12-04-2017, 08:51 PM
sailormatlac Wrote:.....Do you know how much SU-class boxcars were in service by 1952?....
Ted's book shows photos of two ex-Southern SU-type boxcars, one (among several) sold to the Atlantic & Danville, and another, one of ten, sold to the Lancaster & Chester. Both photos are dated 1952. The latter car is equipped with AB brakes.
Apparently, there were many variations within the SU class. There were several different ends used, including two somewhat similar Hutchins ends (like the ones I made for my car), and another type known only as the T-Brace end. The last 1500 cars built got two=piece Murphy ends, with 7 over 7 corrugations. With the exception of 250 cars, all got Hutchins Dry Lading roofs...in six different variations. The 250 car exceptions got radial roofs, but Southern's records also show that another 250 cars got something called a Chicago-Cleveland "Therite" arched roof. Also, a note on the Southern drawings shows that 200 cars got Chicago-Cleveland Company's "Viking" roof, possibly the first use of that design...it's similar to the roofs that I used on the Athearn boxcars in the same thread which I referenced earlier. In addition, 2,320 cars, in three groups, received fascia on the car sides at the eaves. The article also notes that the cars were little-change throughout their service lives.
Wayne