The Lancaster & Chester Railway, a 60-mile shortline, owned two fleets of boxcars - forty 50-footers built in 1979, numbered 200-239 and twenty 60-footers built in 1996, numbered 600-619. The latter were used primarily by GAF to haul rolled roofing material. On September 1, 2010 Gulf & Ohio Railways purchased South Carolina's 62-mile Lancaster & Chester Railway. The railroad continued to use its name, powder blue paint scheme and slogan 'The Springmaid Line'. However, 2005 and later photos show the railway name and logo being painted out on the fleet, whose blue paint continues to fade. A 2012 photo shows at least one car repainted, with grey dip paint and WRWK reporting marks.
These cars were standouts on passing freights on CN's Kingston Sub.
These cars were standouts on passing freights on CN's Kingston Sub.
My observations of L&C boxcars. Date, car number, CN train number on, remarks:
Feb 28/98 LC 604 on CN No 320 (top photo - note placards)
Sep 1/98 LC 607
Sep 4/98 LC 616 CN No 368
Nov 11/98 LC 604 CN No 320
Jun 5/99 LC 613 CN No 367 Dest Toledo, OH empty
Jun 12/99 LC 608-616 CN No 320 Dest Delson, QC loaded
Aug 12/99 LC 606 on CN No 366
Mar 18/00 LC 605 on CN No 306 Dest Chemin de Fer Baie Chaleur
Jim Parker posted this interesting photo - note two-tone blue paint and reversed '8' in reporting marks - of Lancaster & Chester 40-footer 1008 taken at Wishram, OR in 1968:
Running extra...
A previous post in my Classic Canadian Freight Cars (see sidebar) series featured DuPont's SCLAIR covered hoppers. One of these rolling rarities (looks to be NCLX 46548) made its way up CN's Kingston Sub today on CN No 369. Trackside Treasure reader Logan Cadue caught the train at Kingston station, sharing this capture - thanks, Logan! Same car photographed in Belleville without the mill gon and right behind the power. Likely a Belleville set-out for Kimco back in Kingston, which it has just passed in this photo!
Speaking of sidebars, check in for updates on my latest book on VIA Rail, which is now in the works - hence the red background. Not green for a little while yet. And yes, there will be a colour section. Thank you for your votes and comments.
Speaking of votes, an unnamed country directly to our south held an election recently. I watched a lot of coverage. I mean a lot. Probably too much. I did appreciate the eclectically elucidative comments offered by five CNN reporters who covered the unnamed successful candidate's campaign. Here at Trackside Treasure, we are MakingTrainsGreatAgain. Not that they were not great in the first place. Like that same unnamed country. Not perfect, but still great.
Jim Parker posted this interesting photo - note two-tone blue paint and reversed '8' in reporting marks - of Lancaster & Chester 40-footer 1008 taken at Wishram, OR in 1968:
Running extra...
A previous post in my Classic Canadian Freight Cars (see sidebar) series featured DuPont's SCLAIR covered hoppers. One of these rolling rarities (looks to be NCLX 46548) made its way up CN's Kingston Sub today on CN No 369. Trackside Treasure reader Logan Cadue caught the train at Kingston station, sharing this capture - thanks, Logan! Same car photographed in Belleville without the mill gon and right behind the power. Likely a Belleville set-out for Kimco back in Kingston, which it has just passed in this photo!
Speaking of votes, an unnamed country directly to our south held an election recently. I watched a lot of coverage. I mean a lot. Probably too much. I did appreciate the eclectically elucidative comments offered by five CNN reporters who covered the unnamed successful candidate's campaign. Here at Trackside Treasure, we are MakingTrainsGreatAgain. Not that they were not great in the first place. Like that same unnamed country. Not perfect, but still great.
4 comments:
I don't think I've ever seen any LC boxcars.. their colour reminds me of the Pan Am Railway.
Trains are ALWAYS great.
They were a small fleet and they may not have made it east of Montreal or even very far west. They were indeed cool (GREAT) to see!
Thanks for your comment, Steve.
Eric
L&C owned a number of box cars over the years. In fact, they used some of their 1000-series box cars into the 90s on their line between the old Springs plants. Four of the 40-footers remain. Two are at the South Carolina Railroad Museum and two are stored in Lancaster. The fifty footers are likely all gone. Some were sold to the Lexington & Ohio. This was while the L&C was still owned by the Springs family and Gulf & Ohio may have owned the L&C, ironically.
Meanwhile, the blue paint dates back to at least the 1950s on the L&C and is still being applied to their motive power today.
Joe H.
Thanks for that additional information, Joe. A neat little operation with lots of history!
Eric
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