Condensed Roster of Pere Marquette Freight Cars |
Updated: 01-SEP-2023 |
|
This roster is intended to describe, in a general fashion,
all of the major types of freight car owned by the Pere Marquette,
following its creation at the turn of the century. Given the sketchy
records that exist of the PM's early freight cars, it is bound to
be incomplete. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
This roster is divided into sections by general car type: |
Insulated Box and Refrigerator Cars
The PM was a pretty heavy user of insulated box cars and reefers, due mostly to the great volume of produce it hauled. Among other commodities, the PM hauled large amounts of celery out of the Hudsonville area, cherries from the Grand Traverse Bay region, and onions from Newaygo County. Other produce was hauled from other places as well, but much of it was less-perishable such as beans and sugar beets from the Thumb. As a result, the PM was an early participant and stock holder in Fruit Growers Express.
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu.Ft.Capy.Pounds Builder Year
BuiltRetired
By1-10 Refrigerator (wood) 27'6" unknown 50000 unknown before 1904 1931 11-110 Refrigerator (wood) 32'1" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 111 Refrigerator (wood) 33'4" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 25000-25299 Refrigerator (wood) 33'2" 1880 80000 PM Ry. Shops 1924 1941 66001-66025 Box (steel underframe) 39'7" 2370 80000 unknown before 1939 1954 67001-67010 Box (steel underframe) 33'2" 1880 80000 unknown before 1939 1949 69001-69004 Ins. Box 39'7" 2370 80000 unknown before 1941 1954 69011-69018 Insulated Boxcar (steel underframe) 40'6" 2896 80000 unknown before 1947 1954 Boxcars
From its beginning, the PM was closely associated with the furniture industry and the automotive industry. This traffic necessitated the PM developing a large fleet of boxcars specially outfitted for these uses.
Several ex-PM boxcars are preserved. Two steel fifty-foot boxcars have been cosmetically restored, #72222 at Grand Haven, Michigan and #72332 at Owosso. Forty-foot single-sheathed wooden boxcars are publically preserved at Taylor Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan, and the B&O Museum in Baltimore, and at least two other wooden ex-PM boxcars are in prvate ownership.
Wood Boxcars
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu. Ft.Capy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
By500-805 Furniture (wood) 40' 3010 60000 unknown before 1900 1931 806 Furniture (wood) 40' 3010 60000 unknown before 1908 1931 900-949 Furniture (wood) 38' 2829 50000 unknown before 1900 1931 950-958 Furniture (wood) 35' unknown 50000 unknown before 1900 1931 960-985 Furniture (wood) 40'8" 2760 50000 unknown before 1900 1931 986-995 Furniture (wood) 50' 3780 40000 unknown before 1904 1931 996-999 Furniture (wood) 45' 3673 50000 unknown before 1904 1931 999 Furniture (wood) 49'6" 3726 50000 unknown before 1904 1931 1700-1799 Charcoal (wood) 33-35' unknown 30-40000 unknown before 1900 1931 1800-1825 Charcoal, tight roof 33-35' unknown 30-40000 unknown before 1900 1931 2800-3016 Box (wood) 27-29' unknown 24-35000 unknown before 1900 1931 3017-3149 Box (wood) 27-29' unknown 24-35000 unknown before 1900 1931 3150-3479 Box (wood) 32-34' unknown 40000 unknown before 1904 1931 3489-4999 Box (wood) 32-34' unknown 30000 unknown before 1904 1931 5000-5185 Box (wood) 32-34' unknown 40000 unknown before 1904 1931 5200-5383 Box (wood) 33'6" 2002 50000 unknown before 1900 1931 5610-5633 Box (wood) 33' 1637 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 5635-5669 Box (wood) 33'6" 1810 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 5850-5858 Box (wood) 37 '5" 2419 50000 unknown before 1900 1931 5870-5888 Box (wood) 37'4" 2562 50000 unknown before 1904 1931 5895-5999 Box (wood) 37'4" 2452 50000 unknown before 1904 1931 6000-6249 Box (wood) 35'10" 2332 60000 unknown before 1900 1931 6300-6923 Box (wood) 38' 2459 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 6989-6999 Box (wood) 34' 1950 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 7000-7155 Box, ventilated (wood) 38' 2429 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 7200-7207 Box, ventilated (wood) 36' 2440 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 7500-8499 Box (wood) 38' 2429 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 20000-21999 (lst) Box (wood) 33' unknown unknown unknown before 1904 1908 22000-22999 Box (wood) 33'9" unknown 