B&M 5000 Flat Cars

Boston & Maine 5000 Series Flat Cars

Index

Builder's Photo

Does one exist?

B&M Classification Card(s)

For more info on the classification cards and "webitizing" them, see this web page
From 1942 class book.
Click on image to see original scan at full resolution (or right-click → "Save Picture As" to download black and white image, to view it at full resolution)

From 1952 class book.
Click on image to see original scan at full resolution (or right-click → "Save Picture As" to download black and white image, to view it at full resolution)

Note the 1952 class book also a page for the GEX 2000-2007 cars built in Waterville in 1944. That is now scanned, and available in the "On-Line Archives" page of the B&MRRHS web site

Specifications From Classification Cards

Spec Value
Builder Concord Car Shops (B&M RR)
Lot # 57
Car Numbers 5000-5007
Quantity 8
Build Date 1941 (1941-10 per disposition records)
AAR class FW
Gen'l Arrgt 5414-A-72
Lt Weight 53,800-57,000 [1952: (Including girders)] [rest of below from Tim Gilbert]
53,800 (approx) (excluding semi-portable loading harness)
57,000 (approx) (including loading harness)
Base of harness - Columns, girders, or I-beams - attached to deck extending over the bolsters.
(also see tables below from ORER data)
Dimensions of well 14' long, 7' wide
Clearance from rail To bottom of load: 5½"
To top of load (Max height to top of load) 15'-5½"
Girders and Beams
(Not interchangeable) 5000-5002: Four 15" I-beams
5003-5004: Two 23" columns
5005-5006: Two 30" columns
5007: Two 20" girders (PRR)
Trucks Andrews (CS side frames)
Journals 5½" x 10" (100,000 lbs nominal capacity)
Journal Box Column bolt type
Journal Box Lid National 353 pattern
Journal Bearings and wedges AAR
Side Bearings Stucki
Springs AAR class D with Miner C-2-XB snubbers
Hand Brake Ajax
Air Brake AB with two 7" x 12" cylinders
Body Bolster Built-up steel with forged side bearing and AAR std. contour center plate
Center Sills None
Coupler AAR type "E" 6¼" x 8" Rotary Bot. Operated
Uncoupling Gear AAR Rot S. Ry. Eq. Co.
Coupler Yoke AAR (C S.) Vertical
Brake Beam AAR #3
Brake Beam Safety Support Buffalo
Bottom Rod Schaeffer type Y sect. M-73 type "V"[?Y?]
Bottom Rod Safety Support Buffalo
Brake Shoes AAR #1A
Brake Shoes Key AAR Std.
[Brake] Levers B&M & Schaeffer
Brake Beam Hanger Sch[aefer] "U" type
Wheels 33" dia pass. turned from 36" D
or 33" C. Iron
Draft Gear Miner A-22-XB
Brake Lever Badge Plate (none)
Brake Pipe "T" Anchor "Wright"

ORER data and numbers

ORER Size Data
Description 1/1941
AAR Mechanical Designation FW
Inside
Dimensions Length 32'
Width 10'
Height
Outside
Dimensions Length 32'-1"
Width At Eaves or top of sides or platform 10'
Extreme Width 10'
Height
from
Rail To Extreme Width 3'-11"
To Eaves or top of sides or platform 3'-11"
To Top of Running Board
To Extreme Height 7'-9"
Door - Side
opening Width
Height
Capacity Cu Ft. Level Full
Pounds 100000

