Does anyone know about when the prototype Mather stock cars (like the ones P2K is making) were first built and what railroads purchased them? What type of trucks and brakes did they come with orginally? Bruce
There is a good article on these cars by Richard Hendrickson in the February 1997 "Railmodel Journal".
He states that the 40-foot cars were built during 1931-32. They originally had Andrews trucks, KC brakes with vertical staff hand brakes - and some early cars had truss rods.
The majority of Mather cars were leased to railroads, rather than being owned outright by them, according to the article.
The roads shown as having cars like the P2K model were as follows:
Akron Canton & Youngstown
Baltimore & Ohio
Chicago & Alton
Chicago Burlington & Quincy
Chicago & North Western
Chicago & Illinois Midland
East St Louis Junction
Great Northern
Gulf Mobile & Ohio
Louisville & Nashville
Northern Pacific
Some cars were also operated wearing Mather's own reporting marks - GSX/Gotham Livestock Express and MSCX.
All the best,
Mark.
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