Used shipping containers can be had cheap, depending on what you seek. Around these parts, something to just park the mower and scaffolding in can be as little as $500 delivered; an insulated, "watertight" one (i.e. one that doesn't turn into an oven in the summer and a freezer in the winter) $1500-2000. This, of course, depends on where you are in relation to competition; we happen to be in a port city.......

I'm curious as to the road number of this car. From the numbers shown in the photo, it looks like there may be one or more numbers missing. This shot looks like it was taken of the sun (south) side of the car, so perhaps the car numbers on the other side, might have fared a bit better. The road number might tell us if the car is ex-DL&W or ex-Erie, or whether it was actually built new for the Erie Lackawanna.

Les

Possibly the car is of this class?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=655233

Which is probably a renumbered version of EL's 67000 series cars.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2521742

Probably ran a good portion of it's life hauling auto parts.

More EL boxcar pics here:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rslist.aspx?id=EL&cid=2 Click the car number to view thumbnails and thence the full size image.

67xxx series cars appear to be former ERIE, such as this one:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2521091


Michael Seitz
Missoula MT

My boxcar might not be EL. But it has that look. Do not exceed 100 mph please.

Michael - Lot's of good info. Thanks much! Looks like the numbers on the car in question could fit into that 167xxx series of EL boxcars. An educated guess at least, which might have to do if someone can't get the actual car number from elsewhere on the car.

Les

Les, I was indeed thinking about your group with my comment, though I was thinking that this car was in the midwest, not northeast. Nonetheless, thanks for keeping the spirit of the great Erie Lackawanna alive in 2012!

Appreciate the kind words. The Erie Lackawanna Historical Society is having its Annual Convention in Valparaiso, Indiana this September which will include a train ride over HVRM on 9/29 behind EL Alco #310.

Les

I'm still partial to the Milwaukee car on the next track over ;-) 100 mph...bring it on!

"Boss" got back to me: our "port city" price is $1500 for a 40-foot box, $2200 for an insulated box, from used-container refurbishers, delivered to us in said port city. I'm told we're getting a real bargain; the price goes up quite a bit with delivery to more remote locations.

Yes, those are indeed excellent prices for boxes, esp 40-footers. I have been making inquiries myself recently. In the north of NYC area (Connecticut), 20s are about $2600 delivered and 40s are about $3200 delivered.

When MEC 40 & 50 foot PS-1 boxcars were going for $700-800 about 15 years ago, we should have bought an extra 6 or 10 and shoved them up to end of track, for future use. We did get 3 40-footers though.

Howard P.

I'm pretty sure the car in question is ex-ERIE..

On the subject of preserved double door boxcars, anyone have a clue what road this car in Elkhart came from ?

Fascinating paint job ?... The car was in the back of the museum area... Based upon its "billboard" like look, was it painted this way, to at one time, be in the front of the museum as a sign ? ( I would hope so )


thanks


Dean Levin

The two of them are both Chessie, B&O not sure of the numbers, I did find a B&O number in one. They were dark blue with the Chessie Cat on them when they arrived. One of them was set on fire many years ago. They were then painted by the boy scouts with rollers the same dark blue but never lettered.

Dear PC4321 -

WHAT two are you talking about? I am lost.

Les

An update, I am trying to see if the owner is interested in donating the car for a reasonable tax credit, and have approached the NRHS to see if they want to act as a partner. I'll get some more photos soon and I'll see if I can get a complete car number. My great, great grandfather worked for the Erie, so that sweetens the deal a bit for me. We'll see what happens.