CSS&SB "South Shore Line" Auto-Railer Line Car Question

BSOR Patarak · **Posted:** Tue Sep 24, 2024 7:38 pm

wesp wrote:

BSOR Patarak wrote:

I have a copy of the last monthly inspection and repair report issued on the Arcade & Attica for the #109. It is dated August, 1955. "Final Report - Locomotive Unit No. 109 was permanently retired from service on August 16, 1955, account of being sold to the Chicago, South Bend and South Shore Railroad Company, and will not be used again by this company."

Do you also have copies of A&A inspection reports for the other Auto-Railer units?

I do not, only the final one for the A&A 109. When I get a chance, I will dig in the Archives more and see if there are others.

BSOR Patarak · **Posted:** Tue Sep 24, 2024 8:08 pm

One possibility may exist for a renumber at the A&A. When the Evans Car was purchased by the A&A in early 1941 there was also a fleet of wooden refrigerator cars online. There was already a #108 and possibly a #109 box car. The 108 was purchased in 1933. I have no dates on a 109 car, though it was listed in some Official Railroad Equipment Registers. In 1941 there were cars #102 through #108 for sure on the A&A. The last two of these wood refers were sold off in 1955.

If there was an existing roster #108 on the A&A and the Evans car arrived, it is possible that it was renumbered to 109 to avoid duplicate numbers. This may also stand to reason why the first diesel purchased later in 1941 from GE became the #110.

The roster from the Keilty Book probably is the source of confusion for the Evans cars that went to Arcade. It shows A&F 102, 108 and 109. Perhaps the 102 Evans car that was originally photographed on the A&A became the A&A 109 when it was placed in full service at Arcade. There is no good disposition on that car (102) from the A&A rosters. I also only find board approval to purchase one car. The actual A&F 108 may have gone through Arcade for upgrading before going to Rhode Island, but most likely wasn't purchased by the A&A. The A&F 107 probably went direct to the C&PA in Pennsylvania (with no connection to the A&A at all). Then the A&A 109 (if renumbered) went to the CSS&SB as indicated and the actual A&F 109 may have ended up on the Grasse River directly and never really was in Arcade at all.

Speculation of course, but I will continue to look into the inspection reports....

wesp · **Posted:** Fri Sep 27, 2024 7:54 am

Here are a few updates from recent email correspondence regarding A&F 109 at National Capital Trolley Museum.

From Norm at the Shore Line Interurban Historical Society:

Quote:

We cannot find any information on the CSS auto-railer, It does not appear in any of the rail equipment roster. I am beginning to think that CSS considered it to be an off the road vehicle.

Bill Wall helped with the acquisition and recent move of A&F 109. Here are some comments from his analysis.

Quote:

... the South Shore Evans Auto-Railer was there until at least 1963, as there is a photo of it then at Michigan City. (A&F) 109 had already been at Clark's for years and there are photos of it there. So no way would South Shore #50 and the existing 109 be the same vehicle. The interior on 109 is totally there, and there are no holes of any sort where a tower was attached. The roof and ceiling of the vehicle are totally intact. It is a barn find without the barn...

If I had to make a determination, I would say that the vehicle NCTM acquired was the original Arlington & Fairfax 109, which passed through the Arcade and Attica to Grasse Valley, then to Alan Thomas, who brought it to Clark's. I would also endorse the theory that A & A renumbered one of other Auto-Railers to 109, which later was sold to South Shore. Now why they simply didn't keep the original 109 and use that is unknown. Having seen what railroad and transit systems do in real life, A & A 109 (SS 50) probably was the one in better shape, so they kept it and unloaded the other ones elsewhere. The mysteries remaining are when did A&F 109 go to the Grasse River (I am guessing early 1940's), and was Arlington & Fairfax 102 renumbered to Arcade and Attica 109? Or were more of these Auto-Railers involved somehow?

I will provide an update should I learn more about the history of A&F 109.

~Wesley

CSS&SB "South Shore Line" Auto-Railer Line Car Question

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