The Transitioning of Rolling Stock early 19th Century to the mid 1950's

.

Interesting question with a seemingly wide scope so here goes.

During the war years, the railroads needed every piece of equipment to handle shipping needs of the times. During the 1930s, the economic depression reduced equipment demands but things changed in the late 1930s. There were many woodsided box cars . refrigerator cars , Gondolas and during the war years Hoppers with steel framework but having wood sides. Many of these cars were rebuilt and modernized in this period to extend their life. A lot of these cars lasted in service into the 1950s.

World war 2 brought a rize in the number of tank cars on the rails because of German submarines operating off the east coast sinking tankers . Tank cars reduced this danger to the supply.

Steel cars in the USA came about in the late 1920's early 1930s . The Pennsylvania RR's x-29 box car design was born in this time and was used bu several eastern RRs as well as the PRR.The AAr created a steel box car design about 1937 which sort of became a standard at that time.

Reefers at the end of World war 1 were usually 36 foot wood car designs with ice bunker cooling. Some railroads and private owners had insulated cars for the shipment of milk and dairy products , the milk sent in both tanks and individual tanks. In the 1920s, 40 foot designs came about also wood Construction. Steel reefers came about in the 1930s.

In the 1930s , the ICC ruled that use of advertising on reefers , the so called Billboard cars was  not allowed unless the car was carrying the product . Meat reefers continued with the owners logo and trademarks since that was what they were carrying. The 36 foot wood reefer continued in service into the 1960s because many of these cars had overhead trolley fixtures to hang the sides of beef etc which matched the facilities at the meat packing plants where they were unloaded. Some of these plants had sidings in parallel and cars would be unloaded by setting up the trolley to roll the side of beef through adjacent cars to reach the packing plant unloading dock.

In the post war period, 50 foot box cars . reefers, hoppers , gondolas stated appearing on American railroads as wood cars were being phased out. Welded tank cars and frameless designs began to appear in the late 1940s.i

'

I have the book, Pacific Fruit Express by Thompson, Church, and Jones, a big tome that gives you more about that line than you'd ever want.  It's only about reefers, and only about PFE reefers at that, but the hundreds of photos make it clear that rolling stock had long lives, that railroads mixed old and new, and wood lasted well into the '50s. 

"My reason for this communication my friends is to get your advice and guidance’s on early “19th century Rolling Stock” transitioning to “Woodside Rolling Stock” then also transitioning to steel boxcars and refers used in the 1940’s to mid-1950’s"

    I can recall quite a few wooden sided cars in the early 1950's and one specific car built in 1919 that I saw in the local railyard about 1958, it still had the old vertical brake staff up above the roof so I climbed up and tried it out :&gt  Railroading was quite  interesting in the later half of the 50's as new diesels were showing up constantly and along with these old surviving cars there was new 50 foot boxcars and covered hoppers with roller bearing trucks. I doubt most of use realized how soon the railroads would run into financial troubles and start the killing off of most of the classic old names.......DaveB 

Correct. My mistake. Due to limited American Rail history here in Australia all my research is via the net. And now from forum members who have some historical knowledge or have purposed to apply these facts to their own personal layout. Thanks and cheers Al

.

Interesting question with a seemingly wide scope so here goes.

During the war years, the railroads needed every piece of equipment to handle shipping needs of the times. During the 1930s, the economic depression reduced equipment demands but things changed in the late 1930s. There were many woodsided box cars . refrigerator cars , Gondolas and during the war years Hoppers with steel framework but having wood sides. Many of these cars were rebuilt and modernized in this period to extend their life. A lot of these cars lasted in service into the 1950s.

World war 2 brought a rize in the number of tank cars on the rails because of German submarines operating off the east coast sinking tankers . Tank cars reduced this danger to the supply.

Steel cars in the USA came about in the late 1920's early 1930s . The Pennsylvania RR's x-29 box car design was born in this time and was used bu several eastern RRs as well as the PRR.The AAr created a steel box car design about 1937 which sort of became a standard at that time.

Reefers at the end of World war 1 were usually 36 foot wood car designs with ice bunker cooling. Some railroads and private owners had insulated cars for the shipment of milk and dairy products , the milk sent in both tanks and individual tanks. In the 1920s, 40 foot designs came about also wood Construction. Steel reefers came about in the 1930s.

In the 1930s , the ICC ruled that use of advertising on reefers , the so called Billboard cars was  not allowed unless the car was carrying the product . Meat reefers continued with the owners logo and trademarks since that was what they were carrying. The 36 foot wood reefer continued in service into the 1960s because many of these cars had overhead trolley fixtures to hang the sides of beef etc which matched the facilities at the meat packing plants where they were unloaded. Some of these plants had sidings in parallel and cars would be unloaded by setting up the trolley to roll the side of beef through adjacent cars to reach the packing plant unloading dock.

In the post war period, 50 foot box cars . reefers, hoppers , gondolas stated appearing on American railroads as wood cars were being phased out. Welded tank cars and frameless designs began to appear in the late 1940s.i

'

Thank you Daveb, having this testimonial is priceless. First hand view and historially correct witness. This surely helps me in my choice and direction for the rolling stock I have in mind for our lay out.

Last Train

You may find this link interesting. It shows construction at the Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal which was a large dock railroad in NYC, ie borough of Brooklyn. Notice lots of wood box cars and Refrigerator cars. Tank cars appear to be metal. Cast Iron Tanks began to replace wood tanks in the 1870s

.http://www.flickr.com/photos/p...s/72157649197259844/ 

The two refrigerator cars you posted photos are cars of the pre world war 1 to world war 2 era. The Continental Fruit express is an early design car and it is decorated in a style that would be common around the World War 1 era. You will see cars decorated in that style in the link posted. The Fairmont car is a little later in time probably in the Billboard refrigerator car era between the two wars. While the billboard advertising disappeared in the 1930s, the cars did not especially meat reefers because of plant infrastructure. Some of these made it to the `1960s, albeit with some modernization.

I once saw a photo of a Swift Meet packing reefer in the modern colors with a Plug Door modification.