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B&M Freight Cars Home

Boston & Maine Freight Cars - Summary

NOTE: It is best to view this with the web browser window as WIDE as possible!

Index

• Some General Notes
• Subsidiaries and Predecessors
• ORER Info
• Boxcars
• Gondolas
• Flat Cars
• Stock Cars
• Reefers, Milk and Ice cars
• Hoppers (including covered hoppers)
• Tank Cars
• Miscellaneous
• Leased Cars
• "Line" cars
• General Info
• Notes/discussion/TODO about this web page
• Thanks to contributors
• Revision History of this page

Some General Notes

This was developed using "Official Railway Equipment Registers" ("ORER").
MUCH more info in the ORERs can be found here - including lists of ones I (and the B&MRRHS) have
If you know of other sources for freight car info (annual reports or ?) I would really appreciate it if you could let me know what/where/how to access this data.

Several issues noted while working with the ORERs:

• This is a preliminary listing of classes of cars. If you find errors, I'd appreciate feedback.
• This page JUST covers cars marked for the B&M (and MTC).
• For some reason, several railroads had cars lettered "B&L", but were (apparently) owned (leased?) by the other railroad (Passumpsic, Concord & Montreal, Northern, St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain)
  (The ORERs included the "B&L" cars in the OTHER railroads' lists of cars)
  I list them in the OTHER railroad as well
• As the various railroads merged, I am making no attempt to map cars from old to new owner numbers, unless obvious. The old car numbers are kept under the original railroad until the no longer appear in the new railroad's list.
  Note where the old lettered cars appear in the new owner's list, there are often no counts listed.
• Looks like the Concord & Montreal did a system wide renumbering about 1890 (for Concord RR, BC&M RR, Pemigewasset Valley RR, and Whitefield & Jefferson)
• Looks like the Fitchburg also did a system wide renumbering about 1890 (for FRR, BHT&W, T&B, BB&G)
  It is unclear how they were going to relabel "F.R.R." cars (perhaps to "Fitchburg RR"?)
• For cars before 1893, the car listings are typically very fragmented:
  E.g. the Cheshire RR in June, 1890 had 230+ rows for only 490 cars!
• Dates in the "New" column with an asterisk ("1893*", "1900*") are the dates renumberings started.
  Some/all of the cars in the series likely existed before that date, but they would be listed in some other series of cars.
• For now, I am not covering pre-1893 car numbering, as it is so chaotic.
  When I get a chance, I will attempt to cover earlier numbers (from 1885, if I can get access to the appropriate ORER data, and earlier, if earlier data can be found)
• In 1893-04 (most likely due to the chaos/confusion as they bought/leased the other railroads) the B&M created a new numbering scheme for their freight equipment.
  The renumbering seems to have been completed by 1894-06
  • These car series are listed as "1893*" in the "New" column
  • No attempt will be made to match old to new numbers, unless obvious.
• After acquiring the Fitchburg RR in 1900, the B&M did several (partial) renumberings starting in 1900-09
  • 1900-09 - created seried for the ex-Fitchburg cars. In many cases these series were very specific on length and/or weight
    For the most part, these new series did not have car counts specified (the count was "…")
    If a new 1900-09 series was later eliminated in 1900-11, that series will ONLY listed on this web page
  • Some of the 1900-09 series were merged / changed in 1900-10
  • 1900-11 - partially modified numbering scheme again (from 60 to 56 series).
    In many cases the smaller length car series were combined (instead of separate 28', 30', 32' series they were combined into one series 28-32', or whatever)
  • 1901-02 - start of another round of partial renumberings
  
  Again, no attempt will be made to match old to new numbers, unless the specific number series transferred across the renumbering "as is".
  Note in the "1900" renumbering, in some cases, 2 or 3 "pre-1900" classes got combined into one "1900-1902" class, and in other cases, one "pre-1900" class got split into 2 or 3 "1900-1902" classes.
  These car series are listed as "1900*" in the "New" column
• Dates in the "Last Listed" column with a "dagger" ("†") are still listed in the last ORER listing for the B&M (Jan, 2012).
  In the April, 2012 ORER, there is a notice in the "Changes" section at the front that the B & M Corp (reporting mark "BM") registration was eliminated.
  Based on "insider" information (email from Mike Clements, 24-Feb-2022), the people at the B&M have no idea why the B&M was eliminated from the ORER (they still buy a copy of the ORER, they still supplied the publisher with data, the cars are still in UMLER, but the listing was removed). Note the MEC listing was also removed (although I don't know exactly when).
• In the 1800s, some cars were listed as "Hay" cars - these have been grouped with the box cars
• In the 1800s, some cars were listed as "Platform" cars - these have been grouped with the flat cars
• Note I am going by ORER listings to group cars together. In many cases, more than one order (from builders) may be included in the same ORER group.
  When I get data, I will try to go back & document individual orders (where info exists) on the "class" page for each car group.
• Equipment NOT included:
  • Passenger equipment listed in the ORERs are not included here
    Note: Some cars (Milk, Express Freight) moved back & forth - they will be included here
  • M.O.W. and buggies (cabooses/conductor cars) are likewise not included here
• Railroads NOT included - some railroads that (while wholly or partially owned/leased by the B&M and/or predecessor railroads, at some point), were never actually merged into the B&M.
  Their data will not be covered (However, ORER data may be available - see link above). These include:
  • St. Johnsbury & Lake Champlain
    Note: all StJ&LC cars were purchased by the B&M in 1904-06
  • Maine Central
  • Portland Terminal
  • Montpelier & Wells River
  • The various Barre (Vt.) railroads (Barre; Barre & Chelsea, etc.)
  • Central Vermont

Subsidiaries and Predecessors

• Boston, Barre & Gardner
• Boston, Concord & Montreal (initially B&L, includes some cars marked B&L)
• Boston, Hoosac Tunnel & Western
• Boston & Lowell
• Cheshire
• Concord
• Concord & Claremont RR
• Concord & Montreal (includes some cars marked B&L)
• Connecticut River
• Eastern
• Fitchburg
• Manchester & Lawrence
• Northern (New Hampshire) (includes some cars marked B&L)
• Passumpsic (includes some cars marked B&L)
• Pemigewasset Valley
• Portland & Rochester
• Sullivan County
• Troy & Boston
• Vermont Valley
• Whitefield & Jefferson
• Worcester, Nashua & Rochester

Boxcars

Boxcars 13600-19999, from 1897 to 1907

It took a bit for me to figure this out, and (as I don't have any ORER data for 1898-1900, and 1906) I may not have it exactly correct, but this is what I *think* happened:

Notes for "Boxcars 13600-19999, from 1897 to 1907" table:

• For the 3/1901 split for 13600-15999, I don't know if this existed "naturally" (i.e. the cars were already split by capacity, but just listed as one group in 1897) or if this required renumbering the cars
• For the 11/1897 13600-15999, I am wondering if no cars were actually numbered past 14699, so the 15375-15999 numbers were "open" in 3/1901 to renumber shorter cars into?
• For the 3/1901 split for 16000-19999, I don't know if this existed "naturally" (i.e. all cars 18623 and higher were 33') or if this required renumbering the cars.
  Obviously, any cars put into 15375-15999 required renumbering.
• The cars in 15375-15999 may come from existing 16000-19999 series cars, or (as the length nomenclature matches) this series may be for ex-Fitchburg RR cars. (or both?)
• Again, in the 1901-1903 time frame, I am wondering if any cars were actually numbered in 18232-18622, so those numbers were "open" for 33' cars?
• Note that (1897) 16000-19999 series cars were (possibly) split up into /renumbered into *3* groups by 3/1901: 15375-15999; 16000-18622; and 18623-19999
• For the 1901 renumbering of 13600-15999 cars, I am *guessing* on the new number series (4xxxx), as they are the only series that match lengths & capacity data.

