Ted Miles started a thread on rail artifacts that are generally overlooked (see the thread "Clark County Museum"). Here is an example of another one that could qualify:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=2192838

The 40' double door Gulf, Mobile & Ohio boxcar has had its two doors opened wide with wood doors added in between for visitors to gain access. There is another longer box car behind GM&O #57808 for additional museum space. Note that, except for the running boards, 57808 is basically intact with all its railroad lettering still in place. GM&O freight equipment is rare in preservation and the 57808 may be the only GM&O 40' boxcar still extant.

Miss it? Easily done!

Les

I'll bet Monticello, which is around thirty miles away, is aware of these cars, in case this little museum loses interest. GM&O boxcars are indeed rare now, MRM has an original C&A, later GM&O boxcar, two flatcars and a sand hopper from GM&O, but none of the GM&O billboard boxcars. http://www.mrym.org/roster.html

PMC -

Let's hope that Monticello is aware of those cars. BTW, I meant to say in my original post that #57808 may be the only STEEL GM&O 40' boxcar still extant.

Les

Discovered another one that might slip under the radar:

https://boxcarchildrenmuseum.com

This one is located in Putnam, Connecticut and is housed in what is described as a New York, New Haven & Hartford boxcar. Might this be the only New Haven single sheathed (outside braced) wood boxcar still in existance? No info as to the cars number or if it is, in fact, actually a New Haven car.

Les

Here's a place I found on the internet that I had never heard of, nor can I find any reference to, here on RyPN:

https://www.saveharmarbridge.com

The organization has owned the 4 span Harmar Bridge in Marietta, Ohio for a number of years and is currently trying to raise funds for its restoration. Their website shows a number of members turning the swing span section by hand. Quite interesting! The railroad bridge in itself is enough to qualify as a railroad artifact but it also seems that there are a number of pieces of railroad equipment on the right-of-way leading up to the bridge. Here is one piece:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/n8myc/28855105925/

The caboose is a classic B&O "wagon top" # C2473. But there is other equipment including a couple of other cabooses; wide vision C&O #C3301 and B&O bay window # 3009 (which is on the ground). A couple of B&O passenger cars and a RPO/baggage. A C&O boxcar. And I've seen a photo of a 45 ton Porter center cab lettered as HHBC # 1, although I can't find a photo of the diesel actually there at Marietta. The name of the outfit is the "Historic Harmar Bridge Company". I'm not sure if they also own the railroad equipment, or if there is a separate organization for that. Anyway, here is another that is apparently also easily missed.

Les

My wife and I walked around that area just when covid started. Harmar bridge they have some decent looking passenger cars, and the nose of an F unit, and some historic buildings nearby. It's a neat area! It's been in the media that powers that be want to tear down at least the span above the river channel. Anybody in the area should check it out. If only I hit the lottery..... Also there is a new shortline there they call it BIP, Belpre Industrial Parkersburg

dieselloco -

Thanks for the "in-person" report. The nose of the EMD cab has a B&O herald on the units door and 4528 in the number boards. I wonder if it IS in fact off of a B&O unit and whether the number is accurate for the Baltimore & Ohio.

Les

Found another one that seems "off the beaten track". In Ohio, the "Gallipolis Railroad Freight Station Museum" was founded to preserve a 1901-built wooden Hocking Valley Railroad freight station that was closed in 1981 and that had horribly deteriorated and was in danger of being torn down. Not only was the station beautifully restored by the organization, but track was relaid alongside the old stone freight platform and a number of pieces of rail equipment have been put onto those tracks. Perhaps the most striking addition is a stainless steel clad lightweight sleeper purchased from the demise of the Ringling Bros./Barnum & Bailey circus train; originally built for the Pennsylvania Railroad as the "Lewistown Inn". Also on the property is an ex-Nickel Plate bay window caboose (N&W #557411) which was originally displayed in a Wheelersburg, Ohio park. And coming from the collection of the West Virginia State Farm Museum in Point Pleasant, WV are a B&O wagon top caboose (road number C-2801), a 40' steel boxcar (more info needed) and a 1945 built Porter 0-4-0F fireless cooker originally owned by the Ohio Power Company.

In a "side story", found out that a local highway bridge over the Ohio River collapsed in 1967 with the loss of over 40 lives and that, in a "commuter type operation" a New York Central "self propelled car" provided temporary service for 4 days between Gallipolis and Pt. Pleasant until a ferry boat was brought in to replace it. Wonder if the NYC car was an RDC or an older gas-electric car?

Les

I remember a newspaper photo of a RDC on the adjacent railroad bridge in the background right after the Silver Bridge disaster.

After doing some closer reading of the groups website and the mention of a "1969 Southern Railroad caboose", I looked again at the photos. For some reason, the Southern caboose was incorrectly lettered NW 557411 and it is certainly NOT an ex-Nickel Plate Road caboose! I should have checked more closely. Sorry for that misinformation. Not sure what the Southern road number was. Maybe someone can furnish it. Also the railroad and reporting marks for the 40' steel boxcar, reportedly built in 1947, would be welcome info.

Les

Here's another one the might be overlooked. The Big Horn County Historical Museum is located in Hardin, Montana. A gathering of historical buildings from local farm country, one of which is the nicely restored two story Chicago, Burlington & Quincy frame depot that was originally in Lodge Grass, Montana with the semaphore train order board still in place! A nice long section of track has been laid running past the depot platform and the modest rail collection is interesting. First of all is Northern Pacific stock car #82995, not a common piece of equipment in preservation. Then there is a wooden bay window caboose from the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific, BAR number 05. The final piece is a really ancient unpainted wooden open platform passenger car with arch windows. Obviously rescued from outside storage somewhere, the car is up on blocking and not on trucks. BUT, steps lead up to one end of the door into the car so an inspection of the interior is apparently possible although the actual condition of the interior is uncertain. Would be interested in knowing the history of that car, including the railroad on which it ran and its age. Hardin is located just off of Interstate 90 and about 15 miles west of the Battle of the Little Bighorn National Monument.

Les

Some easily overlooked locations with railroad artifacts might only have a single example. Is it worth driving a bit out of the way to see and/or photograph it? Which brings up an interesting subject. Cupolas! In this case of course, caboose cupolas. If a caboose has a cupola, it is often described as a center cupola. Or, as an offset cupola. And sometimes even as an end cupola. This last definition is the one usually described incorrectly. A caboose may have its cupola far to one end, but it is not, strictly speaking, an end cupola. There ARE end cupola cabooses, but they are extremely rare, especially in preservation. With one exception; Delaware & Husdon wood bodied cabooses with end cupolas. A number have been preserved. For the CORRECT definition of an end cupola is where one end wall of the caboose lines up perfectly with one end wall of the cupola. And so finally we have come to another easily missed railroad artifact with an example of a rare end cupola STEEL caboose, as per this referenced photo:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4077852

Kansas, Oklahoma & Gulf caboose #1529 is located at Faith Acadamy, a day care center in Webster Groves, Missouri which itself is housed in the old Missouri Pacific depot.


Les