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Freight CarsWith this page, the cars have been sorted first by car type, and then largly listed in chronological order within each class. This provides an overview of equipment from the early 1910's to the present. See the roster for more details on more car series.
An old 3500-3850 series gondola, still in service in 2002! Number is mostly worn off, but may be 3617. NICK MASNEY
Algoma Steel 124, ex-AC 3501-3850 series. At the tube mill. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 3501-3850 GB Gondola 350 9/1947-/1984 48.6 4.0 1843 NSC 9/47 Stl. Drop ends, wd. flr. 16 re#3901-3916?, 30 re#ASLX 101-130?
These steel gondolas had wood floors, drop ends, 4' inside height, and an inside length of 48'6". They were purchased in 1947 and by the mid-1980's there was barely 20 of them left in revenue service. Some were sold to Algoma Steel, some transferred to work service, and some paired with old flatcars to make special 3-unit cars for carrying steel plate between the Algoma Steel and Dominion Bridge (later Welded Beam Division of Algoma Steel) mills. These 3-unit sets were numbered in the AC 3900-3907 series.
HO scale: Westerfield produces resin craftsman kits of Canadian National 48'6" drop-end gondolas that are identical to the ACR's own 48'6" gondolas. Lettering for ACR gons is available in the form of dry transfers from CDS Lettering. Note however that the owner of CDS has retired and gone out of business, and Al Westerfield has also recently announced his intention to retire within the next couple of years, so unless someone takes over the business from him, these kits could become very hard to obtain.
AC 763 at Steelton, June 2000 CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
AC 808 in Winnipeg, MB. JAMES BROOKMAN
AC 875 in Winnipeg, MB. JAMES BROOKMAN
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 601-800 GB Gondola 200 1/1958-10/2001 52.6 4.0 2000 NSC /58 Stl. Drop ends, wd. flr. Some re#900-934, 951-960 & 975-984 series? 801-875 GB Gondola 75 1/1962-10/2001 52.6 4.0 2000 NSC /62 Stl. Drop ends, wd. flr. Some re#900-934, 951-960 & 975-984 series? 951-955 GB Gondola 5 10/1978- 7/2001 52.6 4.0 1996 NSC? /58-/62? Stl. drop ends, stl. flr. x601-875 series?
Algoma Central's standard gondolas were these 52'6" drop end gondolas. Most have wood floors, but the cars in series 951-955 are listed as having steel floors, and were probably rebuilt from cars in 601-875 series. By the time CN absorbed the Wisconsin Central, these cars were in sad condition, and CN started rapidly scrapping them. It is unlikely very many still remain.
Modelling these gons is problematic, as there are few or no suitable models in any scale. In HO, the Athearn gondola is too short and has solid ends as apposed to the drop ends the AC cars had. The Proto2000 drop-end gon is the right size, but unfortunately it has a different number of ribs, however it is currently the best stand-in. The Proto 2000 car has recently been released in AC colours.
In N scale, the MicroTrains gondola is a good enough stand-in, although the side ribs don't quite reach the bottom of the car.
Lettering: A dry transfer set was produced by CDS Lettering, which should be available in N, HO and O scales.
AC 926, Side view JAMES BROOKMAN
A direct side-on view of AC 975, showing new bright yellow covers. At Steelton, June 1979. TED ELLIS
AC 976, Side view JAMES BROOKMAN
Close-up view of the data and empty return instructions on AC 920. JAMES BROOKMAN
Brake and lettering detail at the right end of the side. JAMES BROOKMAN
AC 920 End Detail JAMES BROOKMAN
AC 921 End Detail This view also shows the supports for stacking covers. JAMES BROOKMAN
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 900-914 GBSR Cov. Gondola 15 10/1970-10/2001 52.6 4.0 1996 NSC? /58-/62? x601-875 series? 915-924 GBSR Cov. Gondola 10 10/1970-10/2001 52.6 4.0 1996 NSC? /58-/62? x601-875 series? 925-934 GBSR Cov. Gondola 10 4/1980-10/2001 52.6 4.0 1996 NSC? /58-/62? x601-875 series? 975-984 GBSR Cov. Gondola 10 1979- 7/2001 52.6 4.0 1996 NSC? /58-/62? x601-875 series?