Boxcars photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Boxcars photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Photo Location	Description
ca 1916		B&MRRHS Flickr	wood box
ca 1910		B&MRRHS Flickr	2nd box to right of 48812
1920-06-16		B&MRRHS Flickr	WUF box, truss rods, rectangular herald
1935-08-31		B&MRRHS Flickr	box at left: SUF, wood body
		Digital Commonwealth	B&M "Hoosac Tunnel Route" boxcar, partially obscured
ca 1930		Digital Commonwealth	B&M box car, Fox trucks, WUF? partial side view, number cut off, dimensions *almost" legible Title="The one thing that troubles Atlantic Ave., freight cars have 99-year lease" Hght to eaves = 12'-7", width eaves = 9'-7"
1902-11-22		Digital Commonwealth	?B&M "Hoosac Tunnel Route"? boxcar, about the middle of the cars (between the 3=2 C&O boxcar).
ca. 1900		Digital Commonwealth	Is that a B&M box car? or use: https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/qf85nq649
		Digital Commonwealth	Is that a B&M box car? or use: https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/xp68kk659
		Digital Commonwealth	Eastern RR 4 (and maybe 8) wheeled box cars
		Digital Commonwealth	?Eastern RR 8 wheel box, [also listed in misc.]
	7064	Digital Commonwealth	B&M RR 4 wheel box (could be ex B&L - note "paint out" of "Maine" area) [also listed in misc.]
1980-03		Jim Dufour Flickr	Partial side view, perhaps 2000-2704 re-lease? - no roofwalk, "yellow dot", ACI, USRE logo
		Houghton's RailImages	40' PS-1 at Hoosac Wharf (near Navy Yard)
		National Park Service	2 all-wood box w/ Fox trucks, Spelled - 1 line
		National Park Service	one or more boxcars in background (left)
		National Park Service	box behind engine - wood body w/ Mogul end, rect. herald
		National Park Service	Conn River??????
1964-08	XM 26421 ?76491?	Fallen Flags	40' PS-1, paint similar to 76xxx series?, but reporting marks ?repainted.
	XM 71055?	Fallen Flags	Possibly 77000 series?
1968	XM 00000	Fallen Flags	40' PS-1, paint similar to 76xxx series?
1983		New England RR Photo Archive	78000 series?
2018-07-17		New England RR Photo Archive	76000 series?
2004-02-08		New England RR Photo Archive	76000 series? (same car as previous line?)
1974-12-08		New England RR Photo Archive	looks like 40' PS-1, but repainted. Superior door, no roofwalk, cut-down ladders, ACI
1974-10-01	76491?	New England RR Photo Archive	76000 series?
1974-10-01		New England RR Photo Archive	(partial roof of B&M box at left)
1973-10-25		New England RR Photo Archive	2 77000 series? box cars - note different paint schemes
1971-03-14		New England RR Photo Archive	looks like 40' PS-1?
2010-04		New England RR Photo Archive	White / Guilford box, ?79000 series? Possibly 2nd (PAR) box also (can't see if BM or MEC)
		New England RR Photo Archive	SUF box in MOW service. Wood end.
2005-01-11		New England RR Photo Archive	I didn't know B&M had any [top down] R-2-x dreadnaught ends?
2002-08-09		New England RR Photo Archive	77000 series?
1983-03-30		New England RR Photo Archive	2 box cars - ?76xxx on left, ?77xxx on right?
1975-01-24		New England RR Photo Archive	at least 4 PS-1 box cars, hard to tell specific series
2010-12-08		New England RR Photo Archive	Caption = B&M woodside gon. Looks more like a SUF box converted to work train service (note Andrews trucks)
1980-09	3rd 70000 series?	New England RR Photo Archive	Box behind engine, guessing series from paint scheme
2008-05-25		New England RR Photo Archive	3.5 boxcars, possibly one (or more) of the 3xxx series?
1985		New England RR Photo Archive	repainted 40' PS-1?
1982-05-21		New England RR Photo Archive	Possibly a 78000 series?
2007-03-18		New England RR Photo Archive	40' PS-1?
2007-03-18		New England RR Photo Archive	40' PS-1?
2007-02-19		New England RR Photo Archive	5 boxcars, possibly 3xxx series?
1983-09-10		New England RR Photo Archive	possibly 3xxx series car?
1978		New England RR Photo Archive	40' PS-1, possibly 76000 series?
2003		New England RR Photo Archive	PS-1, possibly 77000 series?
ca 1977		New England RR Photo Archive	3 box cars, unfortunately can't see enough to figure out what series.
2002-04-30		New England RR Photo Archive	2 PS-1 box cars at Charlestown Navy Yard
1985-07		New England RR Photo Archive	3000, 3100, or 78000 series?
1996-02-06		New England RR Photo Archive	40' PS-1 at Littleton
2001-06-23		New England RR Photo Archive	?50'? car - note Dreadnaught ends (so NOT a PS-1)
1964?		New England RR Photo Archive	Looks like a 50' PS-1 (77000 series?) on the right.
2000-11-23		New England RR Photo Archive	Possibly 3200-3400 series box?
1980-09		New England RR Photo Archive
		4-4-0.com	B&M box (?WUF?)
	12xxx or 17xxx?	Florida Memory	B&M wood sheath box
		Historic Railroad Scenes 2021 Calendar for Franklin Co, MA - May	partial view of B&M (?) boxcar at right
		Per B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #29 (Apr, 1993) NHRRH&TA's Shoreliner Vol 23, #2 has a photo of B&M Double-sheathed box cars.
		Per B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #41 (Jan-Feb, 1996) the book Moguls, Mountains, and Memories has a picture of an OB boxcar in work service on p79
		B&M RR [Employees] Magazine July, 1929 (vol 6 No. 4), p6	64xxx boxcar partial side/B end (WUF, or 40 ton SUF?) - Possibly Mogul end?
		B&M RR [Employees] Magazine April 1949 (vol 17 #4) p17	car at left - is that a B&M SUF, or (if B&M, far more likely) a USRA DS box?
		Boxcars.us	p10 or 11: Title = "BM, Berlin Mills 40' Single Door Boxcar, 6031 April 4th, 1971 Berlin New Hampshire" looks like USRA double-sheathed box - ex B&M?
		Boxcars.us	p10 or 11: Title = "BM, Boston & Maine 50' Single Door Boxcar, 22, June, 2002" (32xx? 33xx? other?)
ca 1925?		B&MRRHS Facebook	WUF box w/ Mogul end at left (I believe this is a repeat photo, but I just can't make out the car #)
ca 1875		Salem State Archives Flickr collection	several box cars, unknown railroads
1914-06		Salem State Archives Flickr collection	3 MEC, 3 B&M box cars (numbers not legible)
1879-01	? RR 132	New England RR Photo Archive	wreck on BC&M - is that a BC&M boxcar?
1933-07-22		Maine Memory Network	3 panel door (71000 series box car - need to move to that series)
ca 1876	2727	NYC&HRRR Blue line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	7919	NYC&HRRR Red line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	12312	NYC&HRRR Hoosac Tunnel line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	2624	NYC&HRRR White Line reefer	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	12401	NYC&HRRR Hoosac Tunnel line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	2597	NYC&HRRR Blue line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1871?	14	MDT Blue line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	8052	NYC&HRRR Red line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	D16689	LS&MSRR Red line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	2514	NYC&HRRR White Line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
