Gerald
These are my thoughts on the photo -
Box car 26519 was built by Wells & French in 1891 (26503-26753), while 26259 behind it (if that is the correct number) was built the same year by Missouri Car &
Foundry (26003-26502). Both were 34’ cars, and the light panel at the top of the side doors announces that they were equipped with air brakes. Both cars would be placed in class XM-3 when the Burlington introduced classes in 1910-11. I’d like to know what
the extra lines of words were on 26519 at the bottom of the side under the road number.
The Burlington Route herald on the side of 26259 has the initials “CB&QRR” underneath, a practice which disappeared about the end of the century. Other companies within the Burlington group used the same herald but with their own initials.
The car to the left beyond the gondola (listed as a “coal car” up to 1905) is a Chicago & Iowa box car probably built in about 1880, with an inside length of 27’ 5½”. The company was leased to the Burlington on 1 January 1892 but the equipment was no longer
listed in ORER’s by March 1894, which may help date the photo. The cars were renumbered variously as CB&Q 9564-9958 and the last one of this group survived until 1912. It also appears to have the company initials under the herald.
The box car behind 26259 – looks like 18170 – was built in 1885 as a “lumber & furniture car” for “Chicago and Western Connections only” and reclassified as a box
car in 1887. There is no Burlington Route herald on the side which is hardly surprising as the herald was only adopted by the company in 1884, and then initially for advertising.
Hol thinks that the use of company initials under the Burlington Route herald continued until 1904, when the wholesale renumbering of subsidiaries equipment commenced. If anyone can more accurately date the end use of company initials, I would be grateful to
hear from them.
The Stirling Rock Falls Historical Society doesn’t have an e-mail address or I would ask if they had any other photos or a larger scan of this photo. If anyone lives in Stirling, perhaps they could enquire on our behalf.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
From: CBQ@groups.io <CBQ@groups.io>
On Behalf Of Gerald Edgar
Sent: Sunday, 26 April 2020 3:39 am
To: CBQ@groups.io
Subject: Re: [CBQ] FW: [RealSTMFC] early CBQ cars
Can anyone make out what's written on white panel of door =
CB&@Q box far right adjacent to Mill? Alsi is that a C&I BR car center foreground? Did not see date at the data source but this is indeed old! Tks for sharing!