B&M 5500 Covered Hopper Cars

Boston & Maine 5500 Series Covered Hopper 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 1952 class book.
or NMRO (Scott Whitney) CDs/DVDs
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)

Specifications From Classification Cards

Additional info from Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27

Spec Value
Builder ACF
Lot # 64 [B&M]
[per Ed Hawkins, ACF (series 2) lot number 2963]
Car Numbers #5500-5519
Quantity 20
Builder Lot 2963
Build Date 1946-10
AAR class LO
Lt Weight 52,876 (average)
Description Two bay covered hopper
Cubic Cap'y 1,790 Cu. Ft. [see discussion below]
Ends Steel plate
Hopper Gates Enterprise
Body Bolster Built-up steel with plain side bearings
Trucks C Stl side frames double truss
Journals 6" x 11" (140,000 nominal capacity)
Journal Box Lids Symington-Gould
Side Bearings Stucki [on truck?]
Wheels 33" one wear
Springs Symington coil elliptic
Hand Brake Ajax
Hand Brake Step "KASS" (Morton)
Brake Beam Davis "Unit"
Brake Beam Safety Support not used
Air Brake New York AB with 10" x 12" cylinder
Center Plate AAR contour, 13¾" dia.
Center Sills 13" - 35# C B channel [copper bearing?]
Coupler National type "E"
Coupler Shank 6¼" x 8" swivel shank
Uncoupler Rig. Imperial
Draft Gear Miner A-22-XB
Bottom Rod AC&F
Bottom Rod Support Buffalo
Brake shoes ABS&F Co.
Brake shoe keys Buffalo "Master"
Brake Levers Schaefer
Brake Beam Hanger not used
Brake Lever Badge Plate Nat. B.M. Corp.
Brake Pipe "T" Anchor Ill. Ry Eq. Co.
Retaining Valve Anchor (none)
Defect Card Holder "MC.L.Fogg"
Brake pins & cotters "Cooke"
Other info from Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27
Hatch cover/locking bars Type 1 (see RPCyc for definition):
Hinged near running board, one long 18" handhold opposite hinges on outboard edge of cover
Hand brakes Ajax Power
Running boards Apex Tri-lok
Brake Steps Morton
Trucks Double-truss, coil-elliptic spring, spring plankless w/ 33" one wear steel wheels
Sides Open (Triangular cutouts between hoppers)
Roof Flat, riveted roof lacking seam caps
"B" end posts Narrow space between posts at end sill [bottom], left support agles towards right support below brake step
Toe holds 8

ORER data and numbers

ORER Size Data
Description 1/1948 10/1953
AAR Mechanical Designation LO LO
Inside
Dimensions Length 26'-4" 29'-3"
Width 9'-8" 9'-5"
Height
Outside
Dimensions Length 32'-4" 35'-3"
Width At Eaves or top of sides or platform 10'-4" 10'-2"
Extreme Width 10'-4" 10'-2"
Height
from
Rail To Extreme Width 11'-10" 12'-3"
To Eaves or top of sides or platform 11'-10" 12'-3"
To Top of Running Board 12'-11" 12'-10"
To Extreme Height 12'-11" 13'
Door - Side
opening Width
Height
Capacity Cu Ft. Level Full 1790 1958
Pounds 140000 140000

