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Boston & Maine 3100 Series Box Cars

Index

• Builder's Photo
• Classification Card(s) for series
• Specifications
• ORER data
• ORER Notes
• Discussion, General Notes
• STB Recordation Data
• Paint Schemes
• References
• Photographs
• Renumberings/Conversions/Dispositions
• Modeling
• Revision History of this page

Builder's Photo

SIECO Photo, James Kinkaid Collection, used with permission (click on image to see full resolution available)

B&M Classification Card(s)

Does one exist?

Specifications From Eric Neubauer Data

Neubauer, Eric.Evans Products Builder's photographs
and Neubauer, Eric.Evans Products Company Freight Car Roster Notes

Spec	Value
Builder	Sieco Atlanta (also B&MRRHS Modelers Notes No 18, 39)
Lot #	1226-03
Work Order #	1224
Car Numbers	3100-3149
Quantity	50
Build Date	May-1974 Date matches FCJ #3 date
AAR class	XL
Lt Weight	64,600
Description
Cubic Cap'y	5077 Cu. Ft.
Roof	9 panels, overhanging eaves, "X" shaped ribs in the panels Peaked (per B&MRRHS Modelers Notes No 37)
Ends	Inset Dreadnaught
Side	14 ribs (per B&MRRHS Modelers Notes No 37)
Doors	6 panel Superior (per Neubauer, builder's photograph) Youngstown (per B&MRRHS Modelers Notes No 37)
Center Sills	Cushion (per Neubauer, B&MRRHS Modelers Notes No 37)
Ladders	low (not full height)
Running Boards	none
Brake Gear	low mount
Side sill	short

Sieco Boxcar identifying features:
Plate	B
Corner Post	Riveted
Side Plate	No Hole
Side Sill	Reinforced, short
Side Stake	12 regular + 2 "wide" ladder panel
Sill Step	Wide Rectangular
Door	10' Superior
End	"Inset" Dreadnaught. Short x-hold support
Roof	9 oh X
Cushion?	ctu

ORER data and numbers

ORER Size Data

Description			4/1974	1/1983	5/1983
AAR Mechanical Designation			XL	XL	XL
Inside Dimensions	Length		50'-6"	50'-6"	50'-6"
	Width		9'-4"	9'-4"	9'-4"
	Height		10'-7"	10'-7"	10'-7"
Outside Dimensions	Length		57'-8"	57'-9"	57'-9"
	Width	At Eaves or top of sides or platform	10'	10'	10'
		Extreme Width	10'-8"	10'-8"	10'-8"
	Height from Rail	To Extreme Width	5'-6"	5'-6"	5'-6"
		To Eaves or top of sides or platform	14'	14'	14'-4"
		To Extreme Height	15'	15'	15'
Door - Side opening	Width		10'	10'	10'
	Height		9'-11"	9'-11"	9'-11"
Capacity	Cu Ft. Level Full		5077	4950	4950
	Pounds		154000	154000	154000

