While my Grandfather Brand worked for the Frisco, he was quartered in Cape, Chaffee, Memphis, Tulsa, and Springfield. When railroad employees received a transfer, the likes of United Van Lines did get the call. The practice of the day had a local cartage company haul the household belongings to the Frisco Freight House, where it was loaded into a boxcar and hauled to the freight house in new city. In the new city, a cartage company would load the belongings from the freight house, and then deliver them to the new house. My father recounts that during one move, the car used for the move was not water-tight, and the Brand household belongings were damaged. My Grandmother was livid. Freight cars were classified based on the tightness of the roof and doors, the condition of the lining, floor, etc. A car’s condition determined which commodities it could carry without concern of damage or loss. The attached Form 647, describes the process whereby empty freight cars are classified. A class C boxcar should not have been used to haul household belongings. It is another wrinkle to consider for the model railroader.
Karl, these are exactly the type of wrinkles I'm trying go incorporate into our layout. The yardmaster/clerk position will be vital: find the right available car for the items being shipped. I would never have given thought to how transferring employees would have shipped their household goods.