ORER History
ORER Date
(Year-Mo.) Car
Numbers # of
Cars Description
1947 - 04 5500-5519 20 Covered Hopper
1947 - 07 (same)
1947 - 10 (same)
1948 - 01 (same)
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 (same)
1950 - 10 (same)
1951 - 01 (same)
1951 - 04 (same)
1951 - 07 (same)
1951 - 10 (same)
1952 - 01 (same)
1952 - 04 (same)
1952 - 07 (same)
1952 - 10 (same)
1953 - 01 (same)
1953 - 04 (same)
6 cars sold to Revere Sugar
1953 - 07 " 14 "
1953 - 10 (same)
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)
7 cars sold to Revere Sugar
1959 - 01 5502-5519 7 "
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)
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 (same)
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 " 6 "
1972 - 10 (same)
1973 - 01 (same)
1973 - 04 (same)
1973 - 07 (same)
1973 - 11 (same)
1974 - 01 (same)
1974 - 04 (same)
1974 - 07 (same)
1974 - 10 " 5 "
1975 - 01 (same)
1975 - 04 (same)
1975 - 07 (same)
1975 - 10 (same)
1976 - 01 (same)
1976 - 04 (same)
1976 - 07 (same)
1976 - 10 (same)
1977 - 01 (same)
1977 - 04 (same)
1977 - 07 (same)
1977 - 10 (same)
1978 - 01 (same)
1978 - 04 (same)
1978 - 07 (same)
1978 - 10 (same)
1979 - 01 " 4 "
1979 - 04 (same)
1979 - 07 (same)
1979 - 10 (same)
1980 - 01 (same)
1980 - 04 (same)
1980 - 07 " 3 "
1980 - 10 (same)
1981 - 01 (same)
1981 - 04 Not listed

ORER Notes

Discussion, General Notes

9 rib (10 panel) 2 bay covered hopper
Per Don Clerke
Built by ACF
8 square roof hatches, high open [cutout] side between the hoppers
Some cars reconditioned in late 1978

Per Tim Gilbert
On account of the cement plant in Thomaston, the Maine Central's earliest covered hopper was a 1934 conversion of a hopper built in 1917. By 1940, they went out and bought ten new ones from ACF and repeated the order for ten more in 1942. Towards the end of 1946, the B&M and MEC had a joint order for 35 covered hoppers from ACF - 15 for the MEC and 20 for the B&M.
Where the MEC had cement, the B&M served a number of sugar refineries around Boston so part, if not all, of the #5500-5519 series were reserved for sugar loading. While covered hoppers were more efficient carriers of bulk commodities than boxcars, they were not as efficient in utilization. They could rarely be "re-loaded" because of contamination (e.g. sugar vs. cement). It is possible that the purchase of covered hoppers was at the request of the shippers/consignees and not a railroad initiative.
There is bound to be confusion over the different dimensions reported in the ORERs and Class Card Diagram. [see table below] When the #5500s were first listed in the ORERs (they were not listed in the January 1949 [sic - I think he means 1946] volume), the dimensions were the same as those dimensions listed for the for the pre-war MEC covered hoppers [1940 order] purchased from ACF (1790 Cu ft.). These "pre-war" dimensions continued to be reported through the January [actually, July] 1953 edition. The dimensions shown in the January, 1955 [actually, October, 1953] ORER reflected those of the post-war ACF two bay covered hopper with 1958 feet cubic capacity. The Class Card Diagram showed linear dimensions (particularly the "Inside Length") reflecting the 1958 feet capacity, yet both the class card data and the stencil on the #5500s listed a cubic capacity of 1790 feet. There is no clear explanation for these discrepancies. Since the B&M #5500-5519 series were "plain vanilla" post-war ACF covered hopper production, it may be reasonable to assume that the January, 1955 [actually, October, 1953] ORER's dimensions are correct, but the stencil was never changed to reflect the revised 1958 feet cubic capacity because all the cars could not be restencilled at one time.
Six cars were sold to Revere Sugar in 1953 and numbered in the RSBX #122-127 series. Another seven cars were sold to Revere in 1958 and numbered into the RSBX #133-193 series. The final survivors of the #5500 series were retired from the B&M in 1980 [per the ORER, 1981]

Dimension Original
ORER data Revised
ORER data B&M
Class Card
Inside Length 26'-4" 29'-3" 29'-3"
Inside Width 9'-8" 9'-5" 9'-5½"
Outside Length 32'-4" 35'-3" 35'-2¾"
Width at Eaves 10'-4" 10'-2" 10'-1½"
Height from rail
to Eaves 11'-10" 12'-3" 11'-9"
Height from rail
to Running boards 12'-11" 12'-10" 12'-9½"
Height from rail
Extreme 12'-11" 13' 12'-9½"
Cubic Capacity 1790 1958 1790

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)
ALL Disposition data from document sited in 2nd table (below)