30000 unknown before 1904 1908 26000-26999 Box (wood) 33'9" unknown 50000 unknown before 1904 1908 28000-28049 Box (wood) 36'2" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 30000-30099 Box, ventilated (wood) 36' 2448 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 30100-30513 Box (wood) 36' 2448 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 30514-30527 Box (wood) 36' 2448 60000 unknown before 1908 1931 31000-31999 Box (wood) 36' 2448 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 32000-33249 Box (wood) 36' 2424 60000 unknown before 1908 1931 40000-42649 Box (wood) 38' 2136 60000 unknown before 1904 1939 42650-43149 Vehicle (wood) 36' 2524 60000 unknown before 1904 1939 43150-43649 Box (wood) 38' 2118 60000 unknown before 1904 1939 50000-52499 Box (wood) 36' 2524 85000 unknown before 1908 1939 52500-52999 Auto (wood) 36' 2524 85000 unknown before 1908 1939 53000-53999 Box (wood) 36' 2524 85000 unknown before 1908 1939 54000-54044 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 75000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1954 54100-54163 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1954 54200-54240 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1954 54300-54344 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 70000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1957 54500-54571 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 75000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1954 54600-54620 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 70000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1960 54700-54709 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 37l2 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1960 55100 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1957 55200-55209 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1960 55300-55309 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1954 55310-55319 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1954 55400-55407 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1957 55500-55527 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1954 55600-55694 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1967 55750-55799 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1967 56000-56014 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 37l2 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1957 60001-60014 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 70000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1957 60015-60019 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 30000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1957 60050-60059 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 75000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1957 60060-60064 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1957 61001-61040 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3098 80000 Std. Stl. Car 1920 1949 61041-61050 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3098 80000 unknown 1919-20 1949 62001-62015 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3098 80000 unknown 1919-20 1949 63001-63060 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1957 64001-64050 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3098 80000 unknown 1919-20 1954 64075-64084 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1949 65001-65061 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1965 65062-65069 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1957 65070-65093 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1949 67050-67057 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3098 80000 unknown 1919-20 1949 68001-68049 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1949 68050-68069 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 75000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1949 69045-69099 Auto (steel underframe) 40'6" 3098 80000 unknown 1919-20 1949 70000-70999 Box (steel center sill) 40' 3060 80000 Haskel & Barker 1917-18 1949 80000-80499 Auto (steel u.f., USRA) 40'6" 3098 80000 Standard Stl. Car 1920 1949 80500-80999 Box (steel u.f., USRA) 40'6" 3098 80000 Standard Stl. Car 1920 1949 81000-81109 Box (steel u.f., USRA) 40'6" 3098 80000 Keith 1919 1949 81110-81323 Box (steel u.f. USRA) 40'6" 3098 80000 McGuire Car Co. 1920 1949 81324-81989 Box (steel u.f. USRA) 40'6" 3098 80000 Pacific Car & Fdy. 1920 1949 85000-85000 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Western Stl. Car 1922-23 1957 86000-87499 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3170 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1923 1957 88000-88349 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 80000 Nat'l. Stl. Car 1926 1954 88350-89299 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1960 89300-89349 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3403 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1935 89350-90349 Box (steel underframe) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 Steel Boxcars
