'm also wondering how common it was to have such a car in a train in that era, and what it would usually transport? --
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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Bill Parks
On Sat, Dec 17, 2022 at 11:11 AM, Tim O'Connor wrote:
Or with a snowplow on the other end. :-)Looks like it has passenger car trucks. I also assume it is full of ballast to help keep it on the tracks and under the snow. Would make an interesting scratch build, or kit bash, project -- Bill Parks Cumming, GA Modelling the Seaboard Airline in Central Florida |
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FOX trucks, Bill. Model Die Casting made them in HO scale. On 12/17/2022 12:18 PM, Bill Parks via groups.io wrote: On Sat, Dec 17, 2022 at 11:11 AM, Tim O'Connor wrote: --
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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Dick Harley
Larry, That number (except the "X") fits the OSL cars in class A-50-4. See: https://harley-trains.smugmug.com/UPFreightDiagrams/1943-Freight/i-j78HNfV And in the UP Equipment Record available at : : https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Union-Pacific-Equipment-Record/Automobile-and-Box-Car/ https://donstrack.smugmug.com/UtahRails/Union-Pacific-Equipment-Record/Automobile-and-Box-Car/i-C8Dkg64/A From that info, it does not appear to be in company (Roadway) service. I don't know much about unusual car numbering during WWII. Could you please post the image in high resolution? Cheers, Dick Harley Laguna Beach, CA . |
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Dick Harley wrote- That number (except the "X") fits the OSL cars in class A-50-4. Could you please post the image in high resolution? Westerfield offers an HO model kit for it #1151.
I’d also be interested in identification of the boxcar behind with the curved roof edges. Larry Fink Renton, Washington |
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Seaboard Air Line -- box car with the curved roof On 12/21/2022 2:43 PM, Larry Fink wrote:
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Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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gary laakso
Plus, a GN truss rod boxcar on the siding!
Gary Laakso Northwest of Mike Brock
From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> On Behalf Of Tim O'Connor
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2022 11:57 AM To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Union Pacific Company Service Boxcar
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Todd Sullivan
Larry,
My guess is an AF-XX SAL boxcar, as they had round roofs and different ends, as in the photo. People with more knowledge and resources will probably correct or amplify my guess. Todd Sullivan |
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Allen Cain
Larry,
I am no expert but could it be a B&O Wagon Top car? Allen Cain Modeling The Southern RR in 1955 in HO Scale -- Allen Cain Modeling the Southern in 1955 in HO Scale |
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Benjamin Hom
Allen Cain wrote:
"I am no expert but could it be a B&O Wagon Top car?" Absolutely not. The end reporting marks are clearly "SAL", and the car has Pullman ends vice the flat ends of the B&O cars. Ben Hom |
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Tim O'Connor was correct about the rounded-roof car being SAL. Close examination shows the faded reporting mark SAL 19332 or something like it. Bowser had an HO model of 19436 that's in the same ORER line number. The kit box was designated X-31a single door 40' boxcar, kit #55304. An in-service photo of SAL 193340 shows the car class marked as B7 and a built date of 5-41.
Larry |
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Todd
Yes, the AF-4 and B-7 had those roofs. The car number is for a B-7. On 12/21/2022 3:48 PM, Todd Sullivan via groups.io wrote: Larry, --
Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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Oops AF-1, I meant. Bruce Smith is correct. On 12/24/2022 12:44 PM, Tim O'Connor wrote:
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Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts |
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