ORER History

ORER Date (Year-Mo.)	Car Numbers	# of Cars	Description
1974 - 04	3100-3149	50	Box, Steel, Cush.-Pak underframe, DF Belts
1974 - 07	(same)
1974 - 10	"	"	Box, Steel, Cush.-Pak underframe, DF Belts, 50K
1975 - 01	(same)
1975 - 04	(same)
1975 - 07	(same)
1975 - 10	(same)
1976 - 01	(same)
1976 - 04	(same)
1976 - 07	(same)
1976 - 10	(same)
1977 - 01	(same)
1977 - 04	(same)
1977 - 07	(same)
1977 - 10	(same)
1978 - 01	(same)
1978 - 04	(same)
1978 - 07	(same)
1978 - 10	(same)
1979 - 01	(same)
1979 - 04	(same)
1979 - 07	(same)
1979 - 10	(same)
1980 - 01	(same)
1980 - 04	"	48	"
1980 - 07	"	50	"
1980 - 10	"	48	"
1981 - 01	(same)
1981 - 04	(same)
1981 - 07	(same)
1981 - 10	(same)
1982 - 01	(same)
1982 - 04	(same)
1982 - 07	(same)
1982 - 10	(same)
1983 - 01	(same)
1983 - 05	(same)
1983 - 07	(same)
1983 - 10	(same)
1984 - 01	(same)
1984 - 04	(same)
1984 - 07	(same)
1984 - 10	(same)
1985 - 01	(same)
1985 - 04	(same)
1985 - 07	(same)
1985 - 10	(same)
1986 - 01	(same)
1986 - 04	(same)
1986 - 07	(same)
1986 - 10	(same)
1987 - 01	(same)
1987 - 04	(same)
1987 - 07	(same)
1987 - 10	(same)
1988 - 01	(same)
1988 - 04	(same)
1988 - 07	(same)
1988 - 10	(same)
1989 - 01	(same)
1989 - 04	"	47	"
1989 - 07	(same)
1989 - 10	(same)
1990 - 01	(same)
1990 - 04	(same)
1990 - 07	(same)
1990 - 10	(same)
1991 - 01	Not listed
1993 - 01	Re-leased (only 40 cars) as B&M 3500-3539 (see that series)

ORER Notes

Discussion, General Notes

• Per March, 1974 B&MRRHS Bulletin "White Flags" column (p3)
  Also per Don Clerke

  Built by Southern Iron & Equipment Co. (Atlanta, GA) (this is a division of U.S. Railway Equipment Co.).
  Leased for 15 years from U.S. Railway Equipment Co.
  Total lease is 700 cars - this includes the 78000, 3000 and 3100 series.
  This series is *possibly* for paper loading

• From Eric Neubauer communication

  The B&M defaulted on payments for the 3000, 3100, and 78000 series cars in 11-1988 (just a year or so before the lease was up). Some had reduced volume capacity (to 4988 cu. ft.), most likely due to added load restraining equipment (e.g. belt rails)

STB Recordation Data

The STB (and ICC earlier) has records about car leases. For this car series, the following are available (copied from The STB web site)

• 7093 05-Jun-1973 - Lease - Cars BM 78000-78599, 3000-3049, and 3100-3149

  Note description (Exhibit "A") says these have rigid underframe, 10' sliding doors, and nailable steel floors

  Of note to modelers, the following statement (see Exhibit "B" at the end):

  That each of said cars is plainly marked in stencil on both sides of each car with the words

  UNITED STATES RAILWAY LEASING COMPANY.
  Lessor
  Title to this Car subject to documents recorded under Section 20(c) of Interstate Commerce Act.

  in readily visible letters not less than three-quarters inches (¾") in height.

• 7093-A 14-Nov-1988 - Notice of defaults on above lease
• 7093-B 20-Dec-1988 - Withdrawal of Notice of defaults on above lease
• 7617 15-Jul-1974 Security Agreement - same cars
• 16667 21-Dec-1989 "Security Agreement" - lists cars both covered and not covered by this agreement

  Subject to security Agreement:
  Cars not in this series (800, 900, 3000, 78000 series) omitted for brevity

  Car numbers	Car count
  BM 3100-3145	46

  NOT Subject to security Agreement:
  [table omitted for brevity, does not apply to this series]

• 16667B 30-Jan-1990 Amendment to 16667 above (no change in covered cars)
• 16667C 29-Aug-1990 "Security Agreement"

  Only changes in B&M cars:

  • BM 300818 added to "covered" section (was not listed either list before))
  • BM 79050-79099 removed from BOTH lists

• 16667E 12-Feb-1991 amendment - no change in cars included
• 16667G 13-Jun-1991 - release of 292 railcars from the agreement

  (no B&M cars released)

• 16667H 30-Sep-1991 update in lists of equipment covered (or not) by the agreement

  No changes in B&M cars:

• 16667I 13-Nov-1991 update in lists of equipment covered (or not) by the agreement

  No changes in B&M cars:

• 16667J 13-Nov-1991 update in lists of equipment covered (or not) by the agreement

  No changes in B&M cars:

• 16667K 20-May-1992 update in lists of equipment covered (or not) by the agreement

  No changes in B&M cars:

• 16667L 21-Dec-1992 full release and termination of Security Agreement

Paint Schemes

As delivered?

