Cattle

[Iantha_Branch]

When would the last year be that you would see cattle cars on frisco train consists?

[yardmaster]

Others might have a specific date, but I'd hazard a guess that 1955-1960 would be the limit.

I don't think I've seen any stock cars behing hauled behind anything other than steam.

[yardmaster]

Ethan,
Better late than never, but I think that I've stumbled across some dates for you in the process of indexing the FMIG/FMIG Lines Newsletters:

NL #5 (November, 1976) has a Keith Davidson letter that includes July, 1959 data from the ORER showing Frisco Stock Cars in the following classes:

*47200-47699 (25 Cars)
*47700-47999 (233 Cars)
*48000-48009 (10 Cars)

At the very least, we can determine that the Frisco still actively rostered a significant number of stock cars at the end of the 1950s.

It's beyond the scope of your question, but NL #40 has a nice "CMS" feature by Charlie Dischinger. It includes a photo of a 47200-47699 Stock Car (Chas. Winters); however, I cannot make out the number. It also includes drawings of this same class of car (AC&F, Built 1910, Rblt. SL-SF '43 and '44). Also some nice photos of models and how-to-model Frisco stock cars by Jim Rucker.

Best Regards,

[Brad Slone]

There are photos of both the 47700 class and the 47300 class being pulled into Lindenwood yard behind F units on Jim Ozment's westernrailimages.com website. The latest image being taken in September of 1956. Although I can't image much traffic by this late a date I suppose it is possible. I would surmise however that it would be shipments from large stockyards such as the one next to Springfield yard directly to packer, again possible those located in east St Louis. I can't image any traffic coming from small online stock producers. Another possibility would be the seasonal shipment of water and other melons as it wasn't uncommon for stockcars to be used for this purpose.

Brad

[slsfrr]

As late as 1969 the Frisco was handling stock cars off the ATSF out of Oklahoma City. With the help of a yard job, the QSF would pick the cars off the ATSF interchange. The Frisco would move the cars to Floydada where the cars were given back to the ATSF. I think 1969 was the last year the stock cars moved over the Frisco.

[gjslsffan]

We were still on the farm there in Swearingen along the QA&P when these trains went thru. Do you remember how many cars would typically be in these cuts?
Thanks
Tom

[yardmaster]

Another possibility would be the seasonal shipment of water and other melons as it wasn't uncommon for stockcars to be used for this purpose.

Great point, Brad. And, while not on SL-SF rails, I recall either reading about or viewing (can't remember if it was on a VHS or not) bricks being shipped in stock cars.

Best Regards,

[FriscoFriend]

I don't think I've seen any stock cars behing hauled behind anything other than steam.

I know that Chris is referring to the Frisco with the above quote, but there is at least one example of the use of stock cars on another railroad into at least the mid 1980's. The UP had at least three modern double decked stock cars that hauled pigs into a slaughterhouse at Marysville, KS. I believe the trains originated from somewhere in the Dakotas. I remember seeing them parked in the Marysville yard next to the slaughterhouse back then. There was even an article written in one of the major publications about this operation.

[Brad Slone]

Guys,

Since we are on the subject of cattle, I though this would be a good thread to post a couple photo's of the stock pens that use to be here in Dixon. I've also include a photo of my 1:1 prototype!

Brad

[yardmaster]

Superb work, Brad, and good prototype research! :)

What was your starting point? I think there are some stock pen drawings in the old newsletters? I'd enjoy seeing a write-up here or in "The Meteor."

Best Regards,

[Sirfoldalot]

Guys, I've also include a photo of my 1:1 prototype!
Brad

Love the prototype, Brad. Very nice looking animal! :)
P.S. Very nice modeling too!

[Brad Slone]

Chris,

It was a pretty simple project, the layout of the yard was a nonstandard design, however it was built per standard details. I simply laid out the footprint on a piece of foam shaped according to the terrain. I used scale lumber for the posts, rails and other components preweathered with Micro Mark wood aging stain. The posts where sharpened and poked into the foam and the rails where attached with white glue.

Brad

[Iantha_Branch]

Chris,
I used scale lumber for the posts


I would like to point out a common practice at smaller stock yards (FYI this would be era ca. 1870's-1900, for an example see paragraph bellow) That small stockyards would be all over the place in this era. Bout 1/2 halfway between towns. What this has to do with Brad's post is these smaller stockyards often used old railroad ties as posts for the corrals.

For those of you that have no interest in the subject can skip this part. My example is Hornaday. It was roughly half way between Lamar and Iantha (The farm owns the ground it once stood on.) Hornaday served as a small stock yard for local farmers. It wasn't very big though. It was probably built roughly same time as the line it's self (1880), yet it does not show up on an 1886 plat map. So these operations weren't very successful as far as I can tell.

Thought I would take the time to point this out for people that model this era.