Hi,

Came across this pic in a newsgroup of a "copper-clad" New Haven coach now at the Palmer, MA depot/restaurant. Anyone know where this car came from?

Thanks!

Rob

http://www.nanosphoto.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=100&pos=12

The car was built as a copper-clad open platform NH coach by Osgood Bradley in Worcester, about 1905. In 1928, a batch of the copper-clads were put on steel underframes and had steel vestibules added, and they went into Boston-area commuter service until 1949. NH replaced them with old Pullman parlors that had coach seats installed.

A group of remaining CCs went into work service; the car in question became W-163 and was assigned to the Bridgeport wire train, if I remember correctly. The end sheet cut-out "windows" date from that service. Some of these things lasted into the early 70s; a few came to live at Essex, and W-163 was bought by Bill Dulmaine, long-time editor of the NHRHTA's "Shoreliner" magazine. Bill is from the Worcester area and arranged storage on the Grafton & Upton for many years-- I think the car came to Grafton about 1977 or so.

The car had some interior partitions added during wire train service, so it is not a "bowling alley" inside. Bill did a considerable amount of interior restoration/clean up and the car was very nice inside-- varnished mahagony, etc. A lot of exterior work was done, but one side has some problems that Bill was never able to completely correct. The car was the Shoreliner production office for many years.

Early last year, after some management changes on the G&U, Bill had to get the car off the property. It's availablity was promoted at the 2006 Amherst show, and the Steaming Tender people acquired it this past summer. The car has wood/steel composite trucks and cast iron wheels, so road movement was the only option for transport.

OK, why the "copper-clad" thing? A Master Car Builder of the New Haven, William Appleyard, felt that wrapping EACH piece of exterior wood sheathing, letterboards, end posts, etc. in copper sheet, would prolong the life of the car and increase the time between exterior stripping and painting sessions.

Don't have any references handy for exact details, but a rough history of the car goes like this:
Buiilt in the early 1900s by Osgood Bradley in Worcester. Mass., as part of a large order numbered 15xx-16xx.
Was part of a much smaller group, 20-30 cars perhaps, that were rebuilt with steel underframes, enclosed steel ends, and various other upgrades, during the later 1920s.
A number of these cars went into work train service in the 1940s, several survived into the preservation era.
Four went to the Valley Railroad under various ownerships, the car now at Palmer was purchased by William Dulmaine and moved to a siding on the Grafton & Upton RR in central Mass., where it received considerable conservation over the years. Thanks to this it is in the best shape of any of the survivors. Reportedly the car was offered to various local rr preservation venues, but no firm committments were made. Allegdly a management change at the G&U resulted in a spectucular increase in siding storage charges, so it was not economically feasible for the car to remain on the G&U. The Steaming Tender people made the right offer at the right time, so further adventures begin. The New Haven Railroad finally has arrived at Palmer, which was never served by them in the past.