Nostalgia & History > Arden NV or Apex? When empty return to question...

back in the late 60's, I hazily recall a bulkhead flat car parked in El Cajon along Marshall Ave. with fiberboard or gypsum board at a building supply business with the stencil in paint that read "When Empty Return to A------, Nev." Not sure if it was Apex or Arden, NV. Young(er) railfans have prob. never seen a stencil "When Empty return to XXX"...I always thought they were cool- dedicated cargo containers...I have an Athearn HO SP Hi-Cube that reads "When Empty return to Marion, Ohio"...My Dad wondered if was a car that hauled appliances like washing machines or the like...Steve

---

Would have been Apex, the junction to the industrial spur to the Pabco Gypsum plant
a few miles East of Apex.

Out

Lots of SP paper cars said " when empty, return to SP agent, Eugene"

I know the Athearn car your talking about,I got one of those on my layout too.I remember cars here in Clarksburg,WV that used to say for switch service only Clarksburg,WV. They were used at local glassware plant and hauled glassware to their warehouse about 5 miles away. GRS

You can still see cars with this type of message on them. Some CN work service hoppers still say "RETURN TO SYDNEY N.S. FOR COAL LOADING". CN 91317 photographed in Brantford, ON 2012-03-19.

Rob Smith
Hamilton, ON

---