In Freeman Hubbard's Encyclopedia of North American Railroading, on page 194, is a picture of two hoboes "riding the rods" of what look to be a passenger car. On the side of the car is the word "BORON". Can anyone provide information about what "BORON" might be doing on the side of this car. Thanks!
Nearly all sleeping cars (except the troop sleepers of WW II) had names. In later years, both the NP and SP removed the names from their sleepers and used only the numbers for identification.
Except for the FEC and Burlington streamlined coaches, few, in comparison with the total number, coaches were named.
As to "Boron," I do not have the slightest idea.
Johnny
ndbprrNearly all passenger cars had names. On the PRR some sleeepers were named for creeks. Other cars were named for cities. Observation cars were named for past PRR presidents and so on. If it was a passenger car it could be part of a series named for chemical elements. Road name or reporting marks or car number would help to answer your question.
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ndbprrRead my statement again. I did not include coachs in my list. And I said NEARLY all using sleepers and observation only as examples. Since the question regards a car with a name on it can we then please assume it is a named car and the road name or reporting mark will clarify the answer as previously stated.
http://www.urbaneagle.com/TT/TTphotos.html
Oops! You beat me to it.
Thanks, wanswheel; That's it! And thanks to all who chimed in on this.
Best,
themoronfromboron
That looks to be a company car, used by the president or other railroad officials.
Pullman decided in the 19th century to name it's sleeping (and other) cars rather than give them a number. Maybe should clarify up until mid-20th century almost all railroad sleepers were owned and operated by Pullman Co., not the railroads.
A comment about the rod-riders.
They appear to be under the stationary, stuffed and mounted Boron, and just might have problems if it ever rolled. Seasoned rod riders would provide themselves with a riding board (frequently inscribed TICKET) which would give them a bit more comfort and safety than the thin rods alone. I'm pretty sure they were a couple of the photographer's friends in a posed setting.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - without truss rods)
In the picture, I suspect Boron is under some sort of maintenance shed. It wasn't (isn't?) uncommon in warm weather states to have open-air maintenance facilities. I don't think the car is "stuffed and mounted", the pic clearly is over 100 years old, when the car would still have been in use. I do agree the pic of the two "hoe boys" under the car appears to be staged.
One quick note on names - Pullman used names to help identify the type of cars, so they would try to have all the names starting with "Loch" let's say be assigned to the same type of sleeping car, based on it's internal set-up, like the very common "12-and-1" (12 open berths, 1 compartment). So most likely cars "Red River" and "Red Bank" would have the same interior set-up. Pullman had full time employees who did nothing but scour books, maps, etc. for possible names using various word combinations.
Except for business cars like Boron, it would be pretty rare for a railroad to name it's cars. Usually it's coaches, diners etc. just had numbers.
wjstixIn the picture, I suspect Boron is under some sort of maintenance shed. It wasn't (isn't?) uncommon in warm weather states to have open-air maintenance facilities. I don't think the car is "stuffed and mounted", the pic clearly is over 100 years old, when the car would still have been in use.
Some railroads kept their president's car under a roof like the photo simply because it help keep the car cool(supposedly) and if the President decided he was going to visit politicians his car would be ready-complete with ice in the car's coolers.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
tomikawaTT A comment about the rod-riders. They appear to be under the stationary, stuffed and mounted Boron, and just might have problems if it ever rolled. Seasoned rod riders would provide themselves with a riding board (frequently inscribed TICKET) which would give them a bit more comfort and safety than the thin rods alone. I'm pretty sure they were a couple of the photographer's friends in a posed setting. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - without truss rods)
As far as riding the rods that was done by 'bos and road kids under boxcars not passenger cars only because of the station stops.
As any 'bo or road kid would say "why pay when you can ride for free"?
henry6 ndbprr Nearly all passenger cars had names. On the PRR some sleeepers were named for creeks. Other cars were named for cities. Observation cars were named for past PRR presidents and so on. If it was a passenger car it could be part of a series named for chemical elements. Road name or reporting marks or car number would help to answer your question. This is a broad assumption which is not really true. Sleeping or Pullman cars most always, dining cars perhaps, business or office cars, too, were often named. But normal passenger cars were not, or very rarely at best. Coaches were numbered (as were many named cars). Locomotives were named and numbered, and even into dieseldom there were units named for various reasons from marketing to sentimentality to memorials.
ndbprr Nearly all passenger cars had names. On the PRR some sleeepers were named for creeks. Other cars were named for cities. Observation cars were named for past PRR presidents and so on. If it was a passenger car it could be part of a series named for chemical elements. Road name or reporting marks or car number would help to answer your question.