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu. Ft.Capy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
By56200 Auto (steel) 40'6" 3712 75000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 1973 59500-59529 Auto (steel) 50'5" 4587 75000 Ralston 1936 1960 59600-59611 Auto (steel) 50'6" 4545 70000 Ralston 1936 1965 59701-59727 Auto (steel) 50'6" 4545 65000 Ralston 1936 1965 59728 Box (steel) 50'6" 4545 75000 Ralston 1936 1957 59750-59763 Box (steel) 50'6" 4545 75000 Ralston 1936 1957 71000-71249 Furniture (steel) 50'6" 4545 75000 Pressed Stl. Car 1930 1974 71250-71349 Auto (steel) 50'6" 4587 65000 Ralston 1936 1976 72000-72049 Auto, Furniture (steel) 50'6" 4629 100000 Greenville 1940 1976 72050-72099 Auto, Furniture (steel) 50'6" 4629 100000 Greenville 1940 72100-72124 Auto, Furniture (steel) 50'6" 4629 100000 Greenville 1941 72125-72149 Auto, Furniture (steel) 50'6" 4629 110000 Greenville 1941 1976 72150-72199 Auto (steel) 50'6" 4629 100000 Greenville 1941 1976 72200-72349 Auto (steel) 50'6" 5037 100000 Ralston 1946 72350-72399 Damage Free Box (steel) 50'6" 5037 100000 Ralston 1946 82000-83499 Box (steel) 40'6" 3053 100000 Std. Stl. Car Co. 1930 83500-83649 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 100000 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1941 83650-83799 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 100000 Pullman-Standard 1940-41 1976 83800-83999 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 100000 General American 1941 84000-84099 Box (welded, steel) 40'6" 3733 100000 Pullman-Standard 1940 1977 84100-84199 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 100000 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1941 1975 84200-84299 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 100000 General American 1941 84300-84399 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 100000 Pullman-Standard 1941 1975 90350-90399 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pullman 1930 1975 90400-90499 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pullman 1930 1970 90500-90849 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pullman 1930 90850-90999 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pullman 1930 1975 91000-91499 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pullman 1930 1975 91500-91699 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pullman 1930 1975 91850-92349 Box (steel) 40'6" 3712 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1930 1974 93000-93199 Auto (steel) 40'6" 3847 80000 Ralston 1936 1975 93200-93399 Auto (steel) 40'6" 3847 80000 Ralston 1936 1973 93400-93499 Auto (steel) 40'6" 3847 80000 Ralston 1941 1974 Livestock Cars
Yes, the PM actually had livestock cars of its own. Presumably, much of this traffic was between points in rural Michigan and meat packing plants at Detroit and Chicago. Several photos published recently show one or two cattle cars coupled just behind the locomotive on various PM freights in the late 1930s.
None of these are known to have been preserved.
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu. Ft.Capy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
ByComment 1915-1969 Stock, single deck 32-33' ? 28-40000 ? before 1904 1931 1970-1999 Stock, single deck 38' ? 60000 unknown before 1904 1939 2000-2199 (1st) Stock, single deck 38' 2362 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 2000-2049 (2nd) Stock, single deck 40'6" 3403 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1927 1971 Converted from 89300-89349-series boxcars in 1934. 2200-2249 Stock, adj. dbl. deck 38' 2362 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 2250-2308 Stock, adj. dbl. deck 38' 2362 60000 unknown before 1908 1931 Gondola and Early Coal Cars
The Pere Marquette owned a good-sized fleet of gondolas over the years. The most striking load regularly carried by its gondolas in later years was auto and truck frames.
