Two New Oxford, Pa. ex-B&O Hobby Shop Cars Scrapped

KevinO · **Joined:** Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:59 pm **Posts:** 114

Alexander D. Mitchell IV wrote:

I'm a little more judicious about discussing privately-owned equipment than most people. Let's just say that the owner(s) can choose to come out and discuss the car further. But I'll cite/copy-and-paste what is already pretty fairly well known and posted online. The owner has given me permission to at least reveal the basics:

The car in question is ex-Baltimore and Ohio R.R. office car No. 907, now named the "Sherry Lynette Brannon". The 907 was built by the B&O in its Baltimore, Md. Mt. Clare shops as the "Ohio" in 1897. Originally numbered 707, it was built for Mr. Harvey Middleton, B&O General Superintendent-Motive Power. It was later transferred to the B&O Southwestern Railway Co, lost its name and was renumbered 907. It returned to the parent company in 1906 and was rebuilt for President Oscar G. Murray. In 1910, the new President, Daniel Willard renumbered it 99. It was again renumbered 907 in 1913 and kept this number except when the car was controlled by the United States Railroad Administration (1919-1920) and numbered 63. It remained in B&O service until retirement in 1961 and served the Engineer-Maintenance of Way at Pittsburgh. The first private owner, Richard Snyder, named it "Housatonuc" (the Indian spelling of the Connecticut River). The next owners purchased the car in 1981. The 907 was originally all wood but was modernized in 1915 with steel. The interior is mahogany and contains an observation lounge, two state rooms with baths, dining room, galley and crew's quarters. Currently it can sleep 9. It is 79' 9" long and weighs 97 tons. It is outfitted with Type E automatic couplers, Westinghouse AB brakes, baseboard hot water heat and household electric lighting system. Originally it had steam heat and Pintsch gas lighting.

The car formerly operated on the Valley RR in Connecticut. Photo of her in service there in 1985:
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?20030 ... 818274.jpg

1996: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=530134

Another photo, 2003: http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=248782

Current owner reports: "With the truck rebuild and reworking the air conditioning and generator system, she will again grace the rails of [a different railroad]. Although she is presently in Olive (Pullman) green with B&O markings, I suspect in the future, she will get an exterior rework that will include repainting to the blue and gray."

A bit of "putting two and two together" from information on this thread might lead an astute reader to the probable (hey, I haven't seen it myself, I dunno) current "base of operations" of this car, and even if one lurks far and hard enough in the right places, the owner's name. In a sense, like Bennett Levin and the PRR 120 and E-units, it may not be our business who he is, but it's pretty well known in the "right" circles.

This is more of a general question than one specific to this car but this seems to be the best place to ask it. Can a car equipped with truss rods be interchanged in 2011 with a class 1 railroad? Or is this something only select regionals and shortlines will do in a look the other way sort of move? How would the FRA look at a car like this?

Kevin O

Stephen S. Syfrett · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 7:53 pm

Add to Kevin O's question that these are bolted-on pedestal trucks. Are those still permitted in interchange?

Howard P. · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:50 pm

Bolted pedestal trucks are not Amtrak acceptable, but that car is not AMTK acceptable for many other reasons. If a car like B&O 907 has no FRA-prohibited items, then railroads could agree to handle it. "AAR interchange acceptable" applies to UMLER-listed revenue freight cars for unrestricted North American freight interchange. Stuff that falls outside that definition can be handled if the railroad(s) agree to do so, as long as there are no FRA defects.

Howard P.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:28 pm

Stephen S. Syfrett wrote:

Add to Kevin O's question that these are bolted-on pedestal trucks. Are those still permitted in interchange?

I must confess: As I was driving north in 120-degree heat indices, I was thinking to myself "Please, please PLEASE tell me this guy actually has a worthwhile use for bolt-on pedestals and non-rotating-endcap roller bearings before I waste my %)*&#!@ time here....."