As we all know, before the CNR was formed there was the Grand Trunk and a number of others, most notably the Canadian Northern.
Here is a fine old old photo of Grand Trunk ‘refrigerator cars’ way back in the day. I think the boxcar in between the reefers is marked automobiles. I find this picture quite interesting. In the background is an abattoir, stock cars and a GT locomotive. WWI is well underway and Canada is very much entangled in it.
Toronto Municipal Abattoir and Cold Storage foot of Niagara Street. May 10, 1915
You are right about the one boxcar being lettered for automobiles. I suspect that the boxcar on the right is similarly lettered. It’s in the same number series and also has the double doors.
CSSHEGEWISCH–Thank you for that. 1915 pretty early for hauling around auto’s. The Model T started in 1908 so they needed some way to get them delivered. Special cars marked ‘automobiles’ must be a very early attempt. Bet they were packed real good for shipping.
True mass production of the Model T did not come until 1912-1914 when the satellite assembly plants were built. Note that 20717 is likely the same type of car. There was little if any special dunnage; the cars were wrestled in through the larger double-door opening and tied down for longitudinal shock from slack action. Carl or one of the other freight-car specialists will tell you more about this.
Ah, yes. One day in my college U.S. History class, our professor read to us the chapter on sausage making in Upton Sinclair’s .The Jungle–just before lunch. As I left the classroom, I wondered if he had asked the dietician to serve sausage for lunch that day, but there was no sausage on the tables.
These appear to be 36’ automobile cars - maybe 40’ - and I’d guess are only the then-standard 8’-6" interior height cars. Automobile cars that were produced a little later with 10’-6" height (and 50’ long) often had a ramp device where three cars could be loaded - one above another on one end, and one car on the other end. These cars are essentially just standard boxcars, except for having double doors so autos could be driven into and out of them for transport, so could be hauling autos or just general freight. Automobile boxcars were used to transport lumber, as the long pieces of lumber (16-20’) could more easily fit through the double doors.
BTW by 1915 hauling autos by rail would be pretty well established. No interstate roads or long-haul trucks back then. Only way to get cars from the factory to the dealer was by rail.
