Gidday John, there is a possible definition for “roadway” here…. http://modelingthesp.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/modeling-some-sp-mow-cars-part-3.html Cheers, the Bear.
Cheers, the Bear.
Thanks, Bear. Good on ya'.
Scrum down, lads . . .
John
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
doctorwayne I'd guess "Stl.Und.SS" boxcars to be steel underframe, single sheathed (what we modellers used to erroneously call outside braced boxcars), but for the passenger cars with a similar classification, if might be steel underframe, steel sheathing. Many wood passenger cars had- or were re-fitted with steel underframes, and for expedience sake, were sheathed with sheet metal to make them look like the newer (at the time) steel heavyweights. This was a quick and low-cost move to assuage passengers' concerns about fire in the event of a derailment. Wayne
I'd guess "Stl.Und.SS" boxcars to be steel underframe, single sheathed (what we modellers used to erroneously call outside braced boxcars), but for the passenger cars with a similar classification, if might be steel underframe, steel sheathing. Many wood passenger cars had- or were re-fitted with steel underframes, and for expedience sake, were sheathed with sheet metal to make them look like the newer (at the time) steel heavyweights. This was a quick and low-cost move to assuage passengers' concerns about fire in the event of a derailment.
Wayne
Thanks, Wayne. Always amazed at the creativity and utilitarianism of previous generations' railroaders.
So much to learn, so little time.
JB
Dave H.,
Thanks! Now I'm getting somewhere! As for "SS", would that ever be applied to former passenger cars (it's linked to old car #s 4319 (an observation car) and 10024, 10180 & 10181 (these three were retired diners)?
BTW, looks like a few of those older auto-boxes were 40 footers.
Dave N.,
I just went through all the listings. Virtually all the "Wood(CDC)"s are 40ft boxcars (SP classes B-40-5 and B-40-6). Virtually all the "Stl.Und.SS"s are 50ft boxcars (B-50-8 and above) if their reporting numbers are under MW4000. If above MW4000 they are described in original (revenue) service as "furniture" or as Auto-boxes, which I'm betting are 50 footers and probable double-doored jobs. Among the hundreds of former passenger cars there are a half dozen or so with the "Stl.Und.SS" designator. The three or four oddities outside of these groupings are probably typographical errors.
As for "Rdy", it's a lead designator assigned only to boxes, flats, gons, and ballast service cars. It is never assigned to tool, supply or the broad category of "boarding cars (foreman's, bunks cars, kitchen/diner/commissary cars, etc.). AHA! On page 53 "Rdy" becomes "Rdwy" for just two pages. I'll bet it's short for "Roadway", whatever that may imply.
Getting a little traction here . . . .
AttuvianRegrettably, there is no key to the abbreviations used. Most of them are obvious. What are not, at least to me, are the following: under Classification, I find "Rdy Flat". What's "Rdy"? Under Construction, I find "Stl.Und.SS". Well, "steel undercarriage", I suppose, but what's the "SS"?
Not sure about Rdy Flat (roadway flat?)
"Stl.Und.SS" is steel underframe single sheathed (like a Accurail USRA single sheathed boxcar).
DB and TB are drop bottom and tight bottom (mill gon with no opening sin the bottom).
Also under Construction, I find "Wood(CDC)". Whoa! Perceptive guy that I am, I had "wood" down within a minute! But what's the "CDC"? Finally, for the "Kind" of original cars that were modified later for MoW use, I find "DB" and "TB" gondolas. Double or Triple? And the "B"?[/quote]
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Attuvian Hey, Espee Guys, under Classification, I find "Rdy Flat". What's "Rdy"? Under Construction, I find "Stl.Und.SS". Well, "steel undercarriage", I suppose, but what's the "SS"? Also under Construction, I find "Wood(CDC)". The "Kind" of original cars that were modified later for MoW use, I find "DB" and "TB" gondolas. Double or Triple? And the "B"?
Hey, Espee Guys,
under Classification, I find "Rdy Flat". What's "Rdy"?
Under Construction, I find "Stl.Und.SS". Well, "steel undercarriage", I suppose, but what's the "SS"?
Also under Construction, I find "Wood(CDC)".
The "Kind" of original cars that were modified later for MoW use, I find "DB" and "TB" gondolas. Double or Triple? And the "B"?
So these are all MOW cars? My hunches (and these are only hunches) are that SS is side sill (versus center sill) although it could also indicate side stakes, and Stl.Und. is steel underframe (since MOW cars in theory could still be wood underframe cars otherwise banned in interchange).
Wood CDC -- is this a gon or hopper? Center dump or center discharge car? I.e. a ballast service car? That is my guess.
DB and TB gons modified for MOW. Drop bottom for DB as the above poster indicated is the best guess. TB has me a bit stumped for gons. For hopper cars in old ORERs HTB was a hopper with 3 or more divided hoppers and lengthwise hinged doors for ballast service, dumping between rails. Later reclassified as HTA, as in my 1962 ORER.
Another possibility, if less likely. If the SP was re-ordering the AAR/ORER classification letters for gons, GB is open top gon, solid bottom, but GT is open top gon, with high {Tall} sides and ends and solid bottom, suitable for unloading coal in a rotary dumper but NOT suitable for mill gon use due to the tall sides. So TB might be a high side gon with a solid bottom. But there would not be much call for a MOW gon to go through a rotary dumper, unless it was meant to hold old and dirty ballast that was being cleaned somewhere. Or maybe they just used tall sided high capacity gons in MOW for holding old ties and such.
Rdy flat has me totally stumped but for MOW use I assume it refers to the use of the car, and the car is modified to that use. Rail is a good guess for the R. D ... hmm, "derrick?" Y? that stands for "your guess is as good as mine." I did at least find a photo of an old Rdy flat converted to a bridge.
http://www.wx4.org/to/foam/sp/southwest/carrizozo_sub/santa_rosa/spmw4679.html
I suppose there is even a chance Rdy stands for nothing at all.
I am quite prepared for someone who actually knows SP lingo to tell me that all of my hunches and guesses and speculations are worth spit on a sidewalk. I shan't argue with them.
Dave Nelson
I know DB is for drop bottom gondola. See Tony Koester's gondola article here:
http://mrr.trains.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/7/5/f/transition-era_gondolas.ashx
I now have in hand a copy of the Espee Car Roster as of Jan 31, 1956. It's a '91 reprint by the SP Historical & Technical Society that is a wealth of type-written listings of all sorts of data. I got it primarily for the first 99 pages - they list by consecutive car/reporting number the classification, kind, construction and conversion info for all their MoW equipment as of the date above.
Regrettably, there is no key to the abbreviations used. Most of them are obvious. What are not, at least to me, are the following: under Classification, I find "Rdy Flat". What's "Rdy"? Under Construction, I find "Stl.Und.SS". Well, "steel undercarriage", I suppose, but what's the "SS"? Also under Construction, I find "Wood(CDC)". Whoa! Perceptive guy that I am, I had "wood" down within a minute! But what's the "CDC"? Finally, for the "Kind" of original cars that were modified later for MoW use, I find "DB" and "TB" gondolas. Double or Triple? And the "B"?
Thanks, friends.