Built at BN 9287 in February 1991 and largely in original paint, BNSF 1464 pulls forward to clear the switch and reverses into another track at the old GN yard, Minot, ND. BNSF 1464 rests at the east end of the old GN yard, east of Minot. The diminutive 6-car local , complete with caboose (shoving platform) waits for a crew to take it east into Gavin Yard, under threatening skies.
The original section is well over 100 years old. Here it is in service 1907. And after we moved it and restored it.
Nope. These were the power for the very first Super Chief 85 years ago. But it wasn’t a polished stainless-steel streamliner led by sleek red-and-silver warbonnet diesels. The 1936 Super Chief consisted of refurbished heavyweight cars. It was pulled by this pair of blunt-nosed 1800 hp diesel units (road numbers #1 and #1A) that crews nicknamed “Amos” and “Andy” after characters in a popular radio comedy. The ATSF had been eager to experiment with diesel power because of the difficulty of supplying suitable boiler water in the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. These diesels enabled Super Chief to shave 15-1/4 hours off the steam-powered Chief’s 63-hour schedule. ATSF’s famous warbonnet EMD E1 units and Budd-built fluted stainless-steel cars would arrive in 1937. These first diesels would be modified with better trucks, a "Safety cab" and repainted in Warbonnet eventually and then be traded in for newer passenger diesels. They were kid of ugly yet cute, don't ya think?
It does look like a cute little pet... With a pug nose, armored skin, spines sticking out of its back... a critter even a Klingon could love! But those things were the predecessors, trailblazers to the E-units that we all admire.
I've seen photos of these elsewhere and like a lot of early diesel carbody efforts, they run the gamut. These kind of look like an E that hit a wall at speed.
Yup, we consume a lot of booze in the Houston area. I bet they took the banners off these cars after taking the publicity photos. A car like that would be broken into and emptied long before it got to its destination.
These odd-looking modern boxcars carried beer. The Manufacturers Railway Co. was wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch, though they were wise to NOT adorn the car with their logo. Given the weight of its lading, the car reached its 168,000 LB limit weight limit before it would "cube out" in a traditional boxcar, hence the low roofline. [Montgomery, AL - 07/1989] Anheuser-Busch has since divested itself of the railroad.
One good thing, for the railroad, is that they wouldn't have to worry about keeping the contents from freezing in the winter. Doug
Beer will freeze as I once found out with dismay in our kitchen freezer. I'm guessing that it contains water, but I don't know. What surprised me is that these cars are listed as refrigerator cars in my 1974 Equipment Register, yet my photo shows no such evidence of mechanical refrigeration. I wonder if louvers can be seen on the other side or end?
Oh yes, beer will freeze - not enough alcohol. Hard liquor won't however. I keep vodka/gin in the freezer. Doug
Well on this one, they put the refrigeration units on top. I believe this has been used as a stationary refrigerator at a warehouse in Oklahoma City. It has been parked there a very long time. Must have good insulation anyway.
Does anyone know the story of the MILW's cars with a hint of the Miller logo on the door? Kind of a boxcar/covered hopper. I can't read the stenciling by the door in the picture. How did they unload such a thing? Anyway, these are pretty neat.