Re: "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces."

DakotaRed Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wow, that's bad! I can see why it had to be cut
> up.
>
> How long does it take for a wooden car to get in
> that condition? Was it last repaired by the
> D&RGW perhaps?

Here are some thoughts to ponder:

Most of the cars were built in the 1902-03 period.

All were rebuilt about 20 years later (1923-25) with more steel added the draft gears of the cars to make them more robust. This was a great idea as the larger locomotives coming on line would allow the RR to run much longer and heavier trains.

However, wood still rots. Being the cars lasted about 20-25 years as built, the cars would have been slated for major rebuilding again around 1945.

In the post war era, D&RGW management was doing all they could to rid themselves of the narrow gauge. It has been said that cars seldom got a coat of paint, let alone major shopping after 1946. There is evidence of cars getting new side sills, I recall a flat bottom gon that was converted to an idler flat getting new side sills, with no bolt holes where the pockets would have been.

Many cars were scrapped in the 1950's, others expired in service with broken sills, etc. Some standard gauge cars were cut down for narrow gauge service in 1957 or so to ease the shortage of flat cars.

In the case of #1000, it would have been rebuilt in the early 1920's, been in need of rebuilding in the late 1940's, and was real lucky to have survived until 1968! Time finally caught up with her. It is interesting to note that #1000 was one of the first cars stated for "restoration" (which meant a nice coat of paint) by the old Narrow Gauge RR Association back in the early 1970's.