I saw a few of these at a train show, and I was wondering when they were in use? Thanks in advance. 
Since its a tandem axle trailer, I would think the 1950’s. I could be wrong, but it does look like a 28" trailer.
I don’t think the trailer is a real one and the starburst is from the mid to late 60s I think. It survived into the 80s (note the CSX locomotive behind it, which couldn’t exist before 1980).
Actually, that paint scheme on piggyback trailers goes back to the beginning of piggyback service in 1954.
Here is a photo from 1958:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-f8772jpa.jpg
The Athearn van is 25/26’ in length and is freelanced - but the B&O did have 26’ vans with that paint scheme. It can be made more correct by removing the forward axle and relocating the landing gear back one “notch” where it locks into the floor.
Two 25/26’ vans on a 54’ flat car was very common in the early days of piggyback. A number of different trailer styles/constructions were common. This was common from the mid 50’s into the mid 60’s.
One other general note about the B&O and paint schemes. The B&O was a large system, a fact that seems largely forgoten by most modelers today. They had the third or forth largest freight car fleet in North America in the 1950’s. Color schemes NEVER reached FULL implimentation before being changed or replaced. So many paint schemes known to exist prior to a particular date, could likely be found still on some equipment long after newer schemes had been introduced on new or recently shopped equipment.
Sheldon
Sheldon,
Thanx for clarifying that for me. I was trying to remember some of the stuff from an article about TOFC origins from about 15yrs ago. At least I didn’t get it all wrong. In reality, I’m not even interested in piggybacks. I don’t even have a place on my layout for anykind of TOFC. It was basically just starting during the era of my layout, and a small southern town wouldn’t have any kind of facility for it as yet.
To take that to the extreme, there’s still a few unpatched Capitol Domes out in the wild. I saw one in 2010 and I was too stunned to get the camera up in time.
So do you think that it would be approprite to run the trailer on a TOFC train on the NYC System in the early 1950’s?
Yes, completely approprite.
Sheldon
A big problem with modeling the B&O is that many of their cars were oddballs due to the clearance problems they had on parts of the railroad causing many of their cars to be made at less height than the standard kit cars.
For example their PS1 Boxcars were 10’ in height versus the standard 10’6" height and believe me the 6" height difference is noticable even in HO scale.
Also they had many cars with non commercial ends and appliances which is why Sunshine Kits are so appropriate for B&O modelers.
The majority of cars on the B&O were the X29 clones of the PRR since they were only 9’6" in height and of course the Wagon Tops now offered by ExactRail and Fox Valley, but you should only have 1 Wagon Top for every 3 X29 clones on the roster.
Rick J [2c]
Thank you all for your opinions and advice.[:D]