Dreadnought ends

[Dayliner]

Does anyone know the derivation of the term "dreadnought ends", referring to the corrugated end panels on 1950s-era house cars and some gons, in a characteristic "fat/thin" corrugation pattern?

Thanks.

[doctorwayne]

I'll hazard a guess that the term goes back at least to the '20's and was probably in reference to the battleships, or dreadnaughts, of WWl , as a symbol of strength. Especially before the development of steel ends, one of the weakest parts of a freight car was the ends: even after the introduction of steel ends there were many firms selling car end straighteners. I'm not sure if the term was used as a trade name by a particular company or if it was merely a generic term for any corrugated steel end. Perhaps someone else can expand on this.
Wayne

[orsonroy]

There were lots of steel corrugated ends: Murphey, Hutchins, Vulcan, Dreadnaught, etc. I believe that Dreadnaught WAS a real company in the teens and 20s, named after the British early battleship. By the 1930s, Dreadnaught became a generic term for any specific steel end, much like "Bettendorf" became a generic truck type name.

[Dayliner]

Thanks! Am I correct that the alternating "fat/thin" corrugation pattern was characteristic of Dreadnaught ends, or were there other identifying features?

[marknewton]

"Dreadnaught" was the proprietary name for pressed steel ends introduced by the Standard Railway Supply Company in 1925.

Alternating "fat/thin" corrugations were characteristic of "Improved Dreadnaught" ends introduced in 1944. The distinguishing feature of a "Dreadnaught" end is the darts between the ribs to take up excess material.

All the best,

Mark.