01-12-2013, 07:15 PM
I know that the distilleries here in town (Old Taylor, Old Crow, Old Grand-Dad, and Schenley's George T. Stagg Distillery) were receiving grain in covered hoppers by the early 1960's. But as late as 1978-79, we'd often get the odd box car of grain (usually rye or malt). I remember us getting box car loads of malt or rye in FDDM and RI box cars that were probably loaded at elevators on poorly maintained branch lines.
The covered hoppers gradually grew in size with 100 ton capacity being the norm by the late 1960's. Most of the corn came from elevators in southern Indiana or Louisville and was usually shipped in L&N "Big Blue" covered hoppers, although it wasn't unusual to see private owner covered hoppers such as Indiana Farm Bureau. We got a lot of SOO Line "Color Mark" cars which I always liked because of the wheat logo on them.
As has been previously mentioned, your best bet is to try and locate photos for distilleries in your era and see what types of cars show up in the photos. It would be safe to say that at least through the 1950's that most of your grain would be received in box cars.
The covered hoppers gradually grew in size with 100 ton capacity being the norm by the late 1960's. Most of the corn came from elevators in southern Indiana or Louisville and was usually shipped in L&N "Big Blue" covered hoppers, although it wasn't unusual to see private owner covered hoppers such as Indiana Farm Bureau. We got a lot of SOO Line "Color Mark" cars which I always liked because of the wheat logo on them.
As has been previously mentioned, your best bet is to try and locate photos for distilleries in your era and see what types of cars show up in the photos. It would be safe to say that at least through the 1950's that most of your grain would be received in box cars.
Ed
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"
"Friends don't let friends build Timesavers"