Reference

B&O/Chessie #250054 --- An EXTREMELY rare car. This is one of 85 cars built specifically for Ferro Alloy lading by Midwest Car, and were the only MWC cars built for Chessie. They originally had roof hatches, which are now long gone, as is the roof of the car. Demoted from their original service, they were seen here hauling ballast in MOW service.

Quite a come-down from specially-built, specially-employed status to "just another ballast car"! I also photographed #250080 in Montgomery and #250070 in New Orleans, but this one shows them best. If you want to see their original appearance, see Morning Sun "Chessie System Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment", page #26. The paintouts below the Chessie cat cover the "Ferro Alloy Loading Only" warning, and some peach-colored paint has even been used. Wonder what shop that came from! 05-07-96, CSX Middle Yard, Montgomery Al.

NW #74220--- Norfolk Southern (X-NW) H-11 coal hopper converted to MOW service. Like the former L&N cars on CSX, these cars are used for cross-tie loading after the ties are removed during track reconditioning. This car was shot in the NS Hattiesburg, Ms., Yard. 10-18-97

NS #994673--- NS purpose-built ballast hopper, classed H46. Siding along Florida Avenue at Oliver Junction, New Orleans. 1995.

MSRC #1008--- Midsouth sand car. This car is used to transport and store sand used in locomotives for traction. It is a former Illinois Central/ICG car, and the square hatches date this as a 1940s/early 1950s car. The last reweigh date was "MC 2-72"! Midsouth was spun off from the Illinois Central and later picked up by the KCS, giving KCS a route from Birmingham, Al., to Shreveport, La. This car was seen in the Vicksburg, Ms., yard and shot in 1995.

PALX #10085--- Paducah and Louisville sand car. This car is used to transport and store sand used in locomotives for traction. It is a former Illinois Central/ICG car, and the square hatches date this as a 1940s/early 1950s car. PAL is another spin-off by Illinois Central, and it is now controlled by CSX. PAL 15th Street Yard, 1994.

PALX #600--- Paducah and Louisville sand car. This car is a former 2-bay coal car with roof and hatches added. It is in amazingly good shape for its age. PAL 15th Street Yard, 1994.

CSXt #998401--- An amazingly old gondola, a dead ringer for the Ertl low-side gondola. These cars were built in the 1930s, making it well over 60 years old when seen in New Orleans. The "99" series puts it in MOW service, which makes sense since it long ago was invalid for interchange service. CSX Gentilly Yard, 10-19-97.

CSXT #913184--- Cat in a gon! This MOW gondola has had a ramp built into it to allow the Cat crawler to load/unload the MOW hoppers. CSX Gentilly Yard, 04-11-98.

Photos Copyrighted by Patrick Harris