Pat Wider 385 pages softcover
Volume
35 is
a special super-sized edition comprising 385 pages, which contain
much useful prototype information in one
extensive, comprehensive article on the following subject:
Genesis of The A.A.R. Standard
40’ Box Car: a
part of the continuing series covering 20th
century American box, automobile, and refrigerator car designs, the
385-page article by Pat Wider centers on the Association of American
Railroads’ Standard Box Car of 1937. The A.A.R. design of 1937 was
a further development of the American Railway Association’s
Standard Box Car of 1932. Improvements included increased inside
dimensions, better riding trucks, standardization of vendor-supplied
car body components, improved friction draft gear and automatic air
brake systems, longer-lasting wheels, stronger designs and floors,
and safer and easier to operate power hand brakes. Brief histories of
the standardization and impact of these various sub-systems on the
railroad industry through World War II are included as well as
descriptions of several post-war developments. This volume provides
the ideal prelude to the 6-inch taller A.A.R. alternate standard box
cars built during and after the war.
This comprehensive article includes
5 tables,
15 historical
railroad industry sidebars,
33 industry
trade ads, 47
U.S. patents,
72 diagrams,
and 428 B&W
photographs
of 10-foot inside height (or slightly less) A.A.R. Standard Box Cars
of 1937 built from May, 1936, until December, 1948. The article
includes much valuable information on the relevant box cars for the
following railroads: A&EC, A&WP, ACL, AT&SF, B&O, BM,
C&EI, C&O, CG, CGW, CIL, CN, COPR, CP, CR, D&M, DL&W,
Erie, FEC, Georgia, GM&O, IHB, ITC, KCS, L&C, L&N, LS&I,
LV, M&StL, MEC, NADHM, NC&StL. NdeM, NH, NJI&I, NKP, NP,
NPF, NS, NSD, NYC, ONT, P&LE, PM, RDG, RSCX, SAL, SL-SF, Soo
Line, Southern, SP, T&NO, T&P, TC, UP, VGN, W&LE, WAB,
WM, WofA, and WP.