I have a photo of outside-braced wood caboose SLSF 157 at Tulsa dating from the summer of 1964. Does anyone have any information regarding the origin, history or disposition of this car? Greg Stout
Greg, Recommend you recheck your photograph. It and sister cars SLSF 156 and SLSF 158 were steel side, outside braced cars. These were Frisco built, all steel former Howe truss boxcar conversions, with center cupola, with side door and 13' baggage compartment cars from the SLSF 156-158 series. Constructed during late 1953 and early 1954 in their shops in Springfield, MO. This was the first caboose to carry this number. It became the SLSF 1157 (1st) in 1968 when the railroad added 1000 to its caboose numbers when a new computer tracking system was installed. The other two cars in the series were also renumbered SLSF 1156 and SLSF 1158. You might also find the following link interesting. http://www.frisco.org/vb/showthread.php?4045-Caboose-SLSF-1157-(2nd)&highlight=1157. Sister caboose SLSF 1156 is in Branson, MO and SLSF 1157 is in Tulsa, OK. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
Richard, The Howe truss boxcars were built in seven lots by 3 manufacturers from 1926 through 1930. As originally constructed the cars had single sheathed wood sides with steel frames of the Howe truss design, steel ends and underbody frames. The cars built in 1926 had Murphy 7/7 panel ends, while the subsequent car orders featured Dreadnaught 4/4 panel ends. The roofs were constructed with seven panel Hutchins Dry Lading design. These cars included: SLSF 147000-148999 from ACF in 1926 (2000 cars) SLSF 149000-149499 from GATC in 1926 (500 cars) SLSF 160000-160999 from ACF in 1928 (1000 cars) SLSF 161000-161499 from GATC in 1928 (500 cars) SLSF 161500-162499 from Pullman in 1930 (1000 cars) SLSF 162500-163999 from ACF in 1930 (1500 cars) Total production was 6,500 cars. Starting in March 1953, the Frisco began rebuilding the cars with steel sides welded to the Howe truss framing. Initial work was on cars in the SLSF 161500-163999 series. By mid-1955 the steel side rebuilds started to be renumbered into the SLSF 32000-32499 series. By late in the year additional cars from the SLSF 160000-161499 series were being rebuilt into the SLSF 34000-34699 series. It was during the rebuilding that the 3 side door cabooses were constructed. Hope this helps. Thanks! Mark