These cars are specially outfitted for coil steel service and are fitted with 3-piece round steel covers to protect their cargo. These cars were converted from cars in the 601-875 series, some in 1970 and more in 1980.
As these cars were taken from the 601-875 series above, see the above comments on modelling. The round yellow covers would have to be scratchbuilt to fit whatever car you use to represent these gons.
AC 1052 at Sault Ste. Marie MORGAN TURNEY
End detail of AC 1048 BOB MENZIE
AC 1384 BOB MENZIES
AC 1399, showing off the bulkhead end. MORGAN TURNEY
End detail from AC 1170 JAMES BROOKMAN
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 1001-1100 GBS Gondola 100 4/1964-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 NSC 2-3/64 Stl. Bulkhead ends, wd. flr. some re#11041-11100 1101-1200 GBS Gondola 100 7/1965-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 NSC 8-9/65 Stl. Bulkhead ends, wd. flr. some re#11101-11200 1201-1300 GBS Gondola 100 7/1966-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 NSC 6/66 Stl. Bulkhead ends, wd. flr. some re#11201-11300 1301-1400 GBS Gondola 100 7/1967-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 NSC 6-7/67 Stl. Bulkhead ends, wd. flr. some re#11301-11394 11041-11102 GBS Gondola 1/1997-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 ? ? Stl. x1041-1102 11103-11392 " " 10/1996-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 ? ? x1103-1392 11394 " " 1/1997-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 ? ? x1194 60000-60004 GBS Gondola 5 7/1998-in svc. 61.0 5.0 2900 ? ? rebuilt from 1001-1400 series 60005-60006 GBS Gondola 2 4/2001-in svc. 61.0 2.0 1138 ? ? rebuilt from 1001-1400 series
These unusual 61 foot bulkhead gons were used for both pulpwood and finished steel product service. They were built by National Steel Car in Hamilton, Ontario in the early sixties especially for the Algoma Central. The side ribs are asymetrically placed to allow the railroad's name and symbol to be perfectly centered on the carbody.
Note the use of two distinct styles of ends on these cars. The first style appears to only have been used within the first 100 cars. The second style shown is used on all cars above 1101. A version of this second end also appears to show up within the first 100-car series, seemingly at random.
No model for these unique cars exist in any scale, but a reasonable stand-in can be made by scratchbuilding bulkhead ends and using a Walther's 60' mill gon for the body. With 400 cars on the roster, these larger cars greatly outnumber the 52' cars.
AC 3907 loaded with steel plate at Algoma Steel's welded beam mill at Sault Ste. Marie. 2004. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
AC 3907 - A unit; bad shot of the A unit car (ex AC 2201-2250 series), showing the car number lettering. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
AC 3907 - B unit; opposite end flatcar (ex AC 2301-2373 series), note how ends have been cut down on this car. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
AC 3907 - C unit; side view of the central gon (ex AC 3501-2850 series). CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
AC 3903 - B unit; note how this car has a second brake wheel installed facing into the flatcar. Look closely and you can also see another of these sets behind it. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
AC 3903 - C unit; the lettering pattern on this car is different from 3907. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
These three-unit cars are in dedicated service for movements of steel plate for Algoma Steel within their main Sault Ste. Marie mills, and the welded beam mill (former Dominion Bridge) less than a mile north of the ACR yard. These sets consist of an ex 3501-3850 series gondola, with a special frame fashioned from 10" I-beams for carrying the plate, and a flatcar at either end, which the frame overlaps. The flatcar at the A end of the set appears to be ex 2200-2250 series, while the B end unit is an ex 2300-2373 series flatcar with the end racks cut down.
The centre gondola in each set is drawn from the AC 3501-3850 series, so the Westerfield CN gon is the most appropriate match. Cut off the top chord and scratchbuild the frame from Evergreen or Plastruct structural styrene. Add to this a 40' straight-sill flatcar to either end.
