Another steam era New York Central boxcar saved

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6408

Just saw a note on the Ahead of the Torch (AOTT) website showing an abandoned 40' single door steel boxcar saved from being scrapped. This one was at some type of warehouse in Millis, Massachusetts on the Bay Colony Railroad. Covered in brush and barely visible, the car carried the reporting marks BCLR 4001. On the underframe however was the identification as an ex-New York Central car; NYC # 172935, a car supposedly built in 1952. Ladders have been half cut but the roof walk looks like it might still be on the car. The group that saved it is the Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad in Rhode Island. Brush was cut away and the car was lifted onto a truck trailer (after bottom appliances were cut off) with the car eventually being set back on its friction bearing trucks after transport. It now sits on a N&NB siding awaiting restoration.

This recalls the save of an older NYC 40' single door steel boxcar that is now on the property of the Wabash Valley Railroad Museum in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Two nice New York Central steam-era saves!

Les

Al P. · **Joined:** Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:31 pm **Posts:** 56

[url][/url]Les,

found a video on YouTube showing the move. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7qatBoCELs&t=626s

I do not consider it a good save when all the under-body brake components are cut off. they are not easily put back. this car also has the roller bearing conversion done to its friction bearing trucks.

Al P.

jayrod · **Posted:** Mon Sep 18, 2023 8:05 am

Al P. wrote:

I do not consider it a good save when all the under-body brake components are cut off. they are not easily put back. this car also has the roller bearing conversion done to its friction bearing trucks.

For static display, it wouldn’t matter much if the brake equipment is gone. If it’s gonna be a runner, it depends on how the stuff was cut off. Mounting plates can be remade easily enough as can be the piping and rods.

We have a 50’ box car, NYC 52335 we think, 1957 vintage so not steam era.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6408

jayrod wrote:

Al P. wrote:

I do not consider it a good save when all the under-body brake components are cut off. they are not easily put back. this car also has the roller bearing conversion done to its friction bearing trucks.

For static display, it wouldn’t matter much if the brake equipment is gone. If it’s gonna be a runner, it depends on how the stuff was cut off. Mounting plates can be remade easily enough as can be the piping and rods.

We have a 50’ box car, NYC 52335 we think, 1957 vintage so not steam era.

Eric -

Steam was still running in 1957 in various locations, so yes, your NYC boxcar is "steam era". And you are right that underbody items that are cut off, can be put back on to make a car operational once again.

Les

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6408

Les Beckman wrote:

Just saw a note on the Ahead of the Torch (AOTT) website showing an abandoned 40' single door steel boxcar saved from being scrapped. This one was at some type of warehouse in Millis, Massachusetts on the Bay Colony Railroad. Covered in brush and barely visible, the car carried the reporting marks BCLR 4001. On the underframe however was the identification as an ex-New York Central car; NYC # 172935, a car supposedly built in 1952. Ladders have been half cut but the roof walk looks like it might still be on the car. The group that saved it is the Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad in Rhode Island. Brush was cut away and the car was lifted onto a truck trailer (after bottom appliances were cut off) with the car eventually being set back on its friction bearing trucks after transport. It now sits on a N&NB siding awaiting restoration.

Saw a YouTube video that showed the car being cleaned of rust and graffiti this past November and a coat of primer applied. Assume it was done on both sides. Bodes well for an eventual return to its New York Central paint and lettering. Hopefully that is the plan anyway.

Les

o anderson · **Posted:** Sat Jan 27, 2024 12:32 am

Hope you might share that link.

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2305

o anderson wrote:

Hope you might share that link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdbHwCPaV14

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6408

PMC wrote:

o anderson wrote:

Hope you might share that link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdbHwCPaV14

PMC -Thanks! It appears from your posting of that youtube link, that only one side got taken care of. But that's a start! Hopefully when the weather turns better in the spring, the group can tackle the other side. Thanks again.

Les

Another steam era New York Central boxcar saved

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