B&SR Box Car 56 - Official Work Thread

[Jeff Schumaker]

Mike,

A ramp makes sense for the livestock to be led into the car.

Jeff S.

[Bob Holmes]

If there was provision for a ramp, there had to also be a door large enough for a cow or horse.  Marcel, what do you think?

Bob

[Mike Fox]

Bob, the regular sliding door would have been large enough, and that is the opening the brackets are under.

[Stephen Piwowarski]

Not knowing much about the B&SR's operations, I'll not say anything definite, but I will say that it doesn't seem too likely that full size horses were shipped in those cars. Full size horses measure about 4.5 to 6 feet at the ridge between their shoulders with their head and neck being quite a bit taller.

Most bovines, on the other hand, would comfortably fit through a 72" or so height door.

[John McNamara]

Probably SR&RL only shipped narrow gauge horses.....

[Bill Baskerville]

That is what the windows were for, for the horses to stick their heads out of so their necks wouldn't tire.

[Bob Springs]

Were there sheep in the area.  Sheep are smaller than cattle.
With a name like sheepscot I always supposed there were.

[Philip Marshall]

I recall reading the SR&RL had a customer in Strong who raised beef cattle. There was a livestock ramp or chute for loading and unloading stock cars in Strong, but I've never seen any mention of a corresponding one in Farmington so I imagine the animals were just led directly between SG and NG stock cars on the transfer tracks.

[Jeff Schumaker]

That is what the windows were for, for the horses to stick their heads out of so their necks wouldn't tire.

A member of the HOn30 group I belong to has built a B&SR boxcar/stockcar with a steer or cow inside, its head sticking out an open window.

Jeff S.

[Fred Morse]

What does the steer say when he leaves the station? I'm moo-o-oving my butt.

[Jeff Schumaker]

Good one, Fred.

Jeff S.

[Bill Baskerville]

What does the steer say when he leaves the station? I'm moo-o-oving my butt.

Fred, I think you and probably the rest of us are suffering from Covid staying inside too long syndrome.
 

[Jeff Schumaker]

From what I hear, Fred has been a regular part of the weekday crew. So, he's way ahead of us from away.

Jeff S.

[Jeff Schumaker]

On another note, any idea when the B&SR made the window modifications to 56, 57 & 58?

Jeff S.

[Mike Fox]

What does the steer say when he leaves the station? I'm moo-o-oving my butt.

Well, atleast it wasn't a donkey