ORER History
ORER Date
(Year-Mo.) Car
Numbers # of
Cars Description
1941 - 10 5000-5007 8 Flat, Well, Steel (Note H)
1942 - 01 (same)
1942 - 04 (same)
1942 - 07 (same)
1942 - 10 (same)
1943 - 01 (same)
1943 - 04 (same)
1943 - 07 (same)
1943 - 10 (same)
1944 - 01 (same)
1944 - 04 (same)
1944 - 07 (same)
1944 - 10 (same)
1945 - 01 (same)
1945 - 04 (same)
1945 - 07 (same)
1945 - 10 (same)
1946 - 01 (same)
1946 - 04 (same)
1946 - 07 (same)
1946 - 10 (same)
1947 - 01 (same)
1947 - 04 (same)
1947 - 07 (same) (now Note G)
1947 - 10 (same)
1948 - 01 " " Flat, Well, Steel (Note C)
1948 - 04 (same)
1948 - 07 (same)
1948 - 10 (same)
1949 - 01 (same)
1949 - 04 (same)
1949 - 07 (same)
1949 - 10 (same)
1950 - 01 (same)
1950 - 04 (same)
1950 - 07 " 7 "
1950 - 10 (same)
1951 - 01 (same)
1951 - 04 5000-5006 6 "
1951 - 07 (same)
1951 - 10 " " Flat, Well, Steel (Note A)
1952 - 01 (same)
1952 - 04 (same)
1952 - 07 (same)
1952 - 10 (same)
1953 - 01 (same) (note A text changed, see below)
1953 - 04 (same)
1953 - 07 (same)
1953 - 10 (same) (note A text changed again, see below)
1954 - 01 (same)
1954 - 04 (same)
1954 - 07 (same)
1954 - 10 (same)
1955 - 01 (same)
1955 - 04 (same)
1955 - 07 (same)
1955 - 10 (same)
1956 - 01 (same)
1956 - 04 (same)
1956 - 07 (same)
1956 - 10 (same)
1957 - 01 (same)
1957 - 04 (same)
1957 - 07 (same)
1957 - 10 (same)
1958 - 01 (same)
1958 - 04 (same)
1958 - 07 (same)
1958 - 10 (same)
1959 - 01 (same)
1959 - 04 (same)
1959 - 07 (same)
1959 - 10 (same)
1960 - 01 (same)
1960 - 04 (same)
1960 - 07 (same)
1960 - 10 (same)
1961 - 01 (same)
1961 - 04 (same)
1961 - 07 (same)
1961 - 10 (same)
1962 - 01 (same)
1962 - 04 (same)
1962 - 07 (same)
1962 - 10 (same)
1963 - 01 (same)
1963 - 04 (same)
1963 - 07 (same)
1963 - 10 (same)
1964 - 01 (same)
1964 - 04 (same)
1964 - 07 (same)
1964 - 10 (same)
1965 - 01 (same)
1965 - 04 (same)
1965 - 07 (same)
1965 - 10 (same)
1966 - 01 (same) (note A text changed again, see below)
1966 - 04 (same)
1966 - 07 (same)
1966 - 10 (same)
1967 - 01 (same)
1967 - 04 (same)
1967 - 07 (same)
1967 - 10 (same)
1968 - 01 (same)
1968 - 04 (same)
1968 - 07 5001-5006 5 "
1968 - 10 (same)
1969 - 01 (same)
1969 - 04 (same)
1969 - 07 (same)
1969 - 10 (same)
1970 - 01 (same)
1970 - 04 (same)
1970 - 07 (same)
1970 - 10 (same)
1971 - 01 (same)
1971 - 04 (same)
1971 - 07 (same)
1971 - 10 (same)
1972 - 01 (same)
1972 - 04 (same)
1972 - 07 (same)
1972 - 10 (same)
1973 - 01 (same)
1973 - 04 Not listed

ORER Notes

Note H (10/1941, 1/1943, 4/1944, 10/1944, 1/1945, 10/1946, 1/1947), Note C (1/1948 - 1/1951)

Dimensions of well hole (not load carrying) in cars in series 5000 to 5007 inclusive are as follows:
length 14 ft. 2 in., width 7 ft., height from rail to bottom of well 9¼ in.

Note C (4/1951- 7/1951), Note A (10/1951 - 10-1952)

Dimensions of well hole (not load carrying) in cars in series 5000 to 5006 inclusive are as follows:
length 14 ft. 2 in., width 7 ft., height from rail to bottom of well 9¼ in.

Note A (1/1953 - 7/1953)

Dimensions of well hole (not load carrying) in cars in series 5000 to 5006 inclusive are as follows:
length 14 ft. 2 in., width 7 ft., height from rail to bottom of well 9¼ in.
These cars are equipped with a permanent superstructure for transporting large type machinery such as generators, etc.