ca 1876	2431	NYC&HRRR White Line	more info here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fW24gKlhgGp0rq4R6gaOYNEVU6L3HsjbXpHtllBt6eQ/edit#gid=0
1960s?		McGinnis painted box	behind L&N (to left of Soo line)
1929-03-29		B&M Double-sheath SUF	boxcar at left. Also at https://www.flickr.com/photos/cityofbostonarchives/15044179592/
1980-10-02		Other boxcars	(note I'm not talking about the main subject of the photo, but rather the 2 boxcars on either side.
		2 B&M cars	Caption="Epsom, NH, Al Bickford collection" Box and Gon with ?Lumber? loads - car numbers can't be read
1986-12		Herbert & Povall Pine Trees & Minutemen p27 (top)	Not sure if 3000, or 3200/3300/3350 series car
"early 1900s"		Nimke, R.W. The Rutland - 60 years of trying, Volume III: The Bellows Falls Sub p91	B&M 4xxxx series boxcar, with "circled Air Brake" logo
1955-02		Nimke, R.W. The Rutland - 60 years of trying, Volume III: The Bellows Falls Sub p114	If turn book sideways, lower-left picture. I believe this is a 75000 series box (non-mcGinnis paint, side sill matches)
?	11xxx	Nimke, R.W. The Rutland - 60 years of trying, Volume III: The Bellows Falls Sub p204	Center picture. Note horse-drawn stagecoach. End view of car
1938	?	Nimke, R.W. The Rutland - 60 years of trying, Volume IV: B&R and Corkscrew Divisions p178	Middle picture. (very) partial view of wood exterior sheathed car - just "Rectangular" herald (no arrow), individual grabs instead of ladder
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume I: Greenfield-East Deerfield-Westminster p89 top	unknown series B&M box behind engine - possibly 77000 series (repainted?)
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume I: Greenfield-East Deerfield-Westminster p180 top	unknown series B&M wood body box behind CV box, partial end view only
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume I: Greenfield-East Deerfield-Westminster p183 top	unknown series B&M wood body box about photo center (Spelled one line with &)
1955-02-11	75365?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume II: Bellows Falls, Vermont East and West p42-43	5 photos of wrecked box - hard to tell if B&M car or not
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume II: Bellows Falls, Vermont East and West p76 bottom	unknown series B&M wood body box, door open, full of bagged [something]
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume II: Bellows Falls, Vermont East and West p149 top	Possible B&M cars in left, very hard to read lettering
1932-11-11		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume II: Bellows Falls, Vermont East and West p173 top	unknown series B&M wood body box, right end of car side visible, herald S3&
1973-06-22	HT&W 61	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume III: Claremont Branch... p51, top and bottom-left	Stated as ex- B&M car (USRA double-sheath)
1980-04-25	3xxx?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p9	X post box - right half of car & door, can't make out door details 2V COTS, U-1 "Dot"
1951-09-05	SUF? 0367?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p32 bottom	SUF box in work service
	PS-1	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p45 top	B end, can't tell which PS-1 series (has been repainted blue with "4 foot"? intertwined herald
1975-09-01		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p100 top	4 B&M Boxcars. A couple probably 77000 series (or derivatives), others 3xxx series?
1974-10-19	77000s?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p146 bottom	a couple (77000 series?) box cars on display (repainted w/ "4 foot?" herald.
pre-1927		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume VI: Wells River - North p27	Picture of Lyndon, vt shops in B&M era. Several wood body boxcars visible, but cannot read the car numbers
1979-03-17	PS-1	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume VI: Wells River - North p148 middle	I believe this is one of the 40' PS-1 series, can't read car #
1930-08-08	SUF box	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume VII: StJ&LC (part I), MEC p180 top	End /side, can't read car #, B&M style end sill
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p3 bottom	SUF box, fox trucks, can't read car #
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p11 top	WUF? box, hard to read anything
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p16 top	2 (or 3?) WUF box cars, hard to read lettering, fox trucks
	B&L 1761	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p17 bottom	excellent ends ("A"?) and left half of side+door
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p17 top	one (or more?) WUF box. One has unusual dark area on door (or maybe shadow?)
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p18 bottom-left	WUF box at left, "S3&" herald
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p42 bottom	SUF box, can't read car #
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p79 bottom	just a smidge of a B&M boxcar at right of photo
1925-03		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p79 bottom-left (as viewed)	Note metal roof, B&M reporting marks, "line" above
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p82 top	B&M 4xxxx series box at right. S1&. Note small ?sliding door for ventilation? below "BOS" Also appears to be several other B&M box cars in yard, but hard to read lettering
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p86 2nd from bottom	2 boxcars (end view) - one on ash pit track, one at left
1907-06-15?	13xxx?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p94 bottom	S1& reporting marks, "B&M / car# also painted on door. Unusual trucks?
1911-05-25		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p122 top-left	B&M stlye end-sill SUF box on side (after accident). S1& style reporting marks
1980-02-18		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p136 middle-right	possibly 78000 series B&M boxcar?
1980-05-26		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p36 bottom-right	several possibly 78000 series B&M boxcars?
1940s?		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p170 top	Wood box ?with Mogul end? (or is it some other RR?)
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p193 bottom	possible ex-B&M "NH style" SUF box w/ steel end
1916		Deen, William N. Minuteman Railroad - Boston & Maine's Lexington Branch p141	End of SUF boxcar, hord to read reporting marks, may not be B&M
1978	2xxx?	B&MRRHS Highliner #2 p11 top	"A" end of (I think) one of the refurbished PS-1 boxcars, ladders cut down ?4' intertwined herald

