Help ID a wooden reefer

FLO · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:07 am **Posts:** 328

In today's mail I received the book, "The American Railroad Freight Car," by John White. It's excellent.

The book didn't answer a question I had about a particular wooden reefer, though. In the photo linked below is a reefer which seems unusual to me because it has a single offset door on the side. I've never seen one like it before. I don't see one like it in the White book.

http://www.barraclou.com/rail/cars/np_wooden.jpg

Does anyone know, possibly, who manufactured the car? And when?

Is there another reference book I can check that might have info on this car?

Thank you.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

FLO -

Wow, that's interesting! Is there another photo that might show the other side and if the door is located on the same end, or on the other end (catty corner from the one in the photo)? Photo looks like it says that it was taken in 2008. I wonder if the car still exists? Also, looks like the print says that it is ex-NP. There appears a faint circular impression on the side. Might this be the NP herald? Lots of questions. Hope you get some answers.

Les

FLO · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:07 am **Posts:** 328

Hi Les,
Yes, it's definitely the NP herald on the side. I've inquired with some NP experts to see what they know.

LO.

mikefrommontana · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 2:48 am

That carbody is a cut down portion of a Northern Pacific 50 foot wood reefer. These weer built fairly late in the wood car era and many survived into the 70's. I'll try to find the exact number series for these. I believe the NP only rostered 100 of these cars.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

robertjohndavis · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:10 am **Posts:** 2499

mikefrommontana wrote:

That carbody is a cut down portion of a Northern Pacific 50 foot wood reefer. These weer built fairly late in the wood car era and many survived into the 70's. I'll try to find the exact number series for these. I believe the NP only rostered 100 of these cars.

Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

Mike nailed it. Definitely missing a third or more of its carbody. Still a neat find!

Rob

FLO · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:07 am **Posts:** 328

mikefrommontana wrote:

That carbody is a cut down portion of a Northern Pacific 50 foot wood reefer.
...
Michael Seitz

Thanks Michael. That solves it for me -- the car is not an old 36-foot car (or similar), but is just a 50-foot car cut in two.