Note A (10/1953 - 10/1965)

Dimensions of well hole (not load carrying) in cars in series 5000 to 5006 inclusive are as follows:
length 14 ft. 2 in., width 7 ft., height from rail to bottom of well 9¼ in.
These cars are equipped with a permanent superstructure for transporting large type machinery such as generators, etc.
These cars are equipped with steel flooring and have 2 four-wheel trucks. Spacing between truck centers 21 ft 8½ in; between axles 5 ft. 6 in.

Note A (1/1966- 4/1968; 7/1968 - 1/1973 series changes to 5001-5006)

Dimensions of well hole (not load carrying) in cars in series 5000 to 5006 inclusive are as follows:
length 14 ft. 2 in., width 7 ft., height from rail to bottom of well 9¼ in.
These cars are equipped with a permanent superstructure for transporting large type machinery such as generators, etc.
These cars are equipped with steel flooring and have 2 four-wheel trucks. Spacing between truck centers 21 ft 8½ in; between axles 5 ft. 6 in.
Height above top of rail to center of gravity – inches. Light-weights [pounds] of these cars as follows:

Car # 1/1966 7/1968
5000 54,900
5001 55,200 55,200
5002 56,900 56,900
5003 60,300 60,300
5005 59,300 59,300
5006 60,200 60,200

"Heavy Capacity and Special Type Flat Cars" notes - 1/1971

Car numbers
Data 5001 5002 5003 5005 5006
AAR Mech. Designation FW FW FW FW FW
Type of loading floor Steel Steel Steel Steel Steel
Dimensions
(Note A) Outside length of car 32'-1" 32'-1" 32'-1" 32'-1" 32'-1"
Load Carrying
Platform Length 14'-2" 14'-2" 14'-2" 14'-2" 14'-2"
Width 7' 7' 7' 7' 7'
Height from top of rail Open Pit Open Pit Open Pit Open Pit Open Pit
Height from top of rail to center of gravity
Number of trucks, number of wheels per truck 2 - 4 wheel 2 - 4 wheel 2 - 4 wheel 2 - 4 wheel 2 - 4 wheel
Spacing between truck centers 21'-8½" 21'-8½" 21'-8½" 21'-8½" 21'-8½"
Spacing between axles 5'-6" 5'-6" 5'-6" 5'-6" 5'-6"
Light weight (pounds) 55200 56900 60300 59300 60200
Capacity (pounds) 100000 100000 100000 100000 100000
Total cars 1 1 1 1 1
Notes 43 43 43 43 43

Note 43: Cars in B&M series 5001-5006 are equipped with permanent superstructure for transporting large type machinery such as generators, etc. These cars have ¼ in. steel dust plate (not load carrying) beneath well hole, 3 in. above top of rail, to prevent ballast and other debris from flying into well hole.

