Boxcars of the very old days question. A book I have about the Nevada County NG has a photo of a SP car next to a NCNG car and a caption saying (from memory) that it took three NG boxcar loads to fill one standard gage box. My question is how much less does a Maine two foot boxcar carry?

I think the ratio for Maine two-foot cars is about the same: 3:1. The Bridgton and Saco River had two tank cars that were almost always coupled together - they held the same volume as one standard gauge car.

Without coming across as a smart aleck, if you multiply length x width x height you would get the cubic capacity of each of the types of car. Then a simple divide would give the percentage of the narrow gauge cars to a standard car.

Thanks to you both. I wasn't really clear I suppose, capacity is also weight. I was thinking not only dry capacity HxWxL but the capacity of the presumably smaller wheel sets. Is there much difference between the typical 2' vs 3' trucks and car frames?

Thanks

Capacity can be expressed two ways and the data stencils will provide that info. Capacity, load limit, and light weight (unloaded car weight) in pounds are stenciled under the reporting marks and number. Elsewhere would be stenciled the inside dimensions and maximum outside clearance dimensions and/or a very basic cubic feet of volume inside the car that will tell you how much available space there is inside. You can't exceed either the capacity weight having an overloaded car or the volume in cubic feet (you'd defy the laws of physics).