Re: [CBQ] Flatcars

["Ken Martin via groups.io" <kmartin537=surewest.net@groups.io>]

Here is a listing of dictionaries online.

https://www.pacificng.com/w/index.php?title=Car_Builder%27s_Dictionaries

Ken Martin

On Dec 29, 2025, at 9:59 AM, Ray Breyer via groups.io <rtbsvrr69=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

Hi Kevin, 

The information is out there, but you have to dig for it. Head to Google Books and every issue of the Car Builders' Dictionary (Car Builder's Cyclopedia after 1922) between 1879 and 1961 is there. That will give you thousands of plans.  Additionally, look for the trade magazines: National Car Builder, National Car & Locomotive Builder, Railway Age, Railway Gazette, American Engineer & Railroad Journal, Railway Master Mechanic, etc., etc. Usually, full bound annual editions are on GB, and each will have a plan of "something" each month, including freight cars. Finally, look for "Railway Car Construction, by William Voss, published in 1892. it's the single best description of how all-wood freight cars were built before the 20th Century.

Note that there's not much in the way of flat car PLANS from the 1800s. In general there was no real difference between flats and gondolas ("coal cars") in that period, so look at gondola plans for ideas of what flats would have looked like.

I've attached some low hanging fruit to get you started.

Regards, 

Ray Breyer
Elgin, IL

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