B&SR coach 11 at Boothbay

[Eric Bolton]

They did a great job! Its just to bad it isn't still in its original baggage car configuration.

[Bill Sample]

I agree it would be nice to see a restored baggage/mail car, but it could always be restored to its original type in the future.  For the present I would think its third life as a straight coach ( it had been a combine for awhile as well) is far more useful for the Boothbay operation. 

[Mike Fox]

I don't know the exact date when the conversion was made, but I bet it has spent atleast a third of it's life as a coach. And it was "modified" in a shop that will probably never modify an original car again. So there is some history in it being in a coach configuration too.

[John Kokas]

Are there any blueprints that exist for any of the passenger equipment?  Would be a really great project to "recreate" an original coach or combine.  Long term project of course....................

[Wayne Laepple]

I believe the plans, or at least some of them, for WW&F coach "Vassalboro" and triple-combine "Tacconet" are on hand. Long term projects.....

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Many car plans from the Jackson & Sharp works survive at the Hagley Museum in Wilmington, Delaware.  The plans for the WW&F three door baggage/mail car and the B&SR three door baggage/mail car are among them.  The two cars were very similar in design and construction.  There are reduced plans in the back of Bob Jones' books on the WW&F, "Two Feet to Tidewater" and B&SR "Two Feet to the Lakes".  As Wayne said the baggage/mail car would be good for a "long term" project.  I really like the looks of those cars, one would look great tied to the tank of number 9.   The car would give us an example of an RPO that we could use to show visitors how the system worked.

[John Kokas]

I'm not far from the Hagley. I'll have to put it on my "to-do" list to go do some research and see what I can find.  Maybe some coach or parlor car plans still exist.  The hardest part would be remaking all the "pattern" pieces for the woodwork and castings but imagine the possibilities of being able to build "new" cars in the future..... Not only for the WW&F but others as well.  Looks like I'd have something to keep me busy when I retire...

[Dave Crow]

I purchased copies of the drawings available from the Hagley Museum or the Delaware State Archives.  I have the framing plans for Combine 1, Coach 2 or 3, and Combine 6.  The plans do not show end elevations nor do they show underbody details such as brake rigging.  While the framing plans are nice, it is the small details such as window dimensions, interior trim, and clerestory roof construction that will take more time to replicate.  And, as mentioned in this thread, the castings required will take some time.

[Reuben Bailey]

Hello Stewart, you mention red lead, which is in fact exactly what was used, and was also used by boat builders on wooden hulls.

To my knowledge, red lead is still available for commercial and marine use.  I worked for a few years on the Schooner Heritage, out of Rockland, and she is entirely primed in red lead paint.  I don't know if it makes sense to use it, or if it would even fall under the industrial category at a museum, but a sample could probably be obtained to try and get a more accurate color if this is desired.  The attached picture shows the bowsprit of the Heritage with a large area of it covered in red lead.  Is this the color that others remember?
For what it is worth.
All the best,
Reuben Bailey