B&M 6260 Gondola Cars

Boston & Maine 6260 Series Gondola Cars

Index

Builder's Photo

Does one exist?

B&M Classification Card(s)

Does one exist?

Specifications From Classification Cards

?

ORER data and numbers

ORER Size Data - 1903-1910
Description 5/1903 3/1907
6260-7999 6260-6799
Length 28 - 32' 27'-11½"
Width 7'-8½"
Height 4'
Capacity (Pounds) 60000 60000

ORER Size Data - 1910-1934
Description 8/1910 8-9/1911 2/1914
M.C.B. Designation GB (11/1914)
Inside
Dimensions Length 27'-11½" 27'-11½" 28'
Width 7'-8½" 7'-8" 7'-10"
Height 4' 4'
Outside
Dimensions Length 30-32' 30-32'
Width At Eaves or top of sides or platform 7'-8½" 7'-8½"
Extreme Width
Height
from
Rail To Extreme Width
To Eaves or top of sides or platform
To Top of Platform or Running Board 4' 4' 4'
To Extreme Height
Door - Side
opening Width
Height
Capacity Cu Ft. Level Full 857
Pounds 60000 60000 60000

ORER History
ORER Date
(Year-Mo.) Car
Numbers # of
Cars Description
1901 - 03 6174-7999 625? Gondola, Flat Bottom (see note below)
1901 - 04 " (illegible) "
1901 - 05 " (illegible) "
1901 - 06 " 710 "
1901 - 07 " 749 "
1901 - 08 " (illegible) "
1901 - 09 " (illegible) "
1901 - 10 " (illegible) "
1901 - 11 " (illegible) "
1903 - 03 6260-7999 1217 Gondola, Flat Bottom, 60000 lbs capacity
1903 - 05 " 1217 Coal, Flat Bottom Gondola, Pratt Patent
1903 - 06 (same)
1903 - 07 (same)
1903 - 08 (same)
1903 - 09 (same)
1903 - 10 (same)
1903 - 11 (same)
1904 - 07 " 1213 "
1904 - 12 " 1201 "
1905 - 01 (same)
1905 - 03 " 1195 "
1905 - 04 " 1194 "
1905 - 06 " 1191 "
Single series of cars was split up into different individual series
6260-6799 continues on this page, 6800-7999 continues here
1906 - 08 6260-6799 521 "
1907 - 03 " 512 "
1907 - 04 " 511 "
1907 - 05 (illegible)
1907 - 06 " 512? "
1907 - 07 " 512? "
1907 - 08 " 507 "
1907 - 09 (same)
1907 - 10 (same)
1907 - 11 " 512 "
1907 - 12 " 509 "
1908 - 01 (same)
1908 - 02 (same)
1908 - 03 (same)
1908 - 04 (same)
1908 - 05 " 497 "
1908 - 08 " 496 "
1908 - 09 (same)
1908 - 10 (same)
1908 - 11 (same)
1908 - 12 " 495 "
1909 - 01 (same)(?)
1909 - 02 " 494 "
1909 - 04 " 494 "
1909 - 05 (same)(?)
1909 - 06 " 494 "
1909 - 07 (same)
1909 - 08 " 492 "
1909 - 08 (same)
1909 - 09 (same)
1909 - 10 (same)
1909 - 11 (same)
1910 - 01 (same)
1910 - 02 " 490 "
1910 - 03 (same)
1910 - 04 (same)
1910 - 05 (same)
1910 - 06 " (illegible) Flat Bottom Gondola, Pratt Patent
1910 - 07 " 487 "
1910 - 08 (same)
1910 - 09 (same)
1910 - 11 (same)
1910 - 12 " 484 "
1911 - 02 (same)
1911 - 03 (same)
1911 - 04 (same)
1911 - 05 (same)
1911 - 08 " 483 "
1911 - 09 (same)
1911 - 10 (same)
1911 - 11 (same)?
1911 - 12 (same)
1912 - 01 (same)
1912 - 02 (illegible)
1912 - 03 " 483 "
1912 - 04 (same)
1912 - 05 (same)
1912 - 06 (same)
1912 - 07 (same)
1912 - 08 (same)
1912 - 09 (same)?
1912 - 10 " (illegible) "
1912 - 11 " 481 "
1912 - 12 (same)
1913 - 01 (same)
1913 - 02 (same)
1913 - 03 " 480 "
1913 - 04 (same)
1913 - 05 " (illegible) "
1913 - 06 " 478 "
1913 - 07 (same)
1913 - 10 (same)
1913 - 11 (same)
1913 - 12 " 477 "
1914 - 01 (same)
1914 - 02 (same)
1914 - 03 (same)
1914 - 04 (same)
1914 - 05 (same)
1914 - 06 " 476 "
1914 - 07 " 475 "
1914 - 09 " 473 "
1914 - 10 (same)
1914 - 11 " 472 "
1914 - 12 (same)
1915 - 01 (same)
1915 - 02 " 471 "
1915 - 03 " 469 "
1915 - 04 " 468 "
1915 - 05 (same)
1915 - 10 " 465 "
1915 - 11 " 462 "
1915 - 12 (same)
1916 - 01 " 461 "
1916 - 02 " 458 "
1916 - 03 (same)
1916 - 04 " 456 "
1916 - 05 (same)
1916 - 06 " 455 "
1916 - 07 (same)
1916 - 08 " 454 "
1916 - 09 " 453 "
1916 - 10 (same)
1916 - 11 " 451 "
1916 - 12 " 451 "
1917 - 01 " 449 "
1917 - 02 (same)
1917 - 03 " 448 "
1917 - 04 " 447 "
1917 - 05 " 446 "
1917 - 06 (same)
1917 - 10 " 443 "
1917 - 11 " 442 "
1919 - 10 " 416 "
1920 - 01 " 408 "
1921 - 05 " 245 "
1921 - 12 " 179 "
1922 - 08 " 149 "
1922 - 11 " 121 "
1923 - 02 " 110 "
1924 - 11 6308-6796 48 "
1925 - 05 6315-6795 23 "
1925 - 07 6330-6795 20 "
1925 - 10 6330-6763 11 "
1926 - 08 6330-6669 4 "
1926 - 10 (same)
1927 - 06 Not listed

