Boston & Maine USRA DS Boxcar made 1919

linkthebutler · **Joined:** Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:29 am **Posts:** 230

stumbled about that

https://www.facebook.com/naugatuckrailroad/

for free otherwise to be scrapped.

Here some historical details:
http://bmfreightcars.com/Box/Box_70000_series.html

Just some thoughts...
"I as a european know the americans thought everything made before there birth
is historical or vintage...
But when it come to the real stuff they show their absence of knowledge...
This is the LAST (yes the last) USRA Double Sheated Boxcar in existence!
This help theoretical to beat my great great grandfather in the big war...
And the community discuss about PS-1s and rebuild/refurbished diners...
hahaha
this Boxcar should be in the smithsonian it is historical more important then any
post 1945 made lightweight aluminium..."
Just my thoughts, no offend, go back to duty...

PS:
For those who think there are hundreds of USRA still around...show me!
Everything you find is a handful of not exact copys with different trucks, brakes and ends...

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

Why does the museum say "1912" if the car is "USRA design"? Surely serious preservationists would know better...

The listings in the diagrams, and the car-builder's information, do say 1919, and I agree this is a project that seriously merits preservation. Were there other roads that owned cars built to this design whose T&HS association has the necessary funds available to preserve and restore it?

Al P. · **Joined:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:31 pm **Posts:** 59

Until you have seen the car do not state a good candidate for preservation. I objected in this car being moved from Saybrook many moons ago, only survived due to internal bracing applied etc. let just say there isn't much war time steel left in many places.

Howard P. · **Posted:** Mon Mar 25, 2024 11:08 pm

Overmod, the 1912 date was an error that was corrected in the FB listing.

The car should be preserved; it's apparently the only surviving USRA double-sheathed boxcar in existence. It needs a LOT of work, but if someone or some group had the dedication and skills (mostly woodworking) to take it on, it could be a very nice car when finished.

The Smithsonian has pared down its railroad collection, and is certainly not looking for a project like this.

$20 contributions aren't going to restore this car, unless there's two or three thousand of them. Will any modelers (who routinely pay $30-40-50 for nice freight car models) contribute in sufficient quantity to make a difference?

Al P. is correct, it's a rough car, but there's a lot to work with.

Any SERIOUS interest out there?

Howard P.

Attachment:

File comment: 1934 pic of B&M USRA boxcar

B&M USRA 40 ft boxcar 1934 resized.jpg [ 82.56 KiB | Viewed 12647 times ]

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

At the very least, thought should be given to disassembling the car, with notes (as is sometimes done with historic houses, and preserving the 'pieces' including what is left of the metal historic fabric to use as templates for replication later.

We've seen a Milwaukee car cut in half to preserve it, and at least one NYC electric given serious nominal damage in the course of preserving it. I have no complaints in either case. This car, if it represents the last surviving USRA car of its type (or perhaps, horrifying to contemplate, of any USRA freight car) we need to plan for what happens if the money to restore it 'as it sits' turns out not to be forthcoming.

Is there money to at least cocoon the car and shoot some preservative vapor in there?

Howard P. · **Posted:** Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:13 pm

By "serious interest", I mean someone or some entity ready to provide resources-- funding, personnel, space-- to deal with the car. Suggestions about "what we should do" without providing resources, really aren't very helpful.

Cocooning the car takes resources. Disassembling the car takes resources. Storing parts of the car takes resources. Resources are always limited, even at places like IRM. Or The Smithsonian.

Seems to be lots of interest and funding for saving locomotives (sometimes), and very little interest in actually providing resources to save boring old freight cars.

Howard P.

Overmod · **Joined:** Thu May 24, 2012 1:37 pm **Posts:** 2492

If I had the resources, I'd assuredly be contributing toward this, even though it's something I don't own and can't influence.

The implicit point I was making is that 'scrapping' the car is going to involve some probably significant percentage of the cost to controlled-disassemble it, if 'worst comes to worst'. It is not free to demolish it, probably not easily permitted to burn it, and definitely involves care in hauling the remains away. That should be factored into any perceived brinkmanship about what happens before some of the serious preservationists come to their senses about this.

linkthebutler · **Joined:** Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:29 am **Posts:** 230

@Overmod

Here is the production list of all USRA Double Sheated Boxcars made 1918-1919.
25.000 in total and this one is the last one!