ACIS 1489, brand new at Steelton, November 16, 1974. Notice the Plate "C" markings beside the number.TED ELLIS
Wrecked ACIS woodchip cars showing the non-door end of the car and a detail of the lettering.TED ELLIS
ACIS 1415 modified for lumber service for Dubreil Forest Products. Photo at Steelton, June 2000 CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
ACIS 1415 with its end door reinstalled and in chip service on WC. 2002, somewhere in Wisconsin. GEORGE WIDENER
AC 1501 in Gladstone, Michigan, June 12, 1981 TED ELLIS
NFPX 1521 (ex-AC 1521), showing internal bracing and the non-door end on 1500-series cars. BRIAN PAWLOWSKI
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes ACIS 1401-1490 GTS Wood Chip Gon. 90 4/1974-in svc. 61.6 10.11 6565 NSC 8/74 Stl. 1 end dr. at 'A' end. AC 1501-1523 GTS Wood Chip Gon. 23 10/1981-7/1985 61.6 10.10 6600 NSC 3/81 Stl. 1 end dr. at 'A' end.
The ACR's first woodchip cars were acquired from National Steel Car in 1974. These 90 cars were numbered with ACIS reporting marks, for International Service. In 1981, 23 similar (but not quite identical) cars were aquired from NSC with regular AC reporting marks. Both series of cars were built with one solid end, and one end that is a door, hinged at the top, for unloading the car using a hydraulic ramp. The car is tilted on end and emptied much like a dump truck. These cars were acquired for exclusive service for Newaygo Forest Products, shipping chips from the mill at Mead on the Northern subdivision to pulp mills in the USA. When the mill at Mead closed in 1985, these cars were sold off, with Newaygo taking about half of them.
Some of these cars were modified to be used for carrying lumber from the mill at Dubreilville. See the photo of ACIS 1415 above with modified top bracing and missing end door. The cars modified in this way were in exclusive service, shuttling back and forth between Dubreilville and Sault Ste. Marie, where they would be transloaded into trucks. Stacks of 8' studs would be loaded by forklift crosswise in the car. I'm not exactly sure how many cars were so outfitted; possibly just 2. More information is needed on this.
ACIS 1401-1412 - re# NFPX 1401-1412 (1985) ACIS 1413, 1415, 1416 rebuilt for lumber svc. possibly still on WC/CN roster? (1414 wrecked) ACIS 1418-1490 - re# WESX 1418-1490? (date? - 198x?), re# DCFX 1418-1490 (1994) AC 1501-1523 - re# NFPX 1501-1523 (1985)
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 2501-2680 FM Flat 205 1/1913-10/1947 38.0 8.4 CCF /11-/12 Stl. underframe. Permanent end racks for wd in 4.0 lengths (ties, etc.). re#4601-4803 series? 2681-2705 " " " 1/1913-10/1947 38.0 8.4 ? ? re#4601-4803 series?
These 40' flatcars were built by Canadian Car & Foundry (CC&F). They had a fishbelly underframe but a straight side sill. They came delivered with archbar trucks. These cars remained in revenue service until the late 1940's. Most seem to have been rebuilt into gondolas at this point.
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 1701-1799 FM Flat 169 7/1935-4/1971 38.10 8.4 ? ? Stl. underframe. Permanent end racks for wd. in 4.0 lengths (ties, etc.). 1800 " " " 4/1938-4/1971 38.10 8.4 ? ? 1801-1869 " " " 7/1940-4/1971 38.10 8.4 ? ?
These cars were 38'10" in length. The 1700-series cars were bought in 1935 and had steel underframes and wooden racks fitted to the ends for carrying pulpwood logs. There are a couple of pictures of these cars in the book "Algoma Central Railway Story" by Dale Wilson.
AC 2200-series flatcar at Hawk Junction. The car number is illegible. KRIS ROENIGK
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 2201-2250 FM Flat 50 4/1942-4/1972 40.1 ? ? Stl. underframe.
This series of 40' flatcar had a fishbelly centre sill but straight sides. 11 stake pockets per side and 4 end pockets.
AC 236? (last digit not visible) at Hawk Junction carrying ties. MORGAN TURNEY
AC 2363 at Canyon, June 2000 CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 2301-2324 FMS Flat 73 4/1965- 4/1972 40.1 9.0 ? ? 2325-2373 " " " 1/1966-10/1972 40.1 9.0 ? ?
These cars were 40' flatcars with special steel racks on the ends for carrying pulpwood. They were acquired in 1965-6 and were probably rebuilt at that time from older 40' flatcars, rather than acquired as new cars.
