B&M 5550 Gondola Cars

Boston & Maine 5550 Series Gondola Cars

Index

Builder's Photo

Does one exist?

B&M Classification Card(s)

Does one exist?

Specifications From Eric Neubauer data and Classification Card index

from Eric Neubauer - Laconia production data (Laconia.rtf)

Spec 5550 5551-5650
Builder B&M - Salem Laconia
Lot #
Order # 466 (bodies)
467 (trucks)
(ordered 1905)
Quantity 1 100
Build Date 1905-1906

From 1955 Classification card index, p1, marked "Obsolete"

Car Numbers 5550-5649
Lot # 10
Inside Length 31'
Cap'y 60,000 lbs.

ORER data and numbers

ORER Size Data - 1907-1910
Dimensions 3/1907 8/1909
Length 28'-9½" 31'
Width 8' 8'
Height 3'-10¼" 3'-10¼"
Capacity 60000 60000

ORER Size Data
Description 8/1910 Value 8/1911 2/1914
M.C.B. Designation HM (11/1914)
Inside
Dimensions Length 28'-9½" 28'-9"
Width 7'-7" 7'-7"
Height 3'-10" 3'-10"
Outside
Dimensions Length 31' 31' 31'
Width At Eaves or top of sides or platform 8' 8' 8'
Extreme Width
Height
from
Rail To Extreme Width
To Eaves or top of sides or platform
To Top of Platform or Running Board 3'-10¼" 3'-10¼" 3'-10¼"
To Extreme Height
Door - Side
opening Width
Height
Capacity Cu Ft. Level Full 836 836
Pounds 60000 60000 60000

ORER History
ORER Date
(Year-Mo.) Car
Numbers # of
Cars Description
1905 - 06 (not listed)
1906 - 08 5550-5949 100 Coal, Hopper Bottom Gondola
1907 - 03 (same)
1907 - 04 (same)
1907 - 05 (same)
1907 - 06 (same)
1907 - 07 (same)
1907 - 08 (same)
1907 - 09 (same)
1907 - 10 (same)
1907 - 11 5550-5899 " "
1907 - 12 (same)
1908 - 01 (same)
1908 - 02 " 99 "
1908 - 03 (same)
1908 - 04 (same)
1908 - 05 " 100 "
1908 - 08 (same)
1908 - 09 (same)
1908 - 10 (same)
1908 - 11 (same)
1908 - 12 (same)
1909 - 01 (same)
1909 - 02 (same)
1909 - 04 (same)
1909 - 05 (same)
1909 - 06 (same)
1909 - 07 (same)
1909 - 08 (same)
1909 - 09 (same)
1909 - 10 (same)
1909 - 11 (same)
1910 - 01 (same)
1910 - 02 (same)
1910 - 03 " 99 "
1910 - 04 " 100 "
1910 - 05 (same)
1910 - 06 (same)
1910 - 07 (same)
1910 - 08 (same)
1910 - 09 (same)
1910 - 11 (same)
1910 - 12 (same)
1911 - 02 " 98 "
1911 - 03 (same)
1911 - 04 (same)
1911 - 05 (same)
1911 - 08 " 98? "
1911 - 09 " 98 "
1911 - 10 (same)
1911 - 11 " 97 "
1911 - 12 (same)
1912 - 01 (same)
1912 - 02 (same)
1912 - 03 (same)
1912 - 04 (same)
1912 - 05 (same)
1912 - 06 " 97 "
1912 - 07 (same)
1912 - 08 (same)
1912 - 09 (same)
1912 - 10 (same)
1912 - 11 (same)
1912 - 12 (same)
1913 - 01 (same)
1913 - 02 (same)
1913 - 03 (same)
1913 - 04 (same)
1913 - 05 (same)
1913 - 06 (same)
1913 - 07 (same)
1913 - 10 (same)
1913 - 11 (same)
1913 - 12 (same)
1914 - 01 (same)
1914 - 02 (same)
1914 - 03 5550-5650 " "
1914 - 04 (same)
1914 - 05 (same)
1914 - 06 (same)
1914 - 07 (same)
1914 - 09 (same)
1914 - 10 (same)
1914 - 11 (same)
1914 - 12 (same)
1915 - 01 (same)
1915 - 02 (same)
1915 - 03 (same)
1915 - 04 (same)
1915 - 05 (same)
1915 - 10 (same)
1915 - 11 (same)
1915 - 12 (same)
1916 - 01 " 96 "
1916 - 02 " 97 "
1916 - 03 (same)
1916 - 04 (same)
1916 - 05 (same)
1916 - 06 (same)
1916 - 07 (same)
1916 - 08 (same)
1916 - 09 (same)
1916 - 10 (same)
1916 - 11 (same)
1916 - 12 (same)
1917 - 01 (same)
1917 - 02 (same)
1917 - 03 (same)
1917 - 04 (same)
1917 - 05 (same)
1917 - 06 (same)
1917 - 10 (same)
1917 - 11 (same)
1919 - 10 (same)?
1920 - 01 (same)
1921 - 05 " 93 "
1921 - 12 " 90 "
1922 - 08 5550-5648 40 "
1922 - 11 (same)
1923 - 02 " 39 "
1924 - 11 5560-5639 14 "
1925 - 05 " 7 "
1925 - 07 5572-5601 3 "
1925 - 10 (same)
1926 - 08 5572 1 "
1926 - 10 (same)
1927 - 06 Not listed