ORER Notes

Discussion, General Notes

The 1893 patent supplies more details about how the sides work
Patent PDF courtesy George Hoover, in the "EarlyRail@groups.io" mailing list (24-Jan-2022, in reply in thread = "Pratt Patent Gondola Cars")
Per Tim Gilbert, the B&M started buying Pratt Patent "flat bottom coal cars" with the #6260-6799 series (540 cars) in 1899, with further purchases of the Pratt Patent cars in several series #6800-7480 in 1901-1902. These are NOT listed separately in the ORERs until 1903, so they are combined here with the original 6174-7999 cars. The individual Pratt car series were not split apart until 1907.
Note: Tim referred to these as "Pratt Pattern" (the ORERs always used the ambiguous "Pat."). But in the B&M Acquisition books, they clearly state "Patent", so I am using that word in all the following
Per Tim Gilbert
B&Ms first use of Pratt Patent coal cars was an order from Laconia in 1898 for 540 - 28' [long] 857 cu. ft. cars in the #6260-6799 series. The Pratt [Patent] itself was an arrangement which allowed for the high sides to be folded down and out to ease unloading with a No. 2 coal shovel - sort of that era's equivalent to the modern rotary coupler. The top half of each of the four sections per side could be folded down independent of of the adjascent sections. The top half of the hinge was in three pieces. When folded down, the middle piece stayed erect indicating that it plus the bottom half of the hinge was one piece. The outside pieces were attached to the folded wood section. At each end, there were "half hinges" to support each section of the side. The ends of the car were fixed (i.e. the ends of the car did not fold). The hinge pin, itself, ran the full length of the car.
The #6800-7680 [and I assume the #6260-6799] cars were displaced from coal service about the same time as the 34' footers cited above [the #21400-24987 and #39000-39999 series] Only their lack of adaptability did not auger well for being preserved for MOW service.

From Eric Neubauer Laconia data, the following cars were built by Laconia:
[also see ICC valuation data below]

6500-6699 (60,000 lbs, 857 cu ft., 28'-0" IL, 1895, WUF, Pratt)
6785-6799 (60,000 lbs, 857 cu ft., 28'-0" IL, 1896, WUF, Pratt)
6260-6740 (60,000 lbs, 857 cu ft., 28'-0" IL, 1898, WUF, Pratt)
6741-6784 (60,000 lbs, 857 cu ft., 28'-0" IL, 1899, WUF, Pratt)

A link to a drawing of a NH Pratt Patent car is available at:
"The Alphabet Route" web site (click on the "1903 Gondola Plan" link)
I believe these are the same drawings as in the 1906 edition of the Car Builders' Dictionary (Available for free from Google Books - if you get the whole PDF, it is *PDF* page 313, *book* figures 463-466)
From the 1903 "The Car Builder's Dictionary", (p101 of original), the following (text) description is available:
A side dump car for carrying coal. The side planks are hinged on a shaft running the length of the car, and so arranged that the lower plank may be raised and the upper swung down, opening the whole side of the car.
Note the 1903 CDB has a picture (fig 30) of NYNH&H # 26450. (also same drawings - figs. 318-21)
Note the above description NOT listed in 1895 CDB.

