Is there anyone here that can give me any historical background on the Heinz pickle cars - the ones that were essentially a flat car with vertical wooden pickle vats on it ??? I need to know the time-frame these cars were used and if they ever ventured into Canada. ANY additional information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Mark.
I hope the below link is of some use.
Thanks for the link, narrows down the era at least.
Mark.
I have the Morning Sun book ‘Baltimore and Ohio Trackside’.
There are some photos of a local spotting a pickle car similar to Athearn’s in appearance. The one that’s not enclosed where you can see the four vats.
The car is being spotted at the Smuckers plant in Orrville, Ohio and the date of the photo is ‘a late winter day in 1957’. I didn’t realize that these type of cars lasted into the late 50’s, maybe even the early 60’s.
I discovered this tid-bit while researching traffic movents and car assignments for my SP Kentucky House branch layout. During times of tank car shortages, local wineries would lease pickle cars to handle the commidities. I always thought pickles in my youth had more flavor, now I know why!
Dave
Bought one on EBay for a couple bucks, but it was more modern than I expected. The real old short ones were more charming. I needed it to bring pickles to my logging camp.
Arthill, didn’t Tyco or someone have one in the 30ft range with the tanks you describe? I have a couple of the American Flyer versions, semi scale of course, some kitbashing required.
Dave
I’ve got a Revell HO Heinz Pickle car that I have had since the early 1960s. It is about 50 scale feet long. I have a second purchased a few years ago. I also have a smaller red pickle car, labeled Heinz, built by Athearn. It is about 40 scale feet long. I have always thought they were neat cars, but never knew where they were used or in what era. Glad to see some info seeing the light of day.
Mark C.
Some thing besides covered hoppers to haul ag products to processing plant in the thirty’s, forty’s and fifties!
Will
Wait…in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s, covered hoppers were only used for things like dry concrete, sand and carbon black. It wasn’t until the late 1960’s that covered hoppers started being used to haul grain, etc.