Car Book Data Disposition Records Data
Car Number(s) Vol Part Page Date Action Location Notes Build
Date[ID] Dispo.
Date Notes
5500 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 9 1L 1958-06-23 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2690) [same] [buyer illegible]
5501 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 9 1L 1958-06-23 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2690) [same] [buyer illegible]
5502 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
5503 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
5504 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
5505 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
3 9 3L 1953-02-18 Sold to Revere Sugar [same as car book data]
5506 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
5507 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 8 10L 1568-09-10 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2793) [same as car book data]
5508 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
3 9 3R 1953-02-18 Sold to Revere Sugar [same as car book data]
5509 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 9 1L 1958-06-23 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2690) [same as car book data]
5510 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
3 9 3R 1953-02-18 Sold to Revere Sugar [same as car book data]
5511 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 9 1L 1958-06-23 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2690) [same as car book data]
5512 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
3 9 3R 1953-02-18 Sold to Revere Sugar [same as car book data]
5513 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
3 9 3R 1953-01-22 Sold to Revere Sugar [same as car book data]
5514 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 9 1L 1958-06-23 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2690) [same as car book data]
5515 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
5516 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
5517 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
4 9 1L 1958-06-23 Sold to Revere Sugar (SO 2690) [same as car book data]
5518 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02
3 9 3R 1953-02-18 Sold to Revere Sugar [same as car book data]
5519 3 2 3R 1946-11 Bought New 1947-02

Car Disposition Records

Source(s)
Box Folder Folder name Link Title Approx.
Start date Approx.
End date
1 5 Coal Cars 5500-5529 Covered_Hoppers - "A" 1947-02 1959-01

Paint Schemes

As delivered
all-grey body, black "Minuteman" herald
Underframe = ?
From Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27:
Sides, Ends, Roof, and "open" areas under roof: DuPont Tufcoat Alkali Resisting Gray (similar to "Battleship gray")
Underframe, trucks, underside of floor, hoppers and doors: Black
Black lettering on gray areas, white lettering on black.
Herald sized to "just" fit between ribs on side
From David Hutchinson post on the Boston & Maine Railroad Modeler's Group Facebook group:
>Note the herald was "cut" to fit between the ribs, nNOT just "reduced in size" (note the "wings" near the top are cropped off)

References or other data

Hawkins, Ed, "Accurate ACF Covered Hopper Models, part IV - Railroad owned Grey Cars" Rail Model Journal Oct, 1991 pp10-15
includes roster indicating B&M cars had: built date 10-1946, Roof type is "2", Ajax brake wheel, Apex Trilok running board
See part I (March, 1991) for more info on roof type, etc.
? Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27 RP CYC Publishing Co., 2013(?), entire issue
Entire issue covers ACF 1958 cu ft. hoppers. Includes roster and many photos, including one B&M
Holland, Kevin "Boston & Maine Freight Cars" ["Paint Shop" column] Model Railroader Sep, 1999 pp130-132
Modeling this car (and 3 others)

Photographs

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

Don Clerke inserts into B&MRRHS Bulletin
i 10 photo 25 5519? X BM R R N N 2V I N N grey none
Fallen Flags and Other Railroad Photos (as of 15-Apr-2020)
Scroll down to the "B" section, click on the "Boston & Maine (B&M)" link
Then scroll down to find the photo. The "Page" column has the "Link" text listed
LO 5515 5515 1965-05 Y X BM R R AB N N N N N original MM All data (except herald) repainted
(reporting marks, car #, dimensions, etc.)
NMRA Bulletin, Dec, 1998 (in Kato ad)
p15 5508 BM R R AB N N N N N original MM
Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27
p 36 5508 1946-10 (?) X BM R R AB N N N N N original MM Builder's photo?
Railroading on the Boston and Maine 1955 edition (RDCs on cover)
Originally published by the B&M, reprinted by the B&MRRHS in 2015
p16 5501 X BM R R AB N N N N N original MM
Railroading on the Boston and Maine 1953 edition (3821 on cover)
Originally published by the B&M, reprinted by the B&MRRHS in 2016 - same picture as 1955 edition
p13 5501 X BM R R AB N N N N N original MM
Boston & Maine Railroad Modeler's Group on Facebook
Direct link
You may need to join the group to see the photo?
5515 1946-1950?("New" wt. data) X A BM R R AB N N N N N original MM
Rail Model Journal, Oct, 1991
p10 5508 1946-10? X B BM R R AB N N N N N original MM (builder's photo)

