Re: C&C Then & Now #8

The history of the cars is a very good example of better information coming available as the years pass.

C&C Coaches 1, 2, and 5 and Combines 3, 4, and 6 were built by Barney & Smith under two different orders in 1881. The combines were built as bag-exp-smokers and within a couple of years equipped with RPO compartments (express was then handled in separate box cars). In 1899-1900 the coaches got smoking compartments and the combines smoking compartment was changed to more baggage and express space.

Jerry Best and Fred Stindt did the passenger car roster for John B. Hungerford's The Slim Princess that was published in 1959. These two gentlemen used what they had available -- photos and access to Southern Pacific records. The SP records were the best efforts of various clerks. I am sure Best used this information for the NCNG book. And others are still using it.

After Turner's book Slim Rails through the Sand came out and I got the various Beebe books, I made up a list of passenger car discrepancies based upon the photos. Then in time, I was able to find both the records used by Best and Stindt and other sources. The SP car records are at California State RR Museum, C&C correspondence is at University of Nevada, Reno Special Collections and a C&C construction ledger is at Nevada Historical Society. These are supplemented by the research of others and contemporary newspapers, etc.

Back issues of the Journal are available for $5.00 each from:
SP Narrow Gauge Society c/o Clifford Mestel, 12874 County Road 314B, Buena Vista, Colorado 8121. Plus shipping, etc. (add $2.00 per order).
Membership is $20 per a four-issue "year."

Installments of the Series
Part 1: The Barney & Smith Cars 1-6 (Issue #43)
Part 2: V&T Built Cars, Cabooses 1-2, Combine 7 (Issue #45)
Part 3: Business Car "Esmeralda" (Issue #52)

Planned Future Installments of this Series
Part 4: The Tonopah Boom Period
Part 5: Former SPC Cars After the Boom
Part 6: Business Car #20, A Colorado Immigrant

I can send a PDF membership application, etc. in response to a private message from you or anyone else.

Brian Norden