Re: [CBQ] War Emergency Waycars

["Don Winn via groups.io" <donswinn=gmail.com@groups.io>]

Thanks, Leo.   Great explanation on the emergency waycars!

Don

On Sat, Feb 15, 2025 at 7:47 AM Leo Phillipp via groups.io <qutlx1=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:

The post advertising the war emergency waycar model for sale brought back memories of discussions of these while i was on the BN RR. (So I’m going to share them, just delete if you’re not interested). They were converted boxcars to allow regular waycars to come off locals,transfers,etc and go into mainline service to help fill the war time traffic shortage of waycars.

In looking through the book “The Burlington Waycars” they were converted at Havelock between Jan.’43 and surprisingly Aug.’45. They were numbered 14800-14890.

The union files in my collection contain numerous complaints from crews about this
Equipment. I’ll never forget the first time I heard a co worker refer to a “widow maker waycar”. I dont know for a fact that one ever made a wife a widow but the crews who used them had strong convictions about them.

The transfers runs based in Cicero had these waycars. That is the fattest file in the group filled with complaints. The “Alley job” at Eola/Aurora had one for quite a long time. That job made a very long shove each day over many busy downtown street crossings going to the Northwestern interchange with its delivery. Think about standing in that open doorway. No platform,no railing, but at least a place to hang a tail hose on that bar across the door opening.

They were generally assigned to slow moving wayfreights,transfers and industrial switching jobs where the main function was a place for the crew to ride as opposed to watching the train on mainline movements. But this meant they were on jobs where there was lots of getting on and off. Look where access to the car is located. Not an easy feat to get on and off one of these while moving, with the door in the middle of the car. Think about that wooden step covered in snow?! If you slip or miss the step where do you think you’ll end up?

Take a look at where the marker light brackets are located at the ends. Let me know if you think you could stand on the stirrups and hang on the hand holds while carrying a marker light? Then no less hang on with one hand and place the marker light in the bracket with the other? At least one picture shows what appears to be a red lantern hanging from an end of car hand hold in lieu of marker lights.

About a dozen met early ends while in service because they are listed as “destroyed at”
And a date. Probably switching mishaps. I’ll refrain from further comment on that. But I’ll bet those were interesting investigations to sit through.

Most were scrapped starting in the late 40’s and into the early 50’s. The last was #14836 at Eola in 1960. A few were sold for use elsewhere.

Leo Phillipp

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