Renumberings/Conversions/Dispositions

Per Tim Gilbert

Date Quantity New Numbers Description
1953 6 RSBX 122-127 Sold to Revere Sugar (per car books above)
ca. 1953-4? 5? RSRX 128-132? Sold to Revere Sugar (per Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27) ??
1958 7 RSBX 133-139 Sold to Revere Sugar (per car books above)

Models

Scale Manufacturer Stock number Car number Paint scheme Notes
HO Kato 38-0201 ? ? Featured in ad in Dec, 1998 NMRA Bulletin
"Open side, 3 car kit"
Ad has prototype photo of 5508, model photo of ?
HO Intermountain 48623-07 5502 Grey, MM Listed on web site, Dec, 2020
HO Intermountain 48623-08 5505 Grey, MM Listed on web site, Dec, 2020
HO Intermountain 48623-09 5509 Grey, MM Listed on web site, Dec, 2020
HO Intermountain 48623-10 5513 Grey, MM Listed on web site, Dec, 2020
HO Intermountain 48623-11 5516 Grey, MM Listed on web site, Dec, 2020
HO Intermountain 48623-12 5518 Grey, MM Listed on web site, Dec, 2020
HO Intermountain Walthers part 85-48623 5508 Grey, MM Listed on Walthers as "out of stock", Dec, 2020
O Atlas Models 8372 (3 rail) 5510 Grey, MM Unknown accuracy. Released Aug, 2006, listed as "sold out" on their web site as of Dec, 2020
O Atlas Models 9372 (2 rail) 5510 Grey, MM Unknown accuracy. Released Aug, 2006, listed as "sold out" on their web site as of Dec, 2020
HO Eastern Car Works ? ? "Flat" kit available mid-1990s. Unknown accuracy, newer models probably better.
HO Bowser 40929 5507 Grey, MM RTR. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
HO Bowser 40930 5513 Grey, MM RTR. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
HO Bowser 40931 5517 Grey, MM RTR. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
HO Bowser 55691 [none] Grey, MM Kit. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
HO Bowser 56557 5503 Grey, MM Kit. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
HO Bowser 56558 5509 Grey, MM Kit. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
HO Bowser 56559 5518 Grey, MM Kit. Unknown accuracy. Available 2006 time frame, "out of stock" as of Dec, 2020
Atlas also released undec "O" models (both "open" and "closed" side) 2004-2017

Revision History

File History for THIS page
Date Who Description
31-Dec-2019 KG Akerboom Initial release
17-Mar-2020 KG Akerboom Standardized Don Clerke "source" link
02-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Added references
04-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Re-did references/photos section
16-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Added more web sites: B&MRRHS Flickr, Fallen Flags, NMRA Archives, Earl Tuson. Also Scott Whitney (NMRO) CDs
23-Apr-2020 KG Akerboom Updated per B&MRRHS Modeler's Notes #39
05-May-2020 KG Akerboom Moved ORER notes into separate section
10-May-2020 KG Akerboom Added 1952 class cards
12-May-2020 KG Akerboom Updated class card table
16-Jun-2020 KG Akerboom Added lot number from Ed Hawkins info
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
12-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Added Railway Prototype Cyclopedia #27 info
17-Nov-2020 KG Akerboom Standardized formatting of Classification Card(s) section
12-Dec-2020 KG Akerboom Added model info
16-Dec-2020 KG Akerboom Added Atlas O scale models
30-Dec-2020 KG Akerboom Added ECW and Bowser models, MR "Paint Shop" reference
04-Jan-2021 KG Akerboom Added Railroading on the Boston and Maine photo
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
20-Sep-2021 KG Akerboom Added 5515 photo from Facebook
16-Oct-2021 KG Akerboom Added remaining 7/1928 - 10/1947 ORERs
27-Nov-2021 KG Akerboom Added 1991 RMJ info