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There was a posting on another group by Chet French in 2002 that broached this subject:
--- In STMFC@y..., "Chet French" <cfrench@g...> wrote:
In April, I attended a joint Santa Fe - CB&Q society meet in Streator, IL and with a visit to the Streator Historical Society was able to answer my own question. A company was formed in 1906 in Streator as the Crawford Locomotive & Car Co. Mr. Crawford had a contract with the Santa Fe for repairing a large number of cars, and with this as a foundation was able to raise the capital to erect a plant. From 1908 thru 1912 the plant built the steel underframes for 8000 cars and rebuilt 5000 cars. During rush periods, as high as 1000 men were employed at the plant which covered thirty acres with buildings, tracks, and material yards. The plant was bordered by the Santa Fe on the west, and the Wabash (former Chicago & Paducah) on the east. An article written in 1912 stated that the company's specialty was rebuilding and re-enforcing freight cars, providing steel underframes and wooden bodies. At the time of the article, the Crawford Co. was working on a large contract building wood gondolas for the DT&I and Detroit Southern. At the same time the company was working on a large order of steel center sills for the CB&Q. The biggest share of business was still with the Santa Fe. In 1912,two experimental steel passenger cars were built for the Santa Fe under plans and specification of the railroad. In 1918, Crawford Co. recapitalized to build passenger cars starting in 1919. The Streator Car Co. was formed in 1919 on the same property. This is where the information got hazy. Perhaps Streator car took over the freight car business for Crawford. Crawford Co. was gone by 1922. Do not know how many passenger cars they built or rebuilt during that time. The Streator Car Co. operated into 1928 with Goerge Donnersberger as President of the company and Frank Donnersberger as VP and Mgr. A city directory shows the company gone in 1929. Chet French Dixon,IL The Sanborn Fire Map from 1916 shows the Crawford Co.
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Grateful Fred
Sugar Ridge Tower MP40 CC&P _._,_._,_
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