ORER Notes

Discussion, General Notes

From Eric Neubauer Laconia data:
Car 5550 was built by the B&M (Salem shops) as a sample car.
Cars 5551-5650 were built by Laconia
The following cars were VACATED in the USRA valuation report, 6/30/1914:
[see ICC valuation data below]
B&MRRHS 1900-1907 Freight Car Lettering Book No. 1 (Reprint of B&M lettering diagrams)
Note the "Book page number" below refers to the page number in the B&MRRHS book.
As the B&MRRHS book's pages are NOT numbered, "1" is the first page with an actual diagram! (NOT the title pages or index pages)
"U" = upper diagram on that page, "L" = lower diagram
The "Diagram number" refers to the circled number (lower right corner) in each diagram (the original page number)

Book page # 20 - U
B&M Diagram # 37
Diagram Date 1907
Color on Diagram Brown
Notes on Diagram
Datum 1900 Index 1907 Index
Class of car Gondola Car Hopper Bottom Gondola Car Hopper Bottom
Length 31' 31'
Capacity 60,000 60,000
Car Numbers 5550-5650 5550-5650
Page [original] 54 37

Probably should move to Hopper section

Car Book and/or Car Disposition Data

Acquisition Books (1898 - 1917 only)

Volume number refers original book number
Page numbers refer to numbers on pages in original book, NOT to pages in PDF file(s)
Dates refer to first/last dates expenses were recorded in the acquisition book, NOT to car delivery dates

Vol Page Car Number(s) First
Date Last
Date Builder $ / Car Notes
1 88 5550 1905-03 1905-05 B&M, Salem $749 [sample car?]
1 93 5551-5650 1905-04 1906-01 Laconia Car Co. $679

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
5558 1 2 5 1924-04-30 Destroyed
5560 1 3 7 1925-01-12 Destroyed
5568 1 2 1 1924-12-23 Destroyed car number suffixed with "S"??
5570 1 3 7 1925-01-12 Destroyed
5588 1 3 7 1925-01-12 Destroyed
5592 1 2 3 1924-12-03 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
5594 1 3 7 1922-11-27 Destroyed
5607 1 2 3 1924-12-08 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
5619 1 2 3 1924-12-04 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
5621 1 2 3 1924-03-11 Destroyed car number suffixed with "C"??
5638 1 2 1 1924-12-11 Destroyed car number suffixed with "S"??
5639 1 3 7 1925-01-12 Destroyed

Car Disposition Records

Source(s)
Box Folder Folder name Link Title Approx.
Start date Approx.
End date
1 3 Freight Car List Old 5572 coal (gondola) 1926 1926-09

Data
Car Number(s) Date Built Disposition Date New Car #
5572 1906-01 1926-09 0490

ICC Valuation Data (circa 1914)

For more info on the ICC valuation data, see this web page

"Owning"
RR Car # /
Range Val
Sheet # Index
on Page Car Type Built
Date Builder Capy Underframe Body Notes
B&M 5550 BM-21 62 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1905 Salem 60 wood wood
B&M 5551-5558 BM-21 63 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1905 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 5559-5568 BM-21 64 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1906 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 5570-5580 BM-21 65 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1906 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 5582-5599 BM-21 66 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1906 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 5600-5608 BM-21 67 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1906 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 5611-5650 BM-21 68 Gon - Hopper Bottom 1906 Laconia 60 wood wood

Paint Schemes

References or other data

Magazine/Book article(s)

Photographs

Renumberings/Conversions/Dispositions

Models

Revision History

File History for THIS page
Date Who Description
25-Dec-2019 KG Akerboom Initial release
18-Mar-2020 KG Akerboom Added data from 19 more ORERs
04-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Re-did references/photos section
05-May-2020 KG Akerboom Moved ORER notes into separate section
14-May-2020 KG Akerboom Added data from 4 more ORERs (1911,1919,1921,1931)
28-May-2020 KG Akerboom updated 10/1919
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
02-Sep-2020 KG Akerboom Added Eric Neubauer - Laconia data
10-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added E. Neubauer ORER data (car counts only, 15 issues)
15-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added Eric Neubauer - more Laconia data
17-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added Car Book Data
29-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Updated Classification Card data table
28-Jan-2021 KG Akerboom Added info from "1900-1907 Freight Car Lettering Diagrams" book
10-Apr-2021 KG Akerboom Added info from 47 more ORERs 1903 thru 1917
04-Jul-2021 KG Akerboom Reorganized Car Book and/or Car Disposition Data (Car # to 1st column, 2nd/other changes to new rows)
06-Sep-2021 KG Akerboom Added car disposition record data
22-Jan-2022 KG Akerboom Added ICC Valuation data