C&S Auto Car -- Goin' for a Ride!

[Jim Courtney]

I found these two John Maxwell contact prints filed under "Boxcars", hiding amongst a bunch of plans:



Maxwell negative number KT8242, photographer likely Jackson Thode.


Unlike the D&RGW, which transported new autos to dealerships on flat cars, covered with tarps, the C&S modified at least two narrow gauge boxcars for the same purpose. C&S 8242 is a SUF boxcar, modified with an end door on the "A" end for vehicle loading / unloading.

Now I know Keith has his plate full, building a string of ten 1902 coal cars, finishing the depot and the roundhouse, etc.  But he really needs to build one of these, so that Leadville can take delivery of all the vehicles Keith's been building.  And Keith, the door needs to open, so that autos can be unloaded at the Leadville team track. If the A end is pointed toward Denver, you may have to run it around the wye first, to be able to unload it!

The photo is dated May 21, 1938.  The Auto Car is loaded on a D&RGW flat car in the Denver yard, prior to taking a trip to Ridgeway, CO, so that the new owner, Victor Miller, can operate it on the Rio Grande Southern.

The Auto Car 8242 had lots of traveling companions that day, with various C&S boxcars and stock cars along for the trip:


Maxwell negative number KJCT-1, photographer uncertain, likely Jackson Thode.


Note SUF boxcar 8222 has been rebuilt with a wooden roof, as on an older boxcar of 1907.

[Robert McFarland]

There was an "Up Clear Creek" article about these cars.

[John Greenly]

A very interesting car, I've never seen an end door like this.  

Brings up a small question: I've always wondered why do some grabirons have funny offset ends, like the lower left one on the end of the car in your first photo?  I've assumed it's because something on the inside of the car is in the way of putting a bolt in the normal straight-end position.  But, I see that on this car the bottom grabiron on the side at the far end is the same way- right end offset upward.  What are these for?

John Greenly
Ithaca, NY

[Jim Courtney]

These are "safety grabs", to prevent the brakeman's foot from slipping off the grab iron inward, to prevent falls between the rails of moving cars.  

The ones on the end have a step up toward the centerline of the car--as the brakeman moved from the side grabs to the end grabs, to climb up to the roof / brake wheel, this was the grabiron that his right foot would first rest upon; it would check the inertia of his swing around the corner of the car. (Inertia, a nice physics term, are you impressed?)

The lower safety grab on the sides had upward off-sets on each end, as this would be the first grabiron that the brakeman's feet would step on, as he climbed aboard the moving car, regardless of direction of movement.

Later, on standard gauge cars (and C&S reefers) steel strap ladders on the car sides and ends would serve the same "safety" function.

[Jim Courtney]

End doors on standard gauge 50 foot auto boxcars were commonplace, all the way back to the 1920s:

[Ken Martin]

The first Auto car was 7571 an ex 27' boxcar. It was added to the ORER in 1917.

Car 8242 was added in 1918 and 7571 was dropped from the ORER.

Ken

[John Greenly]

All for inertia, yes!  That's very interesting.   Actually I did wonder about some such safety function,  but I vaguely recollect seeing ones like that in locations where such purpose didn't make obvious sense.  Now I'll keep a sharp eye out for where they are used.  I wonder when these came into use.

So, eventually I'll have to replace a bunch of grabs on my models….

what fun!

John Greenly
Ithaca, NY

[John Greenly]

Now that I see your photo of the standard gauge car I do remember seeing end doors before.  Somehow seeing the wood-sheathed narrow gauge car didn't bring this to mind.  Thanks!

John

[Keith Hayes]

Jim, you sure have a lot of projects for me: I haven't even started the Beer Depot yet.

[Ken Martin]

I found this in a 1911 Popular Mechanics.



Ken Martin