Battleships?

[NW Mailing List]

I'm guessing that Battleships here "could" be applied in 1911 to any gondola coal car (flat-bottomed or with hoppers) that had more coal capacity than 55 or 57 1/2 tons . . . . or more than that of the N&W "standard" coal car for that era?  Did the term disappear with the appearance of the USRA 70-ton design? 



On the C&O side, circa 1902-3, Battleships was the term applied by the Hinton newspaper (and maybe railroad) folks to the C&Os new all-steel 50-ton hopper cars . . . relative to their older wooden 40-ton hopper cars . . .especially in loaded yard switching situations.  Apparently, wooden center-sills lost. 



Do we have written N&W documents or accounts from the 30s, 40s, or 50s of Battleships ? 



Al Kresse 
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