General Discussion (Model Railroader)

Are cattle cars still being used today or are they being used as MOWs or even dismanted like the icebox cars?  My layout is set between 1980 and today and so far, I have them on an abandoned siding.

That's one of many reasons why modern railroading is boring.  "Railroad life," as far as my modeling and interest is concerned, ended fifty-four years ago.

Mark

Cattle cars are a thing of the past except for a few museum pieces .

I'm sure I rode on one the last time I flew Delta through Atlanta. 

Ortner "Steer Palace" cars ran on Penn Central and select connecting roads from Chicago and Kansas City to Philly and Northern New Jersey until the early to mid 80's.  Union Pacific's heavily modified Gunderson boxcars ran on the "Farmer John Special" from the midwest to Los Angeles carrying pigs until the mid to late 90's.

No early Mather or other type of conventional stock cars ran into these eras, and rates for livestock were discontinued by most roads in the early 80's.

Old stock cars were sometimes used in MOW trains to haul ties. Back when ties were soaked in creosote you couldn't put them in an enclosed car because the fumes would build up - stock cars like fresh air blow thru but still kept the ties out of the rain.

Didn't they put them in service in the cities hauling people around

markpierce:

That's one of many reasons why modern railroading is boring.  "Railroad life," as far as my modeling and interest is concerned, ended fifty-four years ago.

mp:

I don't think it's boring.  I do like watching trains, although I tend to zone out after 5 cars of a stack train.  Other freights are still cool, and I'm usually glued to the window when traveling by train.  Short lines are always fun, too.

Still, when I hear about the old days, with the section houses and roundhouses and division points and interlocking towers and all those stations and all those railroads and of course STEAM STEAM STEAM...oh man, what I've missed.  Whenever I read a 1937 magazine and find some mention of an Alco tour...well, has anybody got a spare flux capacitor?

MisterBeasley:

I'm sure I rode on one the last time I flew Delta through Atlanta. 

LOL Mr B, I know what you are talking about, and yes, they are cattle cars.