Boston & Lowell Railroad Freight Cars - Summary

A complete (?) listing of B&L RR freight equipment.
Based on Official Railway Equipment Register data, and other sources.

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

Index

Some General Notes
Boxcars
Gondolas
Flat Cars
Reefers, Milk and Ice cars
Tank Cars
Miscellaneous
"Line" cars
General Info
Notes/discussion/TODO about this web page
Revision History of this page

Some General Notes

As of 1888-10, the B&L cars are listed on the "Boston & Maine RR Lowell System" pages
As of 1890-04, the B&L cars are listed in the "Southern Division (formerly Boston & Lowell RR)" table of Boston & Maine RR listing
As of 1892-07, the B&L cars are listed in the main "Freight Equipment" table of Boston & Maine RR listing (in section 'Marked "B&L" ')
As of 1893-11, the remaining B&L cars are listed in the "Freight Equipment In Old Series" table of Boston & Maine RR listing (in section 'Marked "B&L" ')
As of 1894-06, there are no cars listed separately as "B&L". But there is a note:
A number of cars in the old series ... Boston & Lowell ... are being re-numbered to the above [new 1893 B&M car series] as fast as possible. Lists will be furnished [upon request]"

The B&L is removed from this note as of 1894-10

Note NOT included in this listing are cars marked "B&L" but listed in other RR's listing (N(NH), BC&M, etc.)

Boxcars

Series	Road	Description	# Built	First Listed	Last Listed	Inside Length
B&L 1-10 1886-04: to 1-13	B&L	Express	10	1885-06	1892-10
B&L 501-943	B&L	Box, 4-wheel	403?	1885-06	1893-10	13'
B&L 1751-1940 1886-09: split into many sub-series	B&L	Box (and Machinery)	178?	1885-06	1893-10	28' to 40'
B&L 1951-1958	B&L	Machinery	2?	1887-07	1892-11	28'
B&L 1959-1967	B&L	Machinery	1?	1887-07	1892-09	40'
B&L 4600-4699 1887-07: to 4600-4724	B&L	Box	125	1887-02	1893-10	34'

Boxcar photos I can't put in a specific class

Boxcar photos I can't put in a specific class
Date Car #(s) Photo Location Description
pre-1895 Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume II: Bellows Falls, Vermont East and West p163 middle B&L 4 wheel box. Note side door opening at left end of side (door opens to right)

Gondolas

Series	Road	Description	# Built	First Listed	Last Listed	Inside Length
B&L 3500-3549 1892-07: to 3500-3624	B&L	Gondola, Hopper Bottom	50	1886-10	1893-10	24'
B&L 3550-3624	B&L	Gondola, Hopper Bottom	75	1887-07	1892-06 (Merged into 3500 series)	24'

Flat Cars

Series	Road	Description	# Built	First Listed	Last Listed	Inside Length
B&L 288-496 1886-10: to 288-500 1893-11: to 391-3283	B&L	Flat	288?	1885-06	1894-05	30' & 34'
B&L 126-269	B&L	Flat, 4-wheel	125?	1885-06	1892-06 (Merged into 101 series)	11'
B&L 3001-3039 1886-09: to 3001-3149 1892-07: to 3000-3349	B&L	Flat	150?	1885-06	1893-10	33'
B&L 3150-3250 1887-07: to 3150-3349	B&L	Flat	200	1886-08	1892-07 (Merged into 3001 series)	34'

Flat Car photos I can't put in a specific class

Flat Car photos I can't put in a specific class
Date Car #(s) Photo Location Description
1870-1914? B&L 412xx Digital Commonwealth Distant view of yard south of Salem, MA station.
Note in foreground is B&L flat (12"? sideboards, piled with sand? or dirt? or?)

Reefers, Milk and Ice cars

Series	Road	Description	# Built	First Listed	Last Listed	Inside Length	Inside Height
B&L 12-15	B&L	Refrigerator	4?	1886-08	1892-10
B&L 6540; 6542	B&M	Refrigerator	2?	1891-11	1892-06?

Also see B&L 4600-4724 series (1892-07 and later) for another (1) reefer.

Tank Cars

Series	Road	Description	# Built	First Listed	Last Listed
B&L 1-2	B&L	Flat (Merri[ma?]c Chemical Co)	2?	1885-06	1892-06
B&L 477	B&L	Oil Tank	1	1887-07	1892-02
B&L 3016; 3043	B&L	Oil Tank	2	1887-07	1892-02
B&L 7335; 7362	B&L	Oil Tank	2	1890-01	1892-06
B&L 7253	B&M	Oil Tank (M.C.Co.)	1	1892-03	1892-06
B&L 3293	B&L	Oil Tank (M.C.Co.)	1	1892-03	1892-06

Miscellaneous

I believe all the 1885-06 cars are actually "Gondola" type cars, but as I'm not sure I'm listing them here

Series	Road	Description	# Built	First Listed	Last Listed	Inside Length
B&L 101-116 1892-07: to 100-287	B&L	Sand	16	1885-06	1893-10	11'
B&L 1001-1563 1886-04: to 1001-1567 1886-09: to 1001-1599	B&L	Dumps	583?	1885-06	1893-10	11'
B&L 1611-1749	B&L	Dumps, (4 wheel)	136?	1885-06	1893-10	11'
B&L 2001-2251 1886-04: to 2001-2601	B&L	Dumps	250?	1885-06	1893-10	11'
B&L 2252-2601	B&L	Dumps	350?	1885-06	1893-10	11'
B&L 6231	B&L	Bark	1	1891-05

Miscellaneous Car photos I can't put in a specific class

Miscellaneous Car photos I can't put in a specific class
Date Car #(s) Photo Location Description
B&L 2348
B&L 2095
B&L 2337 Digital Commonwealth 3 B&L 4 wheel coal, plus 8 wheel coal
or https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/6q182n43x

"Line" cars

See main listing "Line" cars section

General Info

Notes/discussion/TODO about this web page

Revision History

File History for THIS page
Date	Who	Description
17-Mar-2023	KG Akerboom	Initial version

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Date	Photo Location	Description
pre-1895	Nimke, R.W. Connecticut River Railroads and Connections Volume II: Bellows Falls, Vermont East and West p163 middle	B&L 4 wheel box. Note side door opening at left end of side (door opens to right)

Date	Car #(s)	Photo Location	Description
1870-1914?	B&L 412xx	Digital Commonwealth	Distant view of yard south of Salem, MA station. Note in foreground is B&L flat (12"? sideboards, piled with sand? or dirt? or?)

Car #(s)	Photo Location	Description
B&L 2348 B&L 2095 B&L 2337	Digital Commonwealth	3 B&L 4 wheel coal, plus 8 wheel coal or https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/6q182n43x