Gondolas

TODO: For 5000 and 6074 (first) series - split into separate pages, one for each group, when they were split in ORERs?

Gondola photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
1921-09-07		B&MRRHS Flickr site	wood gon at left, "spelled 1 line" ?drop end?
		National Park Service	Pratt Patent(?) gon at right
		National Park Service	wood gon in background (right)
		National Park Service	drop side? gons in train - B&M or other RR?
		4-4-0.com	B&M gons in background (left to right) (upper) All-steel gon, possibly B&M 80000 series? (upper) Pratt Patent gon? (behind engine) ?wood gon? (to right of engine) all-wood fixed side gon. Contact web site owner if you want higher resolution scan
1915-06-25		New England RR Photo Archive	gons in foreground, possibly others - need higher resolution
1899		B&M RR [Employees] Magazine Sept 1930 (vol 7 # 5) p15	2 B&M gons w/coal (hopper bottom gons?)
		B&M RR [Employees] Magazine July, 1929 (vol 6 No. 4), p13, mid-left	Hart convertible in "Hopper" configuration (which series?)
		B&M RR [Employees] Magazine Fall 1938 (vol 10 no. 5) p37, top-right	ca. 1925 - partial side view - wood side gon
		White Mountain History	Excursion on EB&L RR - all wood gon w/ stake pockets
1972-04		NERail Photo Archive	Minuteman herald on gondola
1922-05-26		B&MRRHS Facebook	I've no idea about the gon (also see flat listing below)
1890-1905?		Digital Commonwealth	B&L 8 wheel gon? under right-most "truss"
1865-1914		Digital Commonwealth	Several 8-wheel gons, can't read the lettering
ca 1877		Salem State Archives Flickr collection	Possible B&M gondola under coal pockets at left
ca 1930?		Denver Public Library Otto Perry collection	Partial view of all-steel gondola to left of engine, I am unsure if this is even a B&M car
1933-08-22		Denver Public Library Otto Perry collection	Partial view of ?USRA? gondola to left of engine, I am unsure if this is even a B&M car
1930-10-13		Denver Public Library Otto Perry collection	Partial view of all-steel gondola to left of engine. I'm pretty sure it IS a B&M car, I just don't know what series (80000 or 81000, it is too early for 92000 series) Build date is JUST obscured by uncoupler bar - it COULD be "4-[19]1x", which would be an 81000 series car
1924		Maine Memory Network	80000 or 81000 all-steel drop bottom gon at left (partial view)
1914-06-10		B&MRRHS Flickr site	Drop side wood gons? Can't read lettering.
1912-1913		B&MRRHS Flickr site	Can't read lettering - possible hopper-bottom gon?
1931-09-20		B&MRRHS Flickr site	Possible 80000 or 81000 series gon at left edge?
		2 B&M cars	Caption="Epsom, NH, Al Bickford collection" Box and Gon with ?Lumber? loads - car numbers can't be read
1953-07	?	Nimke, R.W. The Rutland - 60 years of trying, Volume IV: B&R and Corkscrew Divisions p204	"Top Right" picture. unknown if 80000 or 81000 series gon, probably in MOW service.
early 1900s		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume I: Greenfield-East Deerfield-Westminster p37 top	1 or 2 B&M drop end wood gons? Construction of B&M Main thru Dole jct.
1911-10		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume I: Greenfield-East Deerfield-Westminster p137 top	Wood Gondola xxx84, possibly Pratt Patent Also Steel gondola, 80xxx or 81xxx(?) note vertical rib/stake on end Both have "Spelled 1 line using &"
1982-12-15	M&B 44	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume III: Claremont Branch... p16 mid-right	Wood(?) Gondola, possible ex- B&M?
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p104 top	Several wood gons in (?) Ash service?
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume VIII: StJ&LC (part II), Spr. Term. p47 top	partial view of B&M wood gondola (left of block suspended from crane)
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume VIII: StJ&LC (part II), Spr. Term. p81 top	Possible ex-B&M wood gon being used as StJ&LC crane tender 466?
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p26 2nd from top	Possible end view of B&M wood gondola.
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume IX: Concord-WRJ-Swanton-Other p39 top	2 steel gons, possible one or both B&M, 2 different types? (80000 and 81000?)
1952	B&C 467?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p47 top	possible ex-B&M WUF gon, with sides mostly removed. Fox trucks
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p82 top	Drop bottom gon lower right, fox trucks. Hard to read lettering, S1& 2 tracks to the left note "end number" on B&M ?5165?
1912-01-20		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p86 top	2 gons on ash track - one possibly Pratt Patent (does end have Pratt doors as well?????)
early 1900s		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p86 2nd from top	6 gons on ash track - three possibly Pratt Patent
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p86 2nd from bottom	2 (?) gons on ash pit track - lower one possibly Pratt Patent car with top of sides folded down?
1950s		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p86 bottom	2 gons on ash pit track - one (or both) possibly USRA cars, both rectangular heralds?
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p158 2nd from top	several B&M wood gondolas, some with lumber loads Possibly some wood B&M pulpwood cars?
1880s	B&L, ?other?	Deen, William N. Minuteman Railroad - Boston & Maine's Lexington Branch p73 top	3 B&L (?) 4 wheel coal cars, with some 8-wheel cars further right
1916		Deen, William N. Minuteman Railroad - Boston & Maine's Lexington Branch p84	Pratt Patent car?
ca. 1900	B&M ?8627?	Deen, William N. Minuteman Railroad - Boston & Maine's Lexington Branch p187 bottom	Pratt Patent car?
1925-07-[13 or 14]	B&M ?	B&M Employees magazine August, 1925 issue, p13	Wood "coal car" (standard, not drop side, not Pratt) gondola, "Spelled 1 line" "B&M"
1928-02-07	B&M ?	B&M Employees magazine March, 1928 issue, p21	Looks like the corner of a B&M wood gondola peeking out of the left edge of the picture
1928-10?	B&M ?	B&M Employees magazine Nov, 1928 issue, p15	Looks like both pictures have a B&M steel (possibly 81000 series?) gondola included. Possibly converted to work service.

Flat Cars

Flatcar photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
ca 1910		B&MRRHS Flickr	Are the flat cars in front of the box cars B&M?
1898	2xxxx	B&MRRHS Flickr	car# = 2xxxx, spelled 1 line, interesting trucks (wrap-around steel + pedestals)? 22000 series, 25025 series or (less likely) 25000 series?
1886-08-06		National Park Service	wood B&M flat at left?
1984-05-26	BM 76?	New England RR Photo Archive	33500 series flat converted to wreck train service, note partial boxcar body
1984-05-26	BM 77	New England RR Photo Archive	34000 series flat converted to wreck train service, w/ caboose body and cut-down boxcar body
1984-05-26	BM 2767	New England RR Photo Archive	5320 series bulkhead flat converted to wreck train service (truck storage)
1979-08-22		New England RR Photo Archive	Is this even a B&M flat? if so, 34000 series?
late 1800s?		From a 25-Feb-2021 post on EarlyRail@groups.io - thread = "High Resolution Photos of 1888 Train Delivering Boilers" Post has link to Google Drive with 3 files, from ?Maine Historical Society? (but as of Mar-2021, I cannot find these photos on the Maine Historical Soc. web site) Dating: Wood flat cars w/ truss rods, link and pin couplers, stub switches, some wood frame w/ pedestal bearing trucks. File names (I believe these look similar to Maine Historical Society cataloging) - Coll 242 B29 F4 s1.tif - B&M [unknown #], B&M 22[1/4]31, other flats (B&M or not?) - Coll 242 B29 F4 s2.tif - B&M 26044, B&M 253[2?]7, 4 unknown (see 3rd image) (note one with "folding" side stakes ?!?!) - Coll 242 B29 F4 s3.tif - B&M 26528, B&M [unknown #], unknowns (note one with "folding" side stakes ?!?!)
1922-05-26		B&MRRHS Facebook	Flat may be 33000 series? (also see gon listing above)
1968-10-19		B&MRRHS Facebook	Is crane tender car an ex-33500 series flat?
ca 1870		Salem State Archives Flickr collection	4 flats w/side stakes and ?lumber? load
1914		Salem State Archives Flickr collection	several flat cars - not sure if any are B&M
1874?		New Hampshire Historical Society	you have to scroll thru the various view - look for the one "State Block, Main St. Concord, NH" (about middle of the list) 2 flat cars - one is 6 wheeled. Unknown RRs
ca 1930s?		Christmas trees arrive in Charlestown by rail	Possible 33500 series, also unknown "early" flat (note Fox?? trucks) in foreground (possible 33000 series??)
1978-09-18	W1xx4 (1064?)	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p65 middle	ex PS-4 flat? welded rail train - pulling welded rail. Partial side view
?	?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume VI: Wells River - North p31 middle	hard to read lettering, but possible Passumsic River RR flat(s)
1934	B&C 143	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p11 top-left	Could be ex-B&M WUF flat? (built Laconia 1903)
1909-02-20		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p79 top	possibly 2 B&M flats (can't see any detail)
1955?	?	B&M RR magazine Nov-Dec, 1955 issue, p13	Not sure if flat car is B&M or not.

