The photo shown above (Karl Geffchen photo, Aug. 1978, from the Fallen Flags site) was posted to the Railroad Modeling the 1970s Group on facebook with a query about details. I posted an answer there, but thought these cars would make an interesting post overall. So, here goes. I will cover the photo above first even though it is the last chronologically, since it is the genesis of this post. It is an ITC 1937 AAR box car that was modified with a wider door opening (six feet to eight feet, although it's possible it's seven; my most "modern" ORER is only from '61 so I am uncertain; if you know, please leave a comment below) and a side sill support spanning from body bolster to body bolster as well as additional bracing where the door posts meet the side sills. Presumably, it also received the underframe modification as shown in the last photos below. Note that this car is one of the members of the group with AC&F proprietary ("Carbuilder's") ends. |
| East St. Louis, Illinois, 1938, R. J. Foster photo, from Joe Collias |
ITC 6041 was from the first group of 1937 AAR box cars acquired by Illinois Terminal (car nos. 6000-6099, 100 cars.) They were built in 1937 by AC&F and were quite "standard" in their details, including Youngstown corrugated steel doors with early Camel Roller Lift fixtures, square corner Dreadnaught ends, Murphy rectangular panel roof, double truss spring plankless trucks, Ajax power hand brakes and wood running boards and brake steps. |
| American Car & Foundry photo |
ITC 6299 was the last car in the second group of 1937 AAR box cars, also from AC&F and built in 1941 (6100-6299, 200 cars.) These had Youngstown doors with Camel fixtures, Murphy rectangular panel roof, double truss spring plankless trucks, Equipco power hand brakes, wood running boards and steel plate brake steps. What made them unusual were the round corner AC&F proprietary ends, as shown in several of the photos herein.
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| circa 1955, Paul Dunn photo |
Circa the mid-1950s, many cars were fitted with side sill support extensions, as shown above as well as bracing where the door posts meet the side sills (click on photo for a larger view.) The door opening remained at six feet. The placard boards were also lowered, as shown.
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| ebay purchase, undated |
At some point in the 60s, cars received heavier side sill support sections, spanning the body bolsters, as shown above and in the first photo of this post. The door openings were increased and the doors were replaced with improved Youngstown corrugated steel doors. The underframe stringers were also augmented. The cars originally had one zee bar stringer on each side of the center sills and between the bolsters and the end sills incorporated a diagonal brace at each corner. As shown, these were augmented with two I-section steel stringers on each side of the original stringers and three I-section stringers on each side of the draft gear, replacing the diagonal braces.
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| ebay purchase, undated |
Thank you for posting this article about these interesting cars. There are several more photos of the rebuilt cars on the RR Picture Archives website at: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4020139 The doors are 8' as confirmed by the listing in the July 1977 ORER that shows 59 cars in the 8400-8459. Chris Barkan
ReplyDeleteThank you Chris for nailing that detail down. Much appreciated!!!
DeleteTed, Note that this photo dated 7/30/1971is described as a “builders” photo taken at SEICO in Atlanta, GA http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=792393 Although all the cars pictured here appear to have the ACF end, this photo, http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=1066470 shows ITC 8457 & another with the IDN end so cars with both ends were included in the rebuild program.
ReplyDeletePer the ORER, these were 10'6" IH cars so this would not seem such a difficult kitbash if one could get the correct ACF ends, but as best I can tell neither available option is quite right. The NSC end https://nationalscalecar.com/product/mk105-3-m55b-baltimore-ohio-boxcar/ looks to have the correct rib contours but is a 4-5 end, whereas the Yarmouth ACF end https://www.yarmouthmodelworks.com/index.php/Products/2148 has the 4-4 rib configuration but I don’t think the rib contours quite match those on the ITC prototype.