2412 black car with white Algoma Central lettering. Acquired new 1975. Photo at Sault Ste. Marie, 2004 CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
2467 green car, ex-BCIT. 2003 photo. BOB MENZIES
2476 red-brown car, ex-NAFX (North American Car Co.) 2004 photo. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
2493 red-brown car, ex-NAFX. 2003 photo BOB MENZIES
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 2401-2425 FB Bulkhead Flat 25 1/1975-in svc. 52.8 11.1 HST /74 Stl. Wd. flr. some re#238400-238469 series /98 2426-2475 FB Bulkhead Flat 50 7/1980-in svc. 52.8 11.1 HST 2/75 Stl. Wd. flr. xBCIT 818450-818519 series, some re#238400-238469 series /98 2476-2494 FB Bulkhead Flat 19 7/1994-in svc. 52.8 11.2 HST 2/75 Stl. Wd. flr. xNAFX, some re#238400-238469 series /98 2495-2501 FB Bulkhead Flat 7 1/1995-in svc. 52.8 11.2 HST 2/75 Stl. Wd. flr. x?, some re#238400-238469 series /98
In 1998, 70 of the 100 cars were rebuilt with permanent side stakes for loading pulpwood logs and renumbered to the series 238400-2338469.
Walthers has recently released a model of a "Canadian Bulkhead Flatcar" which is based on the Hawker Siddeley prototype that the AC acquired. It's available factory painted in Algoma Central colours for the 2401-2425 series, and the second release, due in October 2007 will include the AC 2426-2475 ex-BCIT paint-out scheme.
AC 238181 WOLF KIRCHMEIR
End detail, A end WOLF KIRCHMEIR
End detail, B end WOLF KIRCHMEIR
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 238100-238122 FB Bulkhead Flat 96 10/1995-in svc. 66.0 10.10 MIL 5/80 ex-CP 317410-317509 238123-238195 " " " 1/1996-in svc. 66.0 10.10 MIL 5/80 ex-CP 317410-317509
These cars were purchased in the mid 1990s for pulpwood service. They have a 66' inside length, and permanent side stakes for carrying pulpwood. The cars were originally built for Canadian Pacific by Marine Industries and rebuilt with side stakes when acquired by WC.
AC 238405 blurry photo, but shows the original Algoma Central Markings on the car. ex-AC 2401-2425 BOB MENZIES
AC 238409 the body colour and paint-out pattern would suggest that this car also carried the Algoma Central lettering before rebuilding, and is therefore ex-AC 2401-2425 BOB MENZIES
AC 238411 nee-BCIT (x-AC 2426-2475) BOB MENZIES
AC 238447 nee-NAFX (x-AC 2476-2494) BRIAN PAWLOWSKI
AC 238448 nee-NAFX (x-AC 2476-2494) BRIAN PAWLOWSKI
AC 238466 nee-BCIT (x-AC 2426-2475) BOB MENZIES
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 238400-238469 FB Bulkhead Flat 70 10/1998-in svc. 52.8 11.1 HST 1974-75 Stl. x2401-2501 series.
Rebuilt in 1998 from 2400-series bulkhead flatcars, these cars were modified with metal side racks to contain pulpwood.
Again, these are the same cars that match Walthers' new "Canadian Bulkhead Flatcar" model. The side racks would have to be scratch-built from plastic or brass shapes, just like the prototype.
AC 238501 2003 BOB MENZIES
AC 238554 at Wyborn, August 2000. JAMES LALANDE
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 238500-238559 FB Bulkhead Flat 60 4/1998-in svc. 52.6 10.10 NSC 5-6/77 xNWTX 1011-1148, nee KWCX 1000-1149
These cars were built in 1977 for Kimberly Clark of Canada as KWCX 1000-1149. These KWCX cars would have seen service on the ACR in the late 1970s and 1980s hauling pulpwood from Mosher to Ontario Paper plant in Thorold, ON, with cars routed via Franz. Empties were supplied from Kimberley-Clark in Terrace Bay. In 1997 the cars were sold to North-West Timber Co. and renumbered with NWTX reporting marks. A year later the 60 surviving cars were sold to the ACR and numbered AC 238500-238559. The original Kimberly-Clark logo still appears at the top of the right bulkhead.