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)
NOTE: once cars get renumbered into "company service" (zero + number, or W/M/S numbers), the following actions are my "best guess" as to what happened to the car (due to gaps in records, and the re-use of numbers)

Car Number(s) Vol Part Page Date Action Location New # Notes
6262 1 2 3 1924-05-28 Destroyed
6277 1 2 3 1924-04-10 Destroyed
6317 1 1 2 1923-11-18 Destroyed
6325 1 2 3 1924-07-09 Destroyed
6345 1 2 4 1925-12-17 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6417 1 2 4 1924-03-11 Destroyed
6456 1 3 9 1925-09-09 Destroyed
6467 1 2 4 1924-12-08 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6473 1 2 4 1924-12-08 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6516 1 2 4 1924-12-03 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6536 1 3 4 1924-11-13 Destroyed Concord
6543 1 3 7 1922-11-17 Destroyed
6569 1 1 2 1923-11-10 Destroyed
6576 1 2 4 1924-03-19 Destroyed car number suffixed with "C"??
6587 1 1 2 1923-11-15 Destroyed
6632 1 1 2 1923-11-24 Destroyed
6640 1 1 2 1923-04-11 Renumber ER 2 Car not in [shop yard?]. Moved to Meredith
1 1 2 1928-07-23 Destroyed
6678 1 2 4 1924-03-19 Destroyed car number suffixed with "C"??
6701 1 2 4 1924-11-24 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6702 1 2 4 1924-12-04 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6715 1 2 4 1924-12-17 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6746 1 2 4 1924-11-26 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6754 1 1 2 1923-11-12 Destroyed
6770 1 2 4 1924-12-18 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??
6774 1 1 2 1923-11-11 Destroyed
6781 1 2 4 1924-03-11 Destroyed
6796 1 2 4 1924-12-05 Destroyed car number suffixed with "H"??

Car Disposition Records

Source(s)
Box Folder Folder name Link Title Approx.
Start date Approx.
End date
1 3 Freight Car List Old 6006-7676 Coal (gondola) 1918? 1918-1921?

Data
Car Number Date Built Disposition
Date Disposition New Car #
6260 1898-05 1923-12 to 0281
6264 1898-05 1921-07 to 0807
6289 1898-06 1921-04 to 0802
6307 1898-06 1923-09 to 0254
6318 1898-06 1921-06 to 0804
6319 1898-06 1922-09 to 0754
6321 1898-06 1923-12 to 0545
6340 1898-06 1923-06 to 0453
6350 1898-06 1922-03 to 0298
6367 1898-07 1921-06 to 0810
6369 1898-07 1921-05 to 0809
6373 1898-07 1921-07 to 0806
6377 1898-07 1921-06 to 0813
6379 1898-07 1922-10 to 0768
6416 1898-08 1922-10 to 0766
6421 1898-08 1922-09 to 0753
6431 1898-08 1924-04 to 0367
6442 1898-08 1923-07 to 0203
6449 1898-08 1919-03 to 6649
6500 1895-10 1922-03 to 0317
6506 1895-10 1920-10 to 0728
6509 1895-10 1922-03 to 0291
6513 1895-10 1922-03 to 0311
6541 1895-10 1923-12 to 0549
6549 1895-10 1922-10 to 0761
6566 1895-10 1924-01 to 0256
6567 1895-10 1922-03 to 0299
6624 1895-11 1923-12 to 0273
6628 1895-11 1922-03 to 0273
6641 1895-11 1923-12 to 0279
6675 1895-11 1925-06 to 0763
6683 1895-11 1921-07 to 0805
6685 1895-11 1923-12 to 0282
6728 1898-12 1921-06 to 0812
6739 1898-12 1922-09 to 0755
6749 1899-01 1923-06 to 0455
6772 1899-07 1923-12 to 0315
6773 1899-07 1925-07 to 0764
6776 1899-07 1922-10 to 0760
6789 1896 1923-11 to 0300
6792 1896 1923-09 to 0250