This is a broad assumption which is not really true. Sleeping or Pullman cars most always, dining cars perhaps, business or office cars, too, were often named. But normal passenger cars were not, or very rarely at best. Coaches were numbered (as were many named cars). Locomotives were named and numbered, and even into dieseldom there were units named for various reasons from marketing to sentimentality to memorials.
The DL&W named their passenger cars, and the North Carolinal Piedmont still names all their cars and engines.
This car is the "Cardinal". The engine is the "City of Salisbury" The engines are all named for cities along the ROW.
This car is the "Cardinal". The engine is the "City of Salisbury"
The engines are all named for cities along the ROW.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
"As far as riding the rods that was done by 'bos and road kids under boxcars not passenger cars only because of the station stops."
I disagree Larry, there is some dialogue carried down from hobos to indicate that early hobos did ride the rods on passenger trains too for the sport of it, though agreeably, it would be easier to be get caught.
Victor Baird
www.erstwhilepublications.com
BRAKIE tomikawaTT A comment about the rod-riders. They appear to be under the stationary, stuffed and mounted Boron, and just might have problems if it ever rolled. Seasoned rod riders would provide themselves with a riding board (frequently inscribed TICKET) which would give them a bit more comfort and safety than the thin rods alone. I'm pretty sure they were a couple of the photographer's friends in a posed setting. Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - without truss rods) As far as riding the rods that was done by 'bos and road kids under boxcars not passenger cars only because of the station stops. As any 'bo or road kid would say "why pay when you can ride for free"?
BRAKIE wjstix In the picture, I suspect Boron is under some sort of maintenance shed. It wasn't (isn't?) uncommon in warm weather states to have open-air maintenance facilities. I don't think the car is "stuffed and mounted", the pic clearly is over 100 years old, when the car would still have been in use. Some railroads kept their president's car under a roof like the photo simply because it help keep the car cool(supposedly) and if the President decided he was going to visit politicians his car would be ready-complete with ice in the car's coolers.
wjstix In the picture, I suspect Boron is under some sort of maintenance shed. It wasn't (isn't?) uncommon in warm weather states to have open-air maintenance facilities. I don't think the car is "stuffed and mounted", the pic clearly is over 100 years old, when the car would still have been in use.
Yes, that makes sense for a warmer climate - just need shade, not four walls. Of course, that then begs the question....if this was the president's car spotted by a station or the HQ building or main shops etc., I doubt they'd let a couple of hoboes pose under the car long enough to have their picture taken!
BTW I doubt these are hoboes, just kids who came across this car and one of them had a camera and they pretended to be hoboes for a picture. Heck, if it's the car of a division superintended or something, they might be his kids.
Phoebe Vet henry6 ndbprr Nearly all passenger cars had names. On the PRR some sleeepers were named for creeks. Other cars were named for cities. Observation cars were named for past PRR presidents and so on. If it was a passenger car it could be part of a series named for chemical elements. Road name or reporting marks or car number would help to answer your question. This is a broad assumption which is not really true. Sleeping or Pullman cars most always, dining cars perhaps, business or office cars, too, were often named. But normal passenger cars were not, or very rarely at best. Coaches were numbered (as were many named cars). Locomotives were named and numbered, and even into dieseldom there were units named for various reasons from marketing to sentimentality to memorials. The DL&W named their passenger cars, and the North Carolinal Piedmont still names all their cars and engines. This car is the "Cardinal". The engine is the "City of Salisbury" The engines are all named for cities along the ROW.
Maybe to clarify what I was saying earlier re Pullman. Except for some tourist cars in the 1920's-30's, Pullman cars 1870's-1940's ONLY had names. You had a dark green heavyweight car with "PULLMAN" centered on the letterboard and "Chief Red Cloud" or "Ontario" or some other person or place or thing's name centered under the windows. That's it. No number. It's not like adding a name to engine #1234, or assigning names to passenger cars that also carry numbers.
Each car had an individual name, so it took a lot of work to research possible names. So say they built a batch of 20 sleepers to the same configuration. They might name them all with names starting with "White"..."White Bear", "White Cloud", "White Fern", "White Glen", "White River" etc.