AC 3140, 3195 and 3114 in OCS service somewhere on the Michipicoten sub, circa 1980. KEN GOSLETT
AC 3176 at Steelton yard in 1980. KEN GOSLETT
These wooden boxcars were purchased in the late 1920's and some lasted in work train service more than 50 years, well into the late 1970's! In addition to express and local wayfreight cargoes, these cars may have been used to transport woodchips.
The cars could be modelled quite accurately using Accurail's 40-foot wood boxcar, with wood ends and doors. Dry Transfer lettering is available from CDS Lettering.
2901 at Steelton, August 7, 1988 TED ELLIS
Rebuilt in 1962 from a Grand Trunk Western boxcar (GTW 470677) that was damaged in the Steelton yards and written off by GTW, it was for many years the only steel boxcar on the railway, and was the only boxcar to ever wear the ACR's round bear logo.
Sylvan Scale Models has released a resin model of this car. They are a Canadian company, and they have just released a number of kits detailing several variations of these rebuilt GTW cars, and fortunately they included a kit with lettering for the ACR car. Also, dry transfer lettering for this car is available from CDS.
2915 still serving the railroad's needs in 2004. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
2916, ex-TH&B. Sault Ste. Marie, 1990 MORGAN TURNEY
AC # ex Description 2901 GTW 470677 rebuilt from wood car; dk. brown with bear logo. 2902 ? 2903 ? 2904 ? 2905 ? 2906 ONT 6' door, NSC-2 ends; ONR "Ontario Develpment Road" Scheme, jade green - ONR markings painted out lt. brown 2907 ? 2908 ? 2909 ? 2910 ONT 6' door, NSC-2 ends; ONR "Ontario Develpment Road" Scheme, lt. brown 2911 ? 2912 ? 2913 ? 2914 ONT 6' door, NSC-2 ends; ONR "Ontario Develpment Road" Scheme, lt. brown 2915 ONT 6' door, NSC-2 ends; ONR "Ontario Develpment Road" Scheme, lt. brown 2916 TH&B 8' door, NSC-3 ends, diagonal panel roof; yellow w/ black doors, ends, roof - TH&B markings painted out with yellow 2917 ONT 9' door, NSC-2 ends; ONR "Progressive Scheme" with yellow door - ONR name and logo painted out green, car number white stencil on black background 10358 ONT 6' door, NSC-2 ends, ONT "Progressive" Scheme, former number ONT 90545 10364 ONT 6' door, NSC-2 ends, ONT "Ontario Development Road" Scheme, lt. brown 10690 ONT tool car? 6' door, NSC-2 ends, ONT "Ontario Development Road" Scheme, lt. brown
The Algoma Central got several 40-foot steel boxcars in a trade with Ontario Northland. The ACR had many surplus flatcars and very few boxcars, the ON was in the opposite situation, so flatcars were exchanged for boxcars. A few were given numbers in the 2902-2917 series, but several more were scattered throughout the 10xxx-series with the ACR's work equipment. Few, if any, were exactly identical. I'm trying to collect photos of these cars, so if you have any, that would be a great help for accurate modelling. E-mail
Note that none of these cars, whether they be numbered in the 2900 or 10000 series, were ever in true revenue service shipping anything other than the ACR's local wayfreight delivered LCL freight to remote stops along the line. These cars would never have been seen off the ACR's own tracks.
True-Line Trains has recently released HO scale models of NSC 10'0" height 40' boxcars with the proper ends and roof to match the ex-ONT cars in this series. As the models are available factory painted for ONT, they could very easily be patched to match the specific AC cars.
AC 6759 at Searchmont, March 1974 TED ELLIS
A large number of cars were purchased from various U.S. roads in the late 50's to 60's. They ranged from 50 to 70-tons capacity and were built around the time of World War I.
AC 8001, the first car in the series, at Hawk Junction July 1988 TED ELLIS
AC 8052 at Steelton yard. MORGAN TURNEY
AC 8074 at Steelton yard. MORGAN TURNEY
End platform detail, brake end of AC 8003 MORGAN TURNEY
End platform detail, non-brake end of AC 8005 MORGAN TURNEY
SSAM 208036, rebuilt by WC from AC 8036 into a remote-dumping ballast car. At Jasper, AB. August 2004. CHRIS VANDERHEIDE
These distinctive cars, unique to the ACR, were built by National Steel Car (NSC) in Hamilton in 1971. They were apparently not well liked by crews because they had a chain-operated door mechanism that would freeze solid in the winter. Another hundred cars in the series 8101-8200 were planned but the order was cancelled. Instead, the ACR ordered the cars of the 8201-8500 series (below).