Stock Cars

Reefers, Milk and Ice cars

Reefer photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
ca 1910		B&MRRHS Flickr	Note light colored (yellow?) reefer to the left

Hoppers (including covered hoppers)

Hopper photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
1939-07-30	70x7	B&MRRHS Flickr	hopper, with rect herald
1970-11-22		New England RR Photo Archive	covered hopper (possibly 5700 series?)
1971-11-09		New England RR Photo Archive	3 (or 4?) bay hopper used for wood chips, Large intertwined BM herald
ca 1985		New England RR Photo Archive	Possibly 10000 series?
1982-03-19		New England RR Photo Archive	Possibly PS-2 design?
		NMRO CD → Photos → Color-SJW → Rolling-Stock → bmhopper.jpg - ex-10000 series? (16 rib)
		NMRO CD → Photos → Color-SJW → Rolling-Stock → bmhopper-2.jpg - ex-B&LE 2-bay (7600) series?, or ex-NH cars (note 2 rung sill step)? 8 (or 9? - is center rib "hidden" in shadows?) rib offset side
1912-1913		B&MRRHS Flickr site	Can't read lettering - possible Seley hopper (59xx) at right?
1935-02-06	82x	Nimke, R.W. The Rutland - 60 years of trying, Volume VI (part 2): The O&LC Div p23 (2nd from bottom)	possibly B&M 8000 series hopper (could be B&O or other?) Only left end of side visible (just "B &" and "82" visible of reporting marks)
1981-10-02	11xxx?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p57 bottom	Ballast train with several "yellow?" (not black) hoppers
1981-10-02	11xxx?	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p59 top	Same(?) Ballast train with several "yellow?" (not black) hoppers
1912-03		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p82 bottom	Possible (6-10?) 5900 series Seley hoppers, can't read lettering

Tank Cars

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous car photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
		Digital Commonwealth	? RR 4 wheel dump
		Digital Commonwealth	4 wheel dump cars (also listed in box cars)
		Per B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #41 (Jan-Feb, 1996) the book Moguls, Mountains, and Memories has a picture of a B&M pulpwood flat on p10.
1973-05-01		New England RR Photo Archive	Hand crane on "flat" (perhaps ex-SUF Boxcar frame?)
ca 1875	B&P 475	Boston Athenaeum	not B&M, but a decent picture of a 4 wheel dump car
1973-10-17	W3586	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume V: Bellows Falls to Wells River p46 bottom-right	Scale test car in use
1956-08		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p175 Top	4 wheel logging truck - but is it ex- B&M? Several other pictures of similar 4 wheel log truck in this book (p180 top and bottom, p200 - several, etc.)

Leased cars

Leased car photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
1897-01-13		Digital Commonwealth	Eastman Improved Heater Car (railroad and car # not visible)
1898	922[?]	Historic New England	Eastman car co reefer (car # cut off)
		B&M RR [Employees] Magazine May-Jun 1956 (vol 24 #3) cover, p3 - are those the B&M converted piggyback CARS (not the trailers), or are they from another RR? Similar cars in Jan-Feb 1957 (vol 25 #1) p2 bottom and Mar-Apr 1959 (v27 #2) p19

"Line" cars

"Line" car photos I can't put in a specific class
(or predecessor railroads I don't have web pages for yet...)

Date	Car #(s)	Location	Description
?	?	??	a whole slew of Great Eastern Line
ca 1896		EarlyRail groups.io	NYC Blue line (scroll down to John Ott posting, message 45705)
	xxS&D 18833	Boxcars.us	[NOT B&M] p10 or 11: Title = "Blue Line 28' Single Door Boxcar, 18833 Holyoke, MA, 1883
ca. 1880		Maine Memory Network	3 Hoosac Tunnel line box, NONE Fitchburg RR!, 3 different paint schemes
		Pacific Coast Airline Ry	QO&NE Air line box car A larger image is in https://groups.io/g/EarlyRail/topic/75442476#49701
ca 1881		Detroit Library	blue? line box (C&NW x1395?)
		Toronto Library	possible "? line"
		Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume I: Greenfield-East Deerfield-Westminster p1003 top	(partial) White line car, unknown RR / car #
1907-06-15?	24842	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume X: Woodsville, the "Pemi", EB&L p94 bottom	Blue line box. "light" colored body with darker lettering, roof, ends, hardware Left of door "BLUE LINE", one line of text (maybe 16-20" high?) right of door "24842" (or whatever car # is), one line no other *visisble* markings

Misc. photos I can't put in any specific grouping above

1870-1914?		Digital Commonwealth	Distant view of yard south of Salem, MA station. lots of interesting equipment (4 & 8 wheel, box, gon, wood racks, etc.), unfortunately none of the lettering is legible
1955-05-11		B&MRRHS Highliner Issue #1 p14	Flat car w/ containerized bulk flour - unknown if car is B&M or other. Note superstructure added to retain containers and extra ?crosspieces? on top of car and on fright house platform behind car

General Info

• Much of this research for the 1915-1955 time frame was initially done by Tim Gilbert, in a "semi-published" manuscript distributed in the 2001 time frame.
• All B&M car orders between 1931 and 1953 (except well hole flat cars, depressed center flat cars, and gondolas, all purchased in 1942) were joint orders with the Maine Central RR.
  (Note that the MEC did order other car series NOT shared with the B&M, for paper and cement traffic)
• All data on this page is the ORIGINAL (build data). If bought used, it is the date the cars first appear in the ORERs.
  Modified data is listed on the individual car series pages
• Abbreviations
  • B&M = Boston & Maine Railroad
  • B&O = Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
  • P&LE = Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad
  • MTC = Mystic Terminal Company (Owned by the B&M)
  • VV = Vermont Valley Railroad
  • SC = Sullivan County Railroad
  • B&ADF Cooperage = B. & A. D. Fessenden Cooperage (Townsend, MA) (Is "Cooperage" the car type?)
  • C&M = Concord & Montreal Railroad
  • Tr.Tr.Co. = Tropical Transportation Co
  • N&CV Line = Northern & Central Vermont Line
  • Q.O.&N.E.A. Line = Quebec, Ottawa, and New England Air Line
  • G.E. Line = Great Eastern Line
  • C.P. Desp. = Canadian Pacific Despatch
  • C.S. Desp. = Central States Despatch
  • E.F.C.H. Co. = Eastman Freight Car Heater Co.
    I believe "E.C. Co." also refers to the Eastman Freight Car Heater Co. (Eastman Car Co. ?)
  • WUF = Wood underframe
  • SUF = Steel underframe
  • GATC = General American Transportation Corp
  • WSC&F = Western Steel Car & Foundry

