Nostalgia & History > Al Chione Dupe Slides: GN Passenger Cars, Part 4

The next 4 slides:

Photo #13: steam generator #1, 1 of 4 such cars (#1-#4) built by StLCCo in 1928.  Each car had a 150 psi center-mounted boiler, measuring 73.25" in diameter, 86.625" tall, with 480 1.5" flues, measuring 59.75" in length, the heating surface of the firebox was 35 sq. feet, the heating surface of the tubes was 922 sq. feet. Water was held in 3 corner-mounted tanks connected with 6" piping, each measuring 9' x 6' x 3', for a capacity of 3,570 gallons. The 2 pop valves measured 1.5" open, the steam gauge was an Ashcroft Electrical Control 300, with a Reliance JR low water alarm, the water pump was a Warren Special measuring 4.5" x 2.75" x 4", the feed pump governor was a Fisher 0.5" angle type, the inspirator was a Hancock #25. Fuel oil was held in the fourth corner-mounted tank measuring 9' x 5'6" x 3' for a capacity of 1,100 gallons, the oil pump was a Warren Special measuring 3" x 2" x 3", the oil pump governor was a Fisher 0.375" angle type. These cars were also equipped with a Type E dynamo and a MVAH-17 battery. All equipment was installed by GN, recorded in Appplication for Expenditure (AFE) 34978.

Total car length was 43'8.125" over coupler pulling faces (buffers), the length over framing was 40', and the inside length was 39'4.75". These cars rode on 2 axle Commonwealth cast steel trucks with 36.5" rolled steel wheels, with a truck wheelbase of 8', and a center wheelbase of 26'. The car width over framing was 9'11.875", the width over crown molding was 11'2.5" and the inside width was 9'4.25". Total height from the top of the rail to the top of the boiler stack was 16'4". These cars had a total weight of 161,400 lbs.

In 1946, GN re-equipped #1 & #2, recorded in AFE's 71167 & 72500:

The original boiler was replaced by 2 Vapor Clarkson steam generators. A diesel motor-generator replaced the original Type E dynamo, with 64 volt exide batteries. The air compressor was a single stage Devilbiss. The total light weight was 128,000 lbs. and the weight when filled was 166,550 lbs. Further changes were made under AFE 86486, with the 2 steam generators afterwards listed as Vapor CFK-4225, steam generation capacity was afterwards listed as 4,500 lbs. per hour.

In 1954, GN re-equipped #3 & #4:

#3 was re-equipped under AFE 84943:

The original boiler was replaced by 2 Vapor OK-4740 steam generators, with a total generation capacity of 9,000 lbs. per hour. A 50 hp #311 diesel engine provided electricity, including 18 kw of lighting, with 64 volt batteries. The air compressor was a Gardner-Denver ADF. The total weight when filled was 165,700 lbs.

#4 was re-equipped under AFE's 84031 & 89526:

The original boiler was replaced by a single Vapor OK-4740 steam generator with a generation capacity of 4,500 lbs. per hour. A 43 hp General Motors diesel engine provided electricity, including 10 kw of lighting, with 64 volt batteries. The air compressor was a Gardner-Denver ADF. The total weight when filled was 161,000 lbs.

In 1968, GN sold 3 steam generators (called "heater cars" by GN and later BN) to WP as #591-#593: GN #1, #2, and #6.  The #1/#591 was later acquired by Doyle McCormack, and is now Daylight Locomotive & Machine Works (DLMX) #8645 Little Boy, painted in SP Daylight colors and used to provide steam during the fire-up of #4449 (and presumably #700).  The #2/#592 was later acquired by Bruce Moore as Northwestern Rail Equipment (NRE) #2, and was later restenciled New Century Rail Transport (NCBX) #592, and was stored with a number of former GN heavyweight cars owned by Moore at the Big Pasco Industrial Park, Pasco, WA.  Moore also owned several lightweight GN cars stored in Walla Walla, WA.  Recently, it appears that a number of cars at both locations have been or are to be scrapped, but I don't know if this includes the #2.  I don't have any disposition info for either #3 or #4.

#1 was likely photographed in Skykomish.

Photo #14: wood (with steel underframe) 30' RPO-baggage-express #91, 1 of 22 such cars (#72-#93) built by AC&F in 1913, originally #800-#821, later renumbered (before 1930) to clear the #8xx-series for coaches built by B&S in 1910 which were previously in the #41xx-series.  The 1952 diagram folio shows that several cars were steel-sheathed: #73 (applied in 1926), #78, #79, #82, #84, #92, and at least one other car that had been stricken from the roster.  I don't have specific disposition info for the #91, but at least 2 cars were later transferred to the MofW department.  Location of this photo is unknown.

Posting from Estes Park, CO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/15 18:09 by Rainier_Rails.

Next 2:

Photo #15: branchline caboose #X182, 1 of 4 such cars (#X182-#X183 and #X186-#X187) converted in 1966 at the St. Cloud Shops from #565-series coach-baggage cars, which had been reconfigured from #641-series coach-sleepers, originally coaches built by either AC&F in 1913 or B&S in 1910.  (Only #641-#642/#569-#570 were B&S, #643-#665 were AC&F, originally #3700-#3722.)  I don't know the numbering history for either the #X182 or #X183, and I don't have disposition info for 3 of these cars (the #X187 is now in Fort Peck, MT).  Location of this photo is unknown.

Photo #16: baggage car #260, 1 of 2 such cars (#260-#261) renumbered from #235 and #237, which were reconfigured in 1924 from RPO's #16 and #18, which were 2 of 8 cars (#11-#18) built by B&S in 1914.  Interestingly, as late as the 1966 diagram folio, these cars apparently still had the original RPO windows in place, which were later blanked out as seen here.  This photo was probably taken near the end of the car's revenue service career, as both cars are not included in the 1968 folio.  To the right of #260 is streamlined heavyweight rules instruction car #B5, which was converted in 1955 from Pullman Plan #2412U 16 section tourist sleeper #6080, formerly #4028, converted in 1935 from sleeper Ransford, built in 1916 in Lot #4386 to Plan #2412F, 1 of 25 such cars built in that Lot, 4 of which, including the Ransford, were built for the Burlington Route.  #B5 is now on display in Ham Lake, MN.  I don't have any disposition info for either the #260 or #261.  (It's entirely possible that these 2 cars were transferred to the MofW department circa 1968).  Location of this photo is unknown.

Posting from Estes Park, CO