I have a customer in the Netherlands, asking me about Santa Fe mail containers that were used in the 'fifties. He says they were stainless steel, with side doors, and were loaded onto flatcars converted from heavyweight passenger cars. Does anyone have any knowledge or information on these? He thinks that some N scale models were available at some time also. ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
I remember the containers, not sure if they were strictly 50's or 60's also. I went to work in the Santa Fe management training program after college in 1959, seems to me it was 60's. Anyway they were used on the San Francisco Chief only. Some old baggage cars were cut down to flats and the containers were loaded on them. I will dig through my Santa Fe Modelers magazines and see what I can find. Seems like there was an article on them a few years ago. If I find anything, will post it. The thing I can't remember is why that particular route, and why they were created in the first place. Bob Miller
Thanks Bob, I hope you can dig up some info ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
My customer has just 'snail mailed' me some info on the mail containers and cars. A drawing shows two versions of stainless steel container, and the flatcar they ride on. A photo shows four containers on the flatcar, obviously made from passenger equipment. The caption says "Only a few months after being converted, mainline dirt and grime has already hidden the lettering on this 200-225 series car at Barstow in December 1962. The cars were painted dark grey with very light grey lettering. The containers were stainless steel with black lettering." The photo and drawings are photo-copies, and I don't think the photo will scan well enough to reproduce here. But I will try the drawing. ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery [This message has been edited by Alan (edited 02 August 2000).]
Drawings and photos look ok, scanned from a photo-copy! Hope this helps identification, atsfman ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