Notes/discussion/TODO about this web page

• Additional "Single letter" columns
  • "Air Brake" (spelled, in circle, whatever) - during 1880s (or whenever) transition?
  • "CAPY" line painted out or missing
  • Dimensional / weight Data - "early", ARA? std (1920s), later (no CAPY), other reductions (GWR?)
  • No (or removed) Roofwalk, "A" end ladders cut down, low/high brake wheel
• Photos - add columns for:
  • Location
  • Photographer/collection
• Modeling info - Add separate columns for following???
  • Accuracy [fictional, stand-in, reasonably close, very]
    -"body"
    -"decoration" (painting/lettering)
  • Known dates of production/availability

• all (especially post 1900) - establish "original" paint schemes, repaint schemes

• When Flats 24000-26899 split (1901-06) move 26842-26899 to a separate page?
  • https://groups.io/g/EarlyRail/message/32369 - thread "B&M Freight Car Colors" started 2012-01-04
    
    Thanks for the lead on the Railroad Car Journal.
    I have looked at it before at the Cleveland Public Library.
    It is in remote storage, so takes a day to get to the reading room.
    
    But from the online copy from the Linda Hall Library.
    December 1897 (Vol 07, No 12) page 384
    
    The Boston & Maine has recently adapted [sic - adopted?] a new color for its entire freight car equipment, exclusive of caboose, refrigerator and line cars. It is a mineral brown, a shade darker than its present coal and flat cars and roofs are painted. The old, time-honored color for box cars, which this is to supplant, was a slate or lead color. At the same time, white is adopted as the stencil color, and a Roman text selected to take the place of the old block letters which were put on in yellow. This will mark a new era in the road's equipment, and is in the line of economy, as the mineral paint costs less than the slate color, and is equally durable. The iron work of all, except caboose, refrigerator, and line cars, is to be painted this color, thus rendering painting by the spray method perfectly practicable, also the trucks (both wood and iron) of all cars are to be served the same way, no blacking for iron being done, except on bodies of caboose, refrigerator and line cars. This order was promulgated Oct. 29, and appears like a good long step in the right direction.
    Howard Garner

  • https://groups.io/g/EarlyRail/message/32368 - thread "B&M Caboose Colors" started 2012-01-04
    Railroad Car Journal, Dec 1900, page 359
    
    The Boston & Maine when from painting their cabooses all red to red on the ends only. The remainder to be their standard brown.
    For the year ended June 30, they painted 133 cabooses. Estimated saving is $5.00 per car.
    
    More details on line.
    
    Note that the Railroad Car Journal had a section titled "Railroad Paint Shop" This was the "Official Organ of the Master Car & Locomotive Painters Association". Much discussion on painting and varnishing techniques and lettering styles. (where else can you find 49 ways to draw the ampersand letter?) Some discussion of color changes are mentioned (including the beginning of "Pullman Green")
    Howard Garner
  • https://groups.io/g/EarlyRail/topic/83022415#52324 - thread on "Revisiting the Blue Line fleet's colors" (first post 23-May-2021)
    See the following link for research on B&M and various "LINE" car colors:
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jbXGfg9V3cY0awKamkrwM2JlLSQepapDwU9A3Dx43-M/edit

• 100 series "reefers" - from MFCL@groups.io
  Re: ScaleTrains Evans 5100 RBL Boxcar
  From: John O'Malley
  Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:05:06 PDT
  Bob, the Evans 5100 RBL has been discussed here before several times.
  The Scaletrains version is the only accurate one available, as it is dimensionally correct,
  The ATLAS version is not dimensionally correct (wrong height and length) and the Athearn (old Details West) version is also a foobie!
  Although the Scaletrains version is correct, most of the roadnames are foobies !
  Many of the prototypes were leased by lumber companies and there are many colourful decals available for those.
  Railroad owned cars, CNW, IT, B&M, ATSF (second hand) IC, maybe some more that others can add to this forum.
  A high-end model, separate ladders and detail parts of both the PS roof and ends version and the Stranray roof/dreadnaught end version
  of these very common cars would be a very welcomed model, if any manufacturers are listening!!! Hope this helps.
• Re-implement 67040 series rebuilds as separate web page?
• page for (1963-1966) 40-42 series boxcars
• pages for #1900-1914 and #1915-1934 (ex-milk) reefers? (or put in passenger car pages?)
• Page for E.H. Co. 900 series starting in (10?)/1915 (or is it same series as before, just not listed 4-5/1915?)

• Resolve cars 12440-12476 (12423 series or 12550 series?)
  From the 1955 class book, index page 1 (marked "Obsolete") the B&M broke these into:
  • 12400-12439: Carriage (End Door); 36' inside length, 60,000 lbs capy
  • 12440-12476: Carriage (End Door); 36' inside length, 60,000 lbs capy; lot #6, diagram page 2A (See 48000 series box cars for this diagram)
  • 12477-12484: Carriage (End Door); 36' inside length, 60,000 lbs capy
  • 12485-12599: Carriage (End Door); 35' inside length, 40,000 lbs capy

• Determine original RR and/or number series for:
  (also any magazine articles that reference them)
  • 7300 series hoppers (road and #s)
  • 5550 series hoppers (ex L&NE, need #s)
  • 5600 hoppers (ex L&NE, need #s)
  • 5650 hoppers (road and #s) - rebuilt from std 2 bay hoppers?
  • 5680 covered hoppers (ex P&WV?, need #s)
  • 5800/5810/5820 covered hoppers (ex GTCX, need prior lessees, #s)
  • 1243 hoppers (ex-D&H, need #s)
  • 12101 covered hoppers (ex-D&H, need #s)
  • 3401 covered hoppers (ex-EL, ex-D&H, need #s)
  • 14238 gondola (ex-EL, ex-D&H, need #)
  • 70000(2nd) boxcars (ex-RI, need #)
  • 5225 TOFC flats - MN #37 says these are converted from something - if so, what from? EN data indicates leased from USRE - if so, what was original owner/car series?
  • 7500/7501 (Woodchip) cars

• B&M Acquisition book data
  • Vol 1, [original] p15 - V.V. 90-137 Box
  • Vol 1, [original] p168 - ex ACL (ACD) 30992 purchase (36' ventilated box)
  • Vol 1, [original] p195 - 3912 Con/Cin/? flat

• Safety Appliances act(s) info here:
  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2011-title49-vol4/pdf/CFR-2011-title49-vol4-part231.pdf

