Nostalgia & History > WAG Wednesday: Bill’s Boxcars (vol 4)

This week we take a short break from the Alma Branch series, which has a ways to go yet. At the moment Art is still receiving some intense physical therapy, which he opted for in lieu of major back surgery. His biggest inconvenience is not having access to his computer, which means he’s been out of touch with TO for a few weeks. When he gets back home to a normal situation he’ll have quite a load of catching up to do. So I decided to substitute another “Bill’s Boxcars” episode to put a slight delay on our Alma thing. Last I heard, Art will be back home around the 16th.

This 4th volume of Bill’s Boxcars has a 2-image bonus, which was inspired by this thread posted by Evan Werkema: ( https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5174219 ). Having a bit of fun, I’ve also arranged the normal 3 images to correlate to a 3-color RR signal. Enjoy…

1. (Clear signal) NYC 74614 at N Kansas City, MO on May 28, 1960.

2. (Approach signal) PFE 2811 rolling west through Topeka, KS on December 17, 1960. “2811” was Bill’s favorite number. Art assures us that had his Pop been able to experience TO.com he would most assuredly have used the screen name of “wag2811”.

3. (Stop signal) GN 156003 in Topeka, KS on October 28, 1961. Not exactly a “box” car, but I doubt anyone will complain… ;^)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/23 01:43 by santafe199.

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How ‘bout a couple more…

4. & 5. MILW 16241 is experiencing some “technical difficulties” at the moment, which came on February 4, 1961 in Topeka, KS.
Five photos by William A. Gibson (WAG) Sr.

Thanks for looking back!
Lance Garrels (santafe199)
Art Gibson (wag216)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/23 01:46 by santafe199.

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Good ones, Lance, thanks for posting.  It looks like that Milwaukee car suffered a burned off journal like that posted earlier this week.  And I loved the GN stock car!

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

A wonderfully colorful group of house cars. Gotta love the fresh paint!  Images 4 & 5 are most instructive on the initial damage of a hot box.  Had they gone a bit further, we'd be looking a pile of derailed cars awaiting the big hook.
Thanks to you, Art and WAG for sharing these classic images.

Neat cars!

RC Lundgren

Working on a truck like that I have
done many times.

Uncle Joe

retcsxcfm Wrote: > ...  Working on a truck like ...

And I'm betting the aroma from that burned up carcass was a tad bit on the unpleasant side...

;^)

Lance - thanks for a wonderful selection of 60's era freight cars.  Wish I had taken many more in my early days.  Although much of the rail industry was in deep financial trouble in the 60's and 70's, the colorful and varied freight cars of that era seemed to belie that.  Hope you have more to share.  Thanks.

Steve Salamon
Valley City, OH

cr7998 Wrote: > ... Hope you have more to share ...

By a quick estimate, there are many dozens more boxcars to see from Bill's (& Art's) camera(s). So don't go anywhere... ;^)

Lance

I see what appears to be a scorch mark near other end of that MILW boxcar. Wonder if it had two hotbox issues......

Enjoyable series of boxcars!!

Larry

When re assembling the truck, are the springs just lightly loaded by the bolster.
Do they just slide into place, or what?     -- Thanks, Jim B.

James R.(Jim) Baker
Whittier, CA

Geat photos, Lance! Thanks for posting these. Really like the stock car!

Great images from the days when frieght trains were still eye pleasing.
We probably all can recall counting cars on passing freights.  My buddies and I would often change this up, and instead count how many different railroads one could count in the train.

AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

I wonder if that Morrell reefer behind the NYC boxcar, was ever a visitor to the Topeka plant?

How about the Central of Georgia "football" paint scheme!

Brian Ehni

Yeah I noticed those too - especially since there's two in the same shot...maybe in the southeast but I wouldn't expet to see them in Topeka.

twin_star_rocket Wrote:
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> How about the Central of Georgia "football" paint
> scheme!
>
> Brian Ehni