Discussion, General Notes

Per Tim Gilbert
By 1941 with World War II a fact even before Pearl Harbor, special service flats were required to carry the high, wide, and heavy (and slow) loads. Two designs were chosen - [depressed center flat info omitted], and the second one was an especially developed one with a well hole (the B&M #5000-5007 series) to transport marine propulsion gears up to 15 feet in diameter from GE's Lynn plant. Both were assembled by the Concord car shops - [more depressed center flat info omitted] and the eight well hole cars fabricated from sundry steel pieces. In 1944, Maine Central's Waterville shops used the well hole design to fabricate eight more cars for GE which were numbered GECX #2000-2007.
These 1941 designs used steel massively. The light weights of the 2 designs were 70,600 pounds for the four depressed center flats and 53,300 pounds for the eight well hole flats in comparison to the mere 37,300 pounds for the #33500 general flat car series built in 1923. Much of the additional steel was necessary to support weight solely between the bolsters. Without this extra steel, the car could break its back with a full load. For loaded cars where the load-bearing surface did not straddle the bolsters, loading regulations permitted only a percentage of the full load limit which could be loaded.
Because of their uniqueness, the #5000-5007 series were the only B&M cars cited on the Carbuilders Cyclopedia's bibliography of selected articles from Railway Age or Railway Mechanical Engineer (page 210 of the August 8, 1942 issue of Railway Age). The bottom of the well was open but, with a load, a flexible cover was installed to protect the load from debris kicked up from the roadbed. Columns, girders, or I-beams straddling the bolsters on the deck supported the fill [sic - full?] weight of the gear which could be up to 15 feet in diameter. This supported a harness which encased the center of the gear 7'-11½" from the top of the rail (4'-0½" from the top of the deck). The width of the harness could be adjusted in 2¼" steps from a minimum of 42¾" to a maximum of 78¾". The load restraint system with a load is shown in the diagram [class card diagram?]
The gears were delivered to shipyards from GE's Lynn plant. Since the extreme height from the top of the rail was in excess of 15'-1", the loaded cars were restricted in their routing and, probably, speed. They could not go through the Hoosac Tunnel, for instance. The Bath ME Iron Works and Bethlehem [Steel] Quincy Yard were prime customers. Any shipment to Newport News Shipbuilding Co. would probably have been made with the gears loaded as deck cargo for empty colliers returning to Hampton Roads. In 1942, the U-Boats may have put a crimp into this [ocean] movement from the port of Boston.
The six survivors of the #5000-5007 series were sold to GE in 1997. Some still survived in 1998 sitting on obscure tracks in West Lynn.

Ken Akerboom note:
When I went to the NMRA National convention in Boston in 1986, I took the RRE fan trip to Chatham NY on the ex-B&A (and on to the NEB&W layout at RPI) As we went thru Pittsfield, I recall sees "a whole slew" of depressed center and/or well hole flats at the GE plant there. I have NO idea if any of these were ex-B&M cars, or not.
These are also listed in the "Heavy Capacity and Special Type Flat Cars" section (typically at the end of the ORER), with (more or less) the same info. See 1971 example below.
Per Don Clerke
Sold to General Electric.

Build date:
Note the car disposition records indicate a build date of 1941-10, yet the cars started being listed in the ORER 1941-01.
I don't know if the cars started being listed when they were "ordered", or if the diposition record date is "late" (or a dyslexic typo?), or what is going on.
For what it's worth, the drawing in the 2/1983 article in Model Railroader magazine shows a build date of 1941-02

Car Book and/or Car Disposition Data

Car Books (1923-06 thru 1936-10, then 1944-05 thru 1960-03)

Volume number refers original book number
Part number refers to PDF file part as posted on B&MRRHS site
Page numbers refer to pages in PDF file(s) (L/R = Left or Right side of that PDF page)

Car Number(s) Vol Part Page Date Action Location New # Notes
5004 3 6 8R 1950-03-28 Sold to GE
5007 3 7 3L 1950-11-06 Sold to GE

Car Disposition Records

Source(s)
Box Folder Folder name Link Title Approx.
Start date Approx.
End date
1 3 Freight Car List Old 5000 series flats 1941-10 before 1950-07?
5000-5007: Build Date = 1941-10 [no other data listed]

Paint Schemes

As delivered
all black, white lettering, no herald

References or other data

[no author] "Build a Model of this Loaded Well Car" The Model Railroader Jan 1944, p 11
Photo of car 5000 with "uncovered" load (and note other cars in background!), unknown scale drawing
Odegard, Gordon. "Boston & Maine well-hole flat" Model Railroader Feb 1983, p 102
Photos (with loads), drawing of car (HO scale, by Don McCloskey)
Railway Age, August 8, 1942 issue, p210 [with gear]
LeBlond, Ron. "Boston & Maine Railroad's Well Cars 5000-5007" B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #60 (May-Jun 1999)
2 page article on prototype history, albeit with [IMO] some inaccuracies
[IMO there were BOTH the B&M cars AND the GE cars. Then the B&M cars were later sold to GE. Although it is "interesting" that the GEX 2000 series is NOT listed in the Jan, 1953 ORER!].
LeBlond, Ron. "Boston & Maine Railroad's Well Cars 5000-5007" [part 2] B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #61 (Jul-Aug 1999), pp2-3
More info on the cars and, especially, their support structure.
LeBlond, Ron. "B&M Well Car - A new model by Funaro & Camerlengo" B&MRRHS Modelers Notes #66 (May-Jun 2000)
Review of the F&C kit, and additional construction details

