Despatch ?

[cbqjohn]

I know the word despatch and dispatch are supposed to be interchangeable and I’m aware Despatch was a car manufacturing co. I seem to remember they manf’d reefers. ? ?

With that in mind, why are other types of cars (stock) called despatch cars? What is the meaning of the word in RR vocabulary?

[dehusman]

Merchant’s Despatch made all sorts of cars, not just reefers.

Despatch also means to expedite. So an expedited shipment might be a despatch shipment.

Dave H.