• Modern car markings
  Per this web site
  More extensive list - see "General Data" → "Historical dates" in menu
  • B&M specific - MTC reporting marks listed in the ORERs from [between 10/1926 (no MTC) and 6/1927 (MTC cars listed separately)] and 10/1992.
    Whether any cars were so marked after the 74000 series box cars [original numbers retired by 1964], I don't know.
    The last issue with separate lines for MTC cars is [after 3/1931, before 7/1934]
  • B&M specific - VV, SC, B&M cars reinforced with "Z Bars" ("Mogul Ends") starts in 09-1914 (See 48000 series box cars page - section on Mogul ends)
    (Also, possibly, "Car Acquisition Books", vol 2, [original] p120, 1917-01 "reinforce ends 100 box cars")
    (Also, possibly, "Car Acquisition Books", vol 2, [original] p125, 1917-03 "reinforce ends 150 box cars")
  • B&M specific - Steel Center Sills started being applied (Per Car Acquisition books) 1915-06 (vol 2, [original] p100, "reinforce 60000# capy cars with channel bar center sills")
    (Also vol 2, [original] p106, 1915-11 "reinforce 60000# capy cars with channel bar center sills")
    (Also, possibly, vol 2, [original] p110, 1916-02 "reinforce 1000 wood underframe cars" [could be passenger cars?])
  • B&M specific - Murphy XLA outside metal replacement roofs started being applied (Per Car Acquisition books) 1917-03 (vol 2, [original] p124, "Apply [Murphy] XLA roofs to 700 box cars")
  • 195x? - no lines above/below reporting marks
  • Roof walks/high mounted brake wheels removal (except covered hoppers, where they are required to access the hatches)
    • 1966 - banned for new cars (only low ladders, low mount hand brakes)
    • 1974 - to be removed from existing cars (extended to 1979, possible to 1983)
    • NOTE: Cars with high mount brake wheels retained high side/end ladders on that one corner
  • 1967 ACI mandated (new) (target 1970 for all equipment)
  • 1977-78 ACI abandoned
  • 1972 - single panel COTS started (new/rebuilt cars)
  • 1974 - double panel COTS mandated (new/existing cars) (typically vertical stack, sometimes split horizontally)
  • 1982 - changed to "3 panel" COTS (left/right + bottom)
  • 2016 - Discontinued COTS
  • Mar, 1978 - U-1 wheel inspection ("white dot" / "Yellow dot") - only cars with 33" wheels, 70 ton or less
    "White circle in black square" - bad wheel[s] (at least 1) found on car - must be replaced by 12/1978
    "Yellow circle in black square" - OK (no bad wheels)
    New cars up to Dec, 1978 also had "yellow dot"
    1981 - U-1 Inspection declared "complete"
  • Markings under reporting marks (Exception: Often tank cars different)
    • 1925ish change (see Tim Gilbert)
    • After that - Capy, Ld Lmt, lt wt, "NEW"/reweigh location, weigh date, AAR car class
    • 1985 - CAPY removed
  • Reflective marks
    • 1974 - Canada - new cars (4" circle or "square applied as diamond")
      56' long or less - 4
      more than 56' long - 6
    • USA - 2005 (some marking started in 2004)
    • Mandatory (Canada - 2013; USA - 2015)
    • must be renewed every 10 years.

• Document cars numbers for MTC cars -

  See Earl Tuson web site

  Figure out which series (and cars counts) these apply to.
  Per Railway Age (Aug 13, 1927, p291) and/or B&MRRHS Newsletter (Nov-Dec 2000 issue, p6) cars in these series were converted to MTC (rather than B&M) reporting marks [random #s]

  In car disposal records, following cars 12000-12059 (?) are noted as "MTC". The problem is they are ex-12800-13049 reefers [and other unknown cars], and I don't believe I ever see them listed in ORER data (ca 1925-1935): 12003, 12004, 12006, 12013, 12016, 12017, 12018, 12056, 12057, 12058, 12068, 12071, 12073, 12076, 12077, 12078, 12080, 12083, 12085, 12086, 12090, 12091, 12094, 12095, 12098

  Count of cars [minimum]	Car description:	[added, not listed in the articles] B&M car series
  25	Boxcars, steel center sills	?
  50	Boxcars, steel underframes	?
  25	Boxcars with 40 ton trucks	?
  25	Boxcars, ARA	71000 series
  25	Steel gondolas with 40-ton trucks	80000 series
  25	Steel gondolas with 50-ton trucks	81000 series
  25	USRA Coal cars	90000 series
  25	Flatcars	I am assuming 33500 series, as the 33000s were rapidly reaching end-of-life
  Other (post 1927) series were consecutive numbers, and are (mostly?) known and listed in the "notes" section for those series

  NOTE: If you review the "originally wood end" box car series that were upgraded with Mogul/Steel ends, specific cars in the "upgrade" lists are marked as MTC cars

  http://dgcasdor.ipower.com/dgcasdorph/
  Has many Freight Car Journals scanned.
  HAS: 1-2, 10-11, 21, 25, 27-28, 31-32, 35-39, 41, 43-51, 53, 55-56, 58-88
  Available thru https://groups.io/g/railcarhistory (in files section)
  4-9, 12-14, 19-22, 24-25, 27-28, 33, 52
  I need (assuming they have B&M content): 3, 15-18, 23, 26, 29-30, 34, 40, 42, 54, 57

  Railway Prototype Cyclopedias (I need 22, 23, 24, 27, 28)

  Links at https://www.garethbayer.co.uk/wotw/

  Go thru to find other sites in http://freight.railfan.ca/links.html
  http://nebwrailroad.com/index.php/NEB%26W_Presents_Clark_Propst%27s_Photo_Album (can't become a member, most info "members only")

  Library Archives Canada
  Andrew Audubon Merrilees Collection
  Gon 92713 (bottom p239 in 1940 Car Builder's Cyc = TrainShed Cyc #5)
  Flat 33773 (top p203 in 1931 Car Builder's Cyc = TrainShed Cyc #46)

  museum of transportation in St Louis

  Global search on Flickr

  Global search on other "photo" sites (Pinterest?, etc.)

  https://railphoto-art.org/

  https://digital.hagley.org

  http://trainiax.net/mephotosearchresults.php?p_phototype=&p_mark=BM

  Walter E. Frost photo collection?? Yes, and that is just the Frost photos in the Vancouver Archives. In the BC archives there is the Bordertown collection, in the Northern BC Archives there are other great railway collections. In the Vancouver Public Library other collections. And same for many communities in the Okanagan.

  https://www.boxcars.us/index.html (? May have already done this site)

  B&M RR [Employees] Magazine

  • Sep, 1929 (vol 6 No. 6), p28, top-right - "Map" herald photo. Light lettering ("includes "Railroad") and map, "medium" background (lighter than car side)
    Outlines of states visible in map. No "arrow" visible

  Fast freight lines articles
  NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1875/03/31/archives/the-fast-freight-lines-their-methods-and-the-interests-they.html
  Book: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43520756?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

  https://groups.io/g/EarlyRail/message/30507
  HO NYC&HRRR hopper-bottom gondola kit is coming
  J. Canfield
  04/18/11 #30507
  
  My latest kit offering is the hopper-bottom gondola of the New York Central and Hudson River RR circa about 1900. This kit is of a
  dual hopper gondola which based on and similar to an old Red Ball kit that has not been available for over 10 years. This type of hopper was used in the northeast in various iterations by several different roads (Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and Reading, Erie, Boston and Maine, D&H, and Pennsylvania) and this kit could easily be modified to match the version used by those roads as well as the NYC&HRRR. Lettering is available for this car as dry transfers from
  Clover House (which I found in a conversation two days ago with him) has been sold by 82 year-old Russ Clover to a gentleman in Spokane, WA who Russ says has a great passion for the products and the hobby with updated info on their website as well as decals from Art Griffin.
  