Photographs

Page Car # Photo Date
yr-mo-day Visible? Markings Paint
Scheme Herald Notes

Don Clerke inserts into B&MRRHS Bulletin
i 10 photo 21 ? X p black none no ACI, no COTS, "yellow dot"?. Shows superstructure. (another one in the background?)
[The] Model Railroader magazine - issue included in "page" column (see above for article titles, etc.)
1/1944 p11 5000 X B BM R R N N N N N N black none B&M RR photo. Gear mostly visible (just teeth covered)
2/1983 p102 ? (2 cars) X black ? In copies I have, the car numbers are indistinct.
note 2 regular flats w/ wide loads also in train.
Rail Car Photos (as of 21-Dec-2020)
May require a login, May require a browser newer than Internet Explorer.
Several ways to get there, I "Search Photos" → "By Reporting Mark"
Scroll down and click the "Search" button to the right of the "GEX" reporting marks
Then scroll down to find the photo.
These are photos after being sold to GE
GE 5002 1978-05-10 Y X A GEX G G N N N? N N N GE blue n/a Looks like they left some of the B&M painted "weight" data. Large red/white/blue hood w/ GE logo.
GE 5005 1978-04-12 Y X A GEX G G N N N? Y N N GE blue n/a Looks like they left some of the B&M painted "weight" data. Large red/white/blue hood w/ GE logo.
Railway Age August 8, 1942 issue, p210 [with gear]
5000 black none I have not seen the photo

Renumberings/Conversions/Dispositions

Date Quantity Description
1977 5 or 6 (all remaining) Sold to GE. Supposedly some still survived into 1998 in West Lynn, MA
Per lack of listing 4/1973, might have been sold earlier?
(or perhaps they were stored out-of-service at GE's plant from 1973-1977?)

Models

Scale Manufacturer Stock number Car number Paint scheme Notes
HO Funaro and Camerlengo 6590 (decals) Resin kit

More modeling information can be found on James B. Van Bokkelen's web site:
B&M Roster Info
Details on this car series

Revision History

File History for THIS page
Date Who Description
26-Dec-2019 KG Akerboom Initial release
17-Mar-2020 KG Akerboom Standardized Don Clerke "source" link
28-Mar-2020 KG Akerboom Added data from 19 more ORERs
01-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Added Model Railroader references
04-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Re-did references/photos section
01-May-2020 KG Akerboom Added data from 4 more ORER (1941, 1943, 1945, 1947)
05-May-2020 KG Akerboom Moved ORER notes into separate section
09-May-2020 KG Akerboom Added 1942 class cards
10-May-2020 KG Akerboom Added 1952 class cards
12-May-2020 KG Akerboom Updated class card table
21-Jul-2020 KG Akerboom "Photos" table - changed "vertical" text to PNG of "sideways" text; added "Markings" columns
07- thru
16-Aug-2020 KG Akerboom Added ORER data (History only, not dims or notes yet) for 63 more registers, courtesy of James Kinkaid
18-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added Car Book Data
17-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Standardized formatting of Classification Card(s) section
20-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Updated 1942 Classification Card(s)
19-Dec-2020 KG Akerboom Added JBVB web site links
21-Dec-2020 KG Akerboom Added railcarphotos.com pictures of cars when owned by GE
30-Dec-2020 KG Akerboom Added Modelers Notes info
04-Jul-2021 KG Akerboom Reorganized Car Book and/or Car Disposition Data (Car # to 1st column, 2nd/other changes to new rows)
26-Jul-2021 KG Akerboom Added car disposition record data
15-Oct-2021 KG Akerboom Added remaining 7/1928 - 10/1947 ORERs
02-Jan-2022 KG Akerboom Corrected "Note H" first appeared in 10/1941 ORER