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 2534 American Car & Foundry 37001-39534
Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 166 Laconia Car Co. 39535-39700
Atlantic Coast Line 950 American Car & Foundry 46000-46949
Boston & Maine 500 American Car & Foundry 70000-70499
Charleston & Western Carolina 300 American Car & Foundry 8000-8299
Chicago & North Western 1250 American Car & Foundry 141200-143698
Chicago Burlington & Quincy 500 American Car & Foundry 120500-120999
Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 1000 Mt. Vernon Car Mfg. 155000-155999
Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 500 Lenoir Car Works 156000-156499
Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 500 Laconia Car Co. 156500-156999
Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 500 American Car & Foundry 157000-157499
Chicago, Minneapolis, St Paul & Omaha 500 American Car & Foundry 36100-37098
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St Louis 1000 American Car & Foundry 56000-56999
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western 200 Liberty Car & Equip. 44000-44199
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western 600 Mt. Vernon Car Mfg. 44200-44799
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton 86 McGuire-Cummings Mfg. 11000-11085
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton 214 Keith Car & Mfg. 11086-11299
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 500 American Car & Foundry 7300-7799
Grand Trunk Western 16 American Car & Foundry 108100-108115
Grand Trunk Western 184 Laconia Car Co. 108116-108299
Grand Trunk Western 150 Pacific Car & Foundry 108450-108599
Grand Trunk Western 250 American Car & Foundry 108850-109099
Great Northern 1500 Mt. Vernon Car Mfg. 23494-24993
Kansas City Southern 100 Keith Car & Mfg. 15500-15599
Minneapolis & St Louis 300 Lenoir Car Works 22000-22599
Missouri Pacific 250 American Car & Foundry 45001-45250
New York Central 1000 American Car & Foundry 161000-161999
New York, Chicago & St Louis 500 McGuire-Cummings Mfg. 40000-40499
Northwestern Pacific 100 SSC Standard Steel Car 1900-1999
Pere Marquette 1000 Pressed Steel Car 80000-80999 2,000 total for PM
Pere Marquette 110 Keith Car & Mfg. 81000-81109
Pere Marquette 214 McGuire-Cummings Mfg. 81110-81323
Pere Marquette 676 Pacific Car & Foundry 81324-81999
St Louis-San Francisco 200 Liberty Car & Equip. 127000-127199
St Louis-San Francisco 200 Standard Steel Car 127200-127399
St Louis-San Francisco 700 American Car & Foundry 127400-128099
St Louis-San Francisco 400 Keith Car & Mfg. 128100-128499
St Louis-San Francisco 200 Standard Steel Car 128500-128699
St Louis-San Francisco 191 Pacific Car & Foundry 128700-128890
St Louis-San Francisco 128 Lenoir Car Works 128891-129018
St Louis-San Francisco 176 Keith Car & Mfg. 129019-129194
St Louis-San Francisco 300 Liberty Car & Equip. 129195-129494
St Louis-San Francisco 318 Pacific Car & Foundry 129495-129812
St Louis-San Francisco 150 Lenoir Car Works 129813-129962
St Louis-San Francisco 150 Laconia Car Co. 129963-130112
St Louis-San Francisco 365 Pacific Car & Foundry 130113-130477
St Louis-San Francisco 22 Lenoir Car Works 130478-130499
Spokane, Portland & Seattle 300 Pacific Car & Foundry 10000-10299
Toledo & Ohio Central 250 American Car & Foundry 14000-14249
Wabash 500 Lenoir Car Works 78200-78699
Wabash 300 Liberty Car & Equip. 78700-78999
Wabash 200 Keith Car & Mfg. 79000-79199
Wabash 500 Mt. Vernon Car Mfg. 79200-79699
Wabash 400 Lenoir Car Works 79700-80099
Wabash 400 Mt. Vernon Car Mfg. 80100-80499
Wabash 200 McGuire-Cummings Mfg. 80500-80699 From NYC&StL in 1922
Wabash 300 Keith Car & Mfg. 80700-80999

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Mar 27, 2024 12:16 am

Notice that the one New England road didn't get cars from the two New England builders on the list-- Laconia and Keith.

Howard P.

rjenkins · **Posted:** Thu May 23, 2024 1:55 am

Any update on this car? The "end of May" deadline to move it is approaching fast.

Randy Gustafson · **Posted:** Thu May 23, 2024 8:18 am

Go back to March 21 on their FB posts to see the photos....

That's not a direct link.

I've seen tougher restorations if the will is there.

Howard P. · **Posted:** Thu May 23, 2024 10:43 pm

Randy,
You are correct about that--

There is a local enthusiast who will be taking the car, moving it, and reconstructing the wood body. He's already built his section of track for the car.

Howard P.

elecuyer · **Posted:** Fri May 24, 2024 12:41 pm

Howard P. wrote:

There is a local enthusiast who will be taking the car, moving it, and reconstructing the wood body. He's already built his section of track for the car.

Hmm, where have I heard that story before?

linkthebutler · **Joined:** Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:29 am **Posts:** 230

look here
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48221&p=346297#p346297

maybe one more of these found?

Boston & Maine USRA DS Boxcar made 1919

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