Login
or
Register
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Home
»
Model Railroader
»
Forums
»
Prototype information for the modeler
»
Dreadnought ends
Dreadnought ends
2043 views
4 replies
Order Ascending
Order Descending
marknewton
Member since
December 2002
From: Sydney, Australia
1,939 posts
Posted by
marknewton
on Friday, November 4, 2005 6:18 AM
"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.
Reply
Dayliner
Member since
February 2004
From: CN Seymour Industrial spur
262 posts
Posted by
Dayliner
on Monday, October 10, 2005 2:58 PM
Thanks! Am I correct that the alternating "fat/thin" corrugation pattern was characteristic of Dreadnaught ends, or were there other identifying features?
Reply
orsonroy
Member since
March 2002
From: Elgin, IL
3,677 posts
Posted by
orsonroy
on Monday, October 10, 2005 9:39 AM
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.
Ray Breyer
Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943
Reply
doctorwayne
Member since
January 2004
From: Canada, eh?
13,375 posts
Posted by
doctorwayne
on Saturday, October 8, 2005 9:12 PM
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
Reply
Dayliner
Member since
February 2004
From: CN Seymour Industrial spur
262 posts
Dreadnought ends
Posted by
Dayliner
on Saturday, October 8, 2005 8:12 PM
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.
Reply
Subscriber & Member Login
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Login
Register
Users Online
There are no community member online
Search the Community
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter
See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter
and get model railroad news in your inbox!
Sign up