  You can see photos in the "Photos" section under "NYC&HRRR HO gondola kit" of my pilot model and the kit is easy to assemble (Note: some references are for later versions of this this car being painted black, which I did, but White in his classic "American Railroad Freight Car" book said the earliest NYC&HRRR version was brown with white lettering so take your choice). There are resin castings of two sides, ends, and a one-piece floor resin casting which has hoppers, bolsters, center pedestal, and train line integrated into the casting. The interior of the car is not detailed but I include a full-sized coal load casting for the inside of the car.
  
  Other parts include the split K brake system, grabirons, turnbuckles, and short queen posts by Tichy, couplers from Walthers, brake hoses by Kadee, long queenposts by Bethlehem car Works, and your choice of metal 30 ton fox Trucks from Bitter Creek Models or metal arch bar trucks from Bethlehem Car Works. Some roads used Fox trucks and others used arch bars. I also include nylon line for truss rods, wire, and detailed instructions, as usual, everything except
  paint, glue and lettering.
  
  The price for this kit will be $30 + $5.25 for priority mail fees. Please let me know if you're interested and which trucks you might want by contacting me offline at jcan2x@.... the trucks are a key component and I will hold off ordering them until I get an idea of how many of each I will need. As always, no obligation if you want to request one but I do need an idea of how many, etc. to do.
  
  Thanks as always for your continued enthusiastic support!
  
  Best regards,
  John Canfield

  [KGA Note: John passed away in 2017, kits possibly continued by Virginia Car & Foundry? (or was that John's company?)]

  B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #52 references an Atlas 53' Evans double plug-door boxcar lettered for B&M 1755 ???

  Accurail part # 5558 - 50' B&M box w/ superior door - unknown car number (no photos?)

  Pullman-Standard "PS Standard" cars (various web sites)

  • PS-1 = Boxcars(40' and 50')
  • PS-2 = Covered hoppers (2 and 3-bay)
  • PS-3 = Open Hoppers (2 and 3-bay)
  • PS-4 = Flat Cars
  • PS-5 = Gondolas

  Ex-Erie 40' steel milk cars (B&M 1875-1880) - Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #19 has an article on the Erie originals

  Neubauer Laconia data - not sure what to do with these listings...

  • B&M 862 (tank!?), built 1892, used by StJ&LC, listed 6/30/1914
  • VV 56-80 (flat, 60,000 lbs, 34' IL, built 1898)
  • order 5 (300 "coal", also 200 flat, both ordered 1898 [-01?])
  • order 104 B&M, 25 cars, "coal", Pratt Patent (ordered 1898)
  • FRR 18101-18200? (Laconia order 124, 100 cars, 60,000 lbs, flats, 35' IL, ordered 1899, ? to B&M 32100-33999?)
  • FRR 7801-8000 [with gaps] (Laconia order 124, 100 cars, 60,000 lbs, drop side coal, 35' IL, built 1900?, ordered 1899, ? to B&M 9581-9889 [with gaps] 32 cars, see also order 104?)

  Work / Company service cars

  • Side Dump W3388-W3395; lot 45; 50 ton; [1942, 1955 classification index p.1-B]
  • Side Dump W-01200 - W-01253; Lots 46, 47; 70 ton (side dump, 2 way) [1942, 1955 classification index p.1-B]
  • Air dump cars W3800-W3806[? listed as 6 cars]; Magor lot P-6344; s/n 30361-30366; shipped 5/27 [The Magor Car Corp, Kaminski, p166]
  • Air dump cars [18 cars]; Magor lot P-7067; s/n 32922-32939; shipped 8/29 [The Magor Car Corp, Kaminski, p168]
  • Air dump cars [30 cars]; Magor lot P-7110; s/n 33440-33469; shipped 11/29 [The Magor Car Corp, Kaminski, p168]
  • Stores Dept (0800-0899) [1942, 1955 classification index page 1, marked "obsolete" in 1955 book]
  • B&M RR Employees magazine (Apr-1928, p25) has article on "New dump cars" including photo of W3805 (Magor, 30 yard capy)

  STB recordings John A Joyce UMLER data

  ICC valuation data

  • original (1917-1919?) data
  • yearly updates
  • Review description/info at
    C:\Users\kakerboom\Downloads\ICC Valuation Examples from the SRHA Archives
    (George Eichelberger, main@RealSTMFC.groups.io, 02 Apr 2021)

  https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/albums (see below?) B&M = https://www.flickr.com/photos/barrigerlibrary/albums/72157640472678063

  https://delaware.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15323coll6 - Jackson & Sharp?

  Car Builders' Dictionary / Cyclopedias

  • 1879: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdicti00mast [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1879: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdict00assogoog [assuming "]
  • 1881: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdict01forngoog [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1888: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdict02forngoog [no "Boston" found at all...]
  • 1895: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdict00forngoog [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1898: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdicti00wait [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1903: https://archive.org/details/carbuilderscycl00divigoog [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1906: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdict00mast [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1906: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdict00smitgoog [assuming "]
  • 1909: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdic00mast [no "Boston" B&M]
  • 1909: https://archive.org/details/carbuildersdic00mast [assuming "]
  • 1912: https://archive.org/details/cu31924032183208 [WSC&F Steel underframe drawing]
  • 1916: https://archive.org/details/cu31924032183216 [WSC&F Steel underframe drawing]
  • some at Hathi http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000552394
  • 1925: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015006056561 [no B&M freight cars when searching on "Boston"]
  • 1881, 1884 [no B&M freight cars when searching on "Boston"], 1912 and 1916 on the PacificNG page: https://www.pacificng.com/template.php?page=/ref/mcbassoc/index.htm

  STB data: Here's the main STB recordation search portal

  https://www.stb.gov/proceedings-actions/search-stb-records/

  Search for recordations, rail radio button, and you can search for party or keyword. Boston Maine as party only returned a couple hits. Maybe try Boston (only). My understanding is that any rail equipment, be it engine or rolling stock or track equipment, if financed in any way had to be filed with the STB. I'm not sure why, but this becomes a valuable tool to track where certain rolling stock went, who actually owned vs. leased it, etc.

  http://fc.redmansefarm.com/photosBPL-LJ.html

  https://www.idaillinois.org/digital/search/searchterm/tenneco

  DONE

  Nimke, Bob - Connecticut River Railroads books (and Rutland) - review for pictures of B&M cars.
  Done, but for MOST pictures, original image and/or reproduction is such that freight car lettering cannot be read very easily, if at all.
  If you can hunt back thru his credits to original pictures, more may be legible???
  Particularly frustrating are the older (1800s) photos where NONE of the freight car lettering can be seen (much less read)

Thanks to contributors

Thanks to all who have contributed data, photos, etc. (in no particular order):

• Stic Harris
• Dave Parker
• Thorsten Petschallies
• Earl Tuson
• B&RRHS (Rick Newell, Rick Kfoury, and others)
• Steve Hile
• Ed Hawkins
• James Kinkaid
• Mike Schleigh
• Western Maryland Historical Soc. (Dave Dudjak, David Thompson, et al.)
• Scott J. Whitney
• James Eager
• Eric Neubauer
• Peter Ness
• Mike Clements
• John A Joyce
• James B van Bokkelen
• Brad Blodget
• Anyone else - sorry I forgot about you (those damn "senior moments" are coming far too often...)

Be a contributor?

If you find these pages useful, and want to, please donate to the B&MRRHS - and mention that the freight car data is why you donated (if that is why you did).
Thanks...Ken

Revision History