SOUTHERN PACIFIC BOX CAR 115497

Our Box Car: Southern Pacific (S. P.) 115497 was constructed in November 1936 by American Car & Foundry.  The S.P. did not order any freight cars from 1930 to 1936.  In 1936, the S.P. placed an order for 2,950 freight cars.  This order included; 150 stock cars, 200 steel flat cars, 100 steel gondolas, 750 automobile cars and 1750 box cars.  In addition, the S. P. ordered 20 baggage-horse cars, and twelve, 4-8-8-2 AC-6 steam locomotives from Baldwin Locomotive Works were ordered. The S. P. would also begin their investments into their iconic Daylight passenger trains including six, GS-2, 4-8-4 steam locomotives from Lima Locomotive Works and the associated passenger cars. The S. P. freight car part of the investment made in 1936 cost $8,000,000 or the equivalent to approximately $160 million in 2022.  (S. P. Bulletin pg. 3, 4. July 1936), (S.P. Bulletin Oct 1936 pg. 4, 5.)

 The box cars ordered in 1936 were the first box cars ordered by the Southern Pacific since December 1928. The design ordered were the first of steel construction on all exterior walls.   Contracts were signed with four different railroad car builders, Pullman Standard, Press Steel Car Co, Bethlehem Steel Co, and American Car & Foundry (A. C. & F.) to complete the order.  Class B-50-18 were designed before the 1938 AAR standards for Steel car construction were finalized.  These cars were designed based on what information the committee had already agree upon.  The cars of this order have the following characteristics:

1.       4/5 sharp-corner Dreadnaught end, from Union Metal Products

2.       Straight-panel roof, Chicago-Hutchins

3.       American Steel Foundry (A. S. F.) American Association of Railroads trucks 1 5/8-inch spring travel

4.       Ajax hand Brake

5.       Wood running boards

6.       Youngtown corrugated doors.

7.      Raising the interior height from 9 ½ feet to 10 feet 

The class was initially numbered from 32770 to 34519.  The cars constructed by A. C. & F. were numbered 33270 to 33519.  Renumbered in 1956 to S. P. 115497, our car would spend its last years on the S. P. in maintenance of way service. Over the years box cars like almost all types of railroad freight cars, continued to grow in size.   A letter from the early 1980s, on the end of the availability of the 40 ft box car on the S. P. shows the impact on the railroad industry of the 40 ft. box car.  S. P. 115497 came to be a part of this collection because of a donation to the City of El Paso by S. P. on August 16, 1983. (City of El Paso Resolution 19-623).  The Box car is currently used to store the tools on hand to maintain the collection. (Source: Southern Pacific Freight Cars Volume 4 (revised) Box Cars by Anthony W. Thompson.)Box car S.P. 115497 has the following information stenciled on the car from left to right and top to bottom:

Marking Description

CAPY 100000

The nominal freight load weight capacity of the car expressed in pounds.  This does not include temporary fixtures or dunnage (loose wood or similar material used to hold cargo) within the car the capacity of this car is 100000 pounds or 50 tons.

LD LMT 123100

This is the maximum weight of freight, any fixture such as shelving or bracing to secure the load within the car.

LT. WT. 45900 ELP 7-58

This is the Lite Weight of the Car expressed in pounds.  This is 22.95 tons.  The car was last weighed in El Paso in July 1958.

Box Car Door

Marking

Description

BLT 11-36

Month and Year built

B50-18

The class designation on the S. P.

Right Side of the Car

EXW 10’-5” H 13’-1”

EXW is Extreme Width.   “H” refers to the height of the car at the extreme width.  This height is measured from the top rail.

EW 8’ 8” H 13’-11”

This is the width of the car at the eaves and the height of the eaves from the top of the rail.

IL 40’-6”

Interior Length

IW 8’-2”

Interior Width

IH 9’-11”

Interior Height

CU FT 3695

The volume of the interior of the car. Useful when shipping light items

(Source: November 1951 Southern Pacific Bulletin, Box Car Symbols pg. 10, 11)