Re: (erielack) EL car weights and covered hoppers

[Dlw1el2_@_aol.com]

In a message dated 8/15/2005 2:39:01 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
paultup_@_lucent.com writes:
 
PAUL

Hello  all,

In doing some research for decals, I've noticed  something interesting: Cars 
that are labeled as "70 ton" in the diagram book  were stencilled with "CAPY 
140000" in the early years of the EL (note car  18504 in this George Elwood 
shot:  http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/el/frt/18504.jpg)

But at  some point, it looks like the cars' capacities increased (and their 
respective  loaded weights) - by 1965, it looks like previously-stencilled 
70-ton cars  were being lettered with "CAPY 154000."  Huh? When did these 70 ton 
cars  become 77-ton cars? What caused the increase? New trucks? Reinforcement 
during  rebuilding?  Note that this seems to be common among all EL 70-ton  
covered hoppers (not just the former DL&W 1790s)
 
JUST GUESSING,  HIGHER CAPACITY TRUCKS WITH LARGER JOURNALS.



Truth be told, a lot of the older DL&W 1790s  also had a decrease in their 
CAPY (to either 100000 or 110000) - this, I would  assume, would be due to 
advanced age?
THAT WOULD BE LOGICAL.



While I'm on the topic of EL 2-bay covered  hoppers, why were some cars' 
hatches replaced? Many cars in the 21000, 21100,  and 21200-series appeared to 
have new roofs and hatches applied - the new  roofs had its end hatches spaced 
further out, and all hatches became circular  rather than square. Was this to 
facilitate easier loading? Were hatches  rusting out?



DON'T KNOW.
 
BOB


	The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
	Sponsored by the ELH&TS
	http://www.elhts.org

------------------------------