These cars were rebuilt as remote-controlled ballast hoppers by WC. They can still be seen in ballast and sometimes ore service on the WC and DMIR systems in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
AC 8250, brand new at Steelton, February 1, 1974 TED ELLIS
AC 8385, location unknown, March 2, 2001 ELLIS VEECH
AC 8444 with vertical white stripe on middle rib. MORGAN TURNEY
AC 8334 with side-discharge hoppers. At Wyborn, August 2000. JAMES LALANDE
Detail of end platform on car MIKE SLATER
Detail of hopper discharge doors MIKE SLATER
SSAM 208379 (ex-AC 8379) remarked but not fully repainted. WC Fond du Lac shops, 1998. MIKE SLATER
SSAM 208430 (ex-AC 8430) fully repainted in WC colours. DARIN UMLAUFT
WC 208433 (ex-AC 8433). BRIAN PAWLOWSKI
Number AAR Description #Blt Svc Dates IL IH Dr CuFt Bldr Blt Dates Notes 8201-8400 HT Hopper 200 1/1974-in svc. 30.2 8.3 2100 NSC 1-4/74 8201-8329 re#CSXT 351056-351175 /88. 8401-8500 HT Hopper 100 1/1975-in svc. 30.2 8.3 2100 NSC 1-2/75
Notes:
These cars were built by National Steel Car Co. using designs licenced from Ortner Car Co. in Cincinatti, Ohio. They were delivered in 1974-75. 129 of these cars were sold to CSX in 1988. In 1998 with the closing of Algoma Ore in Wawa, these cars were transferred to service elsewhere on the Wisconsin Central system and some were renumbered into SSAM and WC reporting marks, adding a 20 in front of the number.
Disposition: With the decline of ore traffic from the Wawa area, many of these cars ended up stored, and in 1988, 8201-8329 were sold to CSX. With the WC takeover in 1995, some cars were sporadically renumbered with SSAM or WC reporting marks, but the majority actually remained with original AC numbers. When the mines around Wawa finally shut down in 1998, these cars spread out through the WC system. In 2005, CN sold the remaining cars to Haines & Kibblehouse (HKGX) and these cars now see service in stone/gravel trains in the eastern US. This means the only place to see one of these ex-AC cars now is on the CSX.
Walthers produces a model of the Ortner prototype in HO scale. To alter these cars to better represent the cars the AC had, remove the interior bulkhead pieces and fill the mounting slots. Fashion the inside bracings from pieces of styrene or brass rod. The braces attach at the top of the car sides, and either side of the main center sill, between the hopper outlets. Build up the bottom of the car and include the door springs, but no equipment is mounted on the end platforms. The ends of the prototype car have a "lip" above them, while the Walthers car does not have this overhang. Simulate this with a length of styrene scale 2"x8" strip. You could optionally replace the bars joining the door openings with channel stock. Paint the car dark green and letter using the decals from Sylvan.
AC 8602 back home on the Ontario Northland in 2005 JAMES LALANDE
AC 8608 BOB MENZIES
WC 208617 (AC 8617) one of a very few, if not the only one, of these cars to actually get renumbered. JAMES LALANDE
AC 8624 BOB MENZIES
AC 8626 at Hawk Junction, July 2, 1988 TED ELLIS
This series of 29 cars seems to have been picked up in 1979 from Ontario Northland, ex-ONT 6000-6070 series, but were originally just re-marked AC keeping the original numbers. Renumbering into the 8600 series appears to have taken place around 1984. These cars were originally built by NSC in 1971 for Ontario Northland and are a very dark green colour.
This page ©2001 Chris VanderHeide. Information on this page is drawn from the books "The Algoma Central Railway Story" by Dale Wilson and "Tracks of the Black Bear - In Colour" by Dale Wilson and Gordon Jomini; as well as Ted Ellis's Algoma Central website. Photos by Ted Ellis are linked from the aforementioned website and there are many more excellent photos located there. Photos by Mike Slater are used here with permission and more photos by Mike can be found at his Wisconsin Central fan website.