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 6260-6266 BM-22 30 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6268-6299 BM-22 31 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6274 BM-21 78 Gon - Flat bottom 1889 [N/A] 40 wood wood
B&M 6300 BM-22 32 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6302-6310 BM-22 33 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6311 BM-22 67 Gon - Flat bottom 1905 Concord 60 wood wood
B&M 6312 BM-22 34 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6315-6321 BM-22 35 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6324-6327 BM-22 36 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6329-6331 BM-22 37 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6333-6345 BM-22 38 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6347 BM-22 39 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6349-6379 BM-22 40 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6382-6390 BM-22 41 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6393-6398 BM-22 42 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6400-6402 BM-22 43 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6404-6411 BM-22 44 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6413-6423 BM-22 45 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6425-6429 BM-22 46 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6431-6435 BM-22 47 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6437 BM-22 48 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6439-6444 BM-22 49 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6446 BM-22 50 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6448-6469 BM-22 51 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6471-6474 BM-22 52 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6476-6477 BM-22 53 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6479-6486 BM-22 54 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6489-6495 BM-22 55 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6497-6499 BM-22 56 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6500-6516 BM-22 3 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6518-6528 BM-22 4 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6530 BM-22 5 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6533-6534 BM-22 6 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6536-6537 BM-22 7 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6539-6545 BM-22 8 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6547-6551 BM-22 9 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6553-6556 BM-22 10 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6558-6572 BM-22 11 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6574-6596 BM-22 12 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6600-6604 BM-22 13 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6607-6609 BM-22 14 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6611 BM-22 15 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6613-6625 BM-22 16 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6627-6628 BM-22 17 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6630 BM-22 18 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6632-6642 BM-22 19 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6644-6648 BM-22 20 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6650-6651 BM-22 21 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6653-6665 BM-22 22 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6667-6670 BM-22 23 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6672-6683 BM-22 24 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6685-6690 BM-22 25 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6692-6696 BM-22 26 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6698-6699 BM-22 27 Gon - Flat bottom 1895 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6700-6704 BM-22 57 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6707-6731 BM-22 58 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6733 BM-22 59 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6734 BM-22 60 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6736-6740 BM-22 61 Gon - Flat bottom 1898 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6741 BM-22 62 Gon - Flat bottom 1899 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6743-6767 BM-22 63 Gon - Flat bottom 1899 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6769-6770 BM-22 64 Gon - Flat bottom 1899 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6772-6778 BM-22 65 Gon - Flat bottom 1899 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6780-6784 BM-22 66 Gon - Flat bottom 1899 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6785 BM-22 28 Gon - Flat bottom 1896 Laconia 60 wood wood
B&M 6787-6799 BM-22 29 Gon - Flat bottom 1896 Laconia 60 wood wood

Paint Schemes

References or other data

Magazine/Book article(s)

Photographs

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

Digital Commonwealth
If link no longer works, search on "Boston Maine Railroad" and page thru
Title = "Boston to Manchester, NH, train"
6820(?) 1903-03-31 p p S1& R R N arch bar trucks?
Note gondola 7xxx (also Pratt Patent) partially visible to its left
4-4-0.com
Picture of engine 1113
Contact web site owner if you want higher resolution scan
6580 B?p partal end view of wood gon, looks like part of brake platform?

Renumberings/Conversions/Dispositions

Models

Revision History

File History for THIS page
Date Who Description
25-Dec-2019 KG Akerboom Initial release
19-Mar-2020 KG Akerboom Added data from 19 more ORERs
04-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Re-did references/photos section
20-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Adding Digital Commonwealth web sites photos
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
10-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added E. Neubauer ORER data (car counts only, 15 issues)
12-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added E. Neubauer Laconia build data
15-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom "Pratt Pattern" to "Pratt Patent"
20-Oct-2020 KG Akerboom Added Car Book Data
17-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Added link to "Alphabet route" drawing of NH Pratt Patent car
18-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Added 1906 Car Builder's Dictionary reference for NH cars
09-Mar-2021 KG Akerboom Added 440.com photo
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-Jul-2021 KG Akerboom Added car disposition record data
22-Jan-2022 KG Akerboom Added ICC Valuation data
26-Jan-2022 KG Akerboom Added Pratt Patent PDF