Blue body & ends. Unknown roof. Black underframe (including side sills) and trucks. 4'? intertwined herald, plain white. Black door

References or other data

• Neubauer, Eric. "Southern Iron & Equipment Boxcar" Railroad Model Craftsman Nov 1996, pp 65-68
  Includes HO scale plans, B&M lettering diagram (all photos are of other railroad's cars)

Photographs

Page	Car #	Photo Date yr-mo-day		Visible?				Markings									Paint Scheme	Herald	Notes
Fallen Flags and Other Railroad Photos (as of 15-Apr-2020) Scroll down to the "B" section, click on the "Boston & Maine (B&M)" link Then scroll down to find the photo. The "Page" column has the "Link" text listed
XL 3103	3103	1986-07-12	Y	X	B			BM	R	R	N	Y	2V	Y	N	N	original	original	6 panel Superior(?) door
XM 3127	3127		Y	X	B			BM			N	Y	2V	N	N	N	original	original	"new" (or recently repainted) photo 6 panel Superior(?) door
Evans Products Builder's photographs
p502	3127	1975-04	Y	X	B			BM	R	R	N	Y	2V	N	N	N	original	original
Highball Graphics N/HO/O scale decals, but they have a couple prototype pictures Web site doesn't seem to work very well with Internet Explorer, use a newer browser. From main page, "check" (under "Railroad" list at left) the "Boston & Maine" → "Boston & Maine Blue SIECO 50' Boxcars [N / HO / O] Scale" (scale doesn't matter, they have same photos on all)
	3115	[reweigh 1974]	Y	X	p			BM	R	R	N	Y	2V	N	N	N	original	original

Renumberings/Conversions/Dispositions

Date	Quantity	New Numbers	Description
1993 - 01	40	B&M 3500-3539	Re-lease from USRE/Evans, after 2 year "pause"

Models

Revision History

File History for THIS page

Date	Who	Description
15-Dec-2019	KG Akerboom	Initial release
17-Mar-2020	KG Akerboom	Standardized Don Clerke "source" link
28-Mar-2020	KG Akerboom	Added data from 19 more ORERs
01-Apr-2020	KG Akerboom	Added references
04-Apr-2020	KG Akerboom	Re-did references/photos section
15-Apr-2020	KG Akerboom	Added more web sites: B&MRRHS Flickr, Fallen Flags, NMRA Archives, Earl Tuson. Also Scott Whitney (NMRO) CDs
22-Apr-2020	KG Akerboom	Updated per B&MRRHS Modeler's Notes #39
05-May-2020	KG Akerboom	Moved ORER notes into separate section
21-Jul-2020	KG Akerboom	"Photos" table - changed "vertical" text to PNG of "sideways" text; added "Markings" columns
06-Aug-2020	KG Akerboom	Added Eric Neubauer data
07- thru 16-Aug-2020	KG Akerboom	Added ORER data (History only, not dims or notes yet) for 63 more registers, courtesy of James Kinkaid
23-Dec-2020	KG Akerboom	Added photos from Highball Graphics decals site
31-Dec-2020	KG Akerboom	Updated misc stuff
22-Jan-2021	KG Akerboom	Added Builder's Photo
06-Nov-2022	KG Akerboom	Updated per [almost] complete ORER data
04-Jan-2023	KG Akerboom	Fixed headers and footers...hopefully
18-Jan-2025	KG Akerboom	Added STB recordations
07-Feb-2025	KG Akerboom	Fixed typos
10-Feb-2025	KG Akerboom	Added Freight Car Journal #3 info