Not that we really needed another freight car at the Niagara Railway Museum, let alone a gondola. But when contacted by the Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo Railway Historical Society about saving what is now the last TH&B gondola, we figured it would be a good addition. They aren't set up for Charitable receipts, and have no place to store such an item. This was in February of 2016. The car, TH&B 2676, was built by National Steel Car in Hamilton Ontario in February 1966. It was used in steel service and made its last run hauling OCS scrap from BC to Hamilton. Upon arrival at Hamilton, it was supposed to go back to Manitoba I believe for scrapping, but that was halted and instead, the car went into storage in Welland pending donation to the Museum. Just before Christmas we were told that after months of painstaking negotiations which was the car threaten to be scrapped no less than 5 times, we were told it was finally being donated to the Museum. On Monday January 23rd, the car was finally moved by CP for their Welland Yard, over to CN at Southern Yard, near Welland. 2676 was picked up by Martech Rail Services and moved over to their site (across the road) for storage until we can move the car by road to our Museum site in Fort Erie.

Nice car, and nice save. Gons are just about bullet-proof, and always useful. They're another example of what railroad used to make lots of money with, and were common as dirt, and are seldom preserved.

Howard P.
MP 6
Thomaston
(where there's 3 gons: MEC, B&M and NH)

Howard -

"Seldom preserved"? Hmmm. Hadn't thought about that too much, but you might be right. Maybe you should start a "roll call of preserved gons" thread. Your three cars would be a good head start!


Les