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu.FtCapy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
ByComment 9000-9100 Coal, drop bottom 35'6" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 9101-9200 Coal 34'10" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 9201-9300 Coal, drop bottom 34'10" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 9301-9400 Coal 34'10" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 9450-9499 Coal 32'6" unknown 50-60000 unknown before 1904 1931 9500-9949 Coal 31-35' unknown 35-60000 unknown before 1904 1931 9969-9999 Coal 19'4"-31' unknown 24-40000 unknown before 1904 1931 10000-10199 (1st) Coal Gondola 35'6" unknown 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 10000-10099 (2nd) Gondola (steel) 40'6" 1899 100000 Ralston Stl. Car 1930 1967 Renumbered from 17650-18399-series cars in 1946; refitted for auto frame loading. 10100-10199 (2nd) Gondola (steel) 50'6" 1439 140000 Greenville 1930 1971 Renumbered from 18400-18649-series cars in 1946; refitted for auto frame loading. 10200-10299 Gondola (steel) 40'6" 1899 100000 Ralston Stl. Car 1930 1966 Renumbered from 17650-18399-series cars in 1946; refitted for auto frame loading. 10250-10998 Coal Gondola 36' unknown 30000 unknown before 1904 1931 11000-11089 Coal Gondola 32'1" unknown 60050 unknown before 1904 1931 11100-11199 Coal Gondola 36'6" unknown 80000 unknown before 1904 1931 12000-12799 Coal Gondola (dropends) 35'1" unknown 80000 unknown before 1904 1931 12800-12899 Coal Gondola (side dump) 33'4" unknown 30000 unknown before 1904 1931 12900-12999 Gondola 36'6" unknown 80000 unknown before 1908 1931 17000-17249 Gondola (composite) 42' 1980 110000 Illinois Car Co. 1927 1967 17250-17649 Gondola (composite) 42' 1980 110000 Magor Car Co. 1929 1976 17650-18399 Gondola (stl., wd,flr.) 40'6" 1899 100000 Ralston Stl. Car 1930 unknown 18400-18649 Gondola (stl.,dropends) 50'6" 1439 140000 Greenville 1930 1974 18650-18849 Gondola (stl., dropends) 50'6" 1439 140000 Bethlehem Steel 1941 unknown 18850-18949 Gondola (stl.,dropends) 52'6" 1745 140000 Bethlehem Steel 1944 unknown Flat Cars
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu. Ft.Capy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
By13000-13413 (1st) Flat 28-34' n/a 24-30000 unknown before 1904 1919 14000-14350 (1st) Flat 33-34' n/a 40000 unknown before 1904 1923 14576-14999 Flat 36' n/a 40000 unknown before 1904 1931 15000-15019 (1st) Flat 33-34' n/a 50000 unknown before 1904 1927 15020-15103 (1st) Flat 34' n/a 50000 unknown before 1904 1927 15104-15482 (1st) Flat 34' n/a 50000 unknown before 1904 1927 15500-15628 Flat 36' n/a 50000 unknown before 1908 1931 15629-15999 Flat 36' n/a 50000 unknown before 1904 1931 16000-16267 (1st) Flat 36' n/a 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 16300-16399 (1st) Flat 36' n/a 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 16400-16999 (1st) Flat 37' n/a 60000 unknown before 1904 1931 16000-16099 (2nd) Flat (steel) 42'1" n/a 100000 Bethlehem Steel 1930 unknown 16500 (2nd) Flat (steel underframe) 40'10" n/a 80000 PM Railway 1930 1941 16500-16749 (3rd) Flat (steel) 53'6" n/a 140000 Greenville 1942 1989 16750-16849 (2nd) Flat (steel) 53'6" n/a 140000 Greenville 1944 1991 Open-Top and Covered Hoppers
The PM's open-top hopper fleet seemed to be used mostly in company service, distributing coal to the various locomotive terminals around the system. Its covered hopper fleet served mostly the sand and cement industries, with many loads generated from sand pits along the western shoreline of the state of Michigan.
The only known preserved ex-PM hopper of any type is covered hopper #20054, at the B&O Museum in Baltimore.
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu. Ft.Capy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
By13000-13499 (2nd) USRA-Design Hopper (stl., twin) 30'6" 1880 110000 Ralston Stl. Car 1919 1957 13500-13999 USRA-Design Hopper (stl., twin) 30'6" 1880 110000 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1920 1957 14000-14499(2nd) Hopper, (steel, twin) 30'6" 1880 110000 Ralston Stl. Car 1923 1957 15000-15249(2nd) Hopper (steel, triple) 40' 2710 140000 Standard Stl. Car 1927 1960 20000-20024(2nd) Covered hopper (steel) 29'3" 1958 140000 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1942 1988 20025-20049(2nd) Covered hopper (steel) 29'3" 1958 140000 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1944 1988 20050-20149(2nd) Covered hopper (steel) 29'3" 1958 140000 Greenville 1946 1989 Non-Revenue Cars
The PM owned its share of non-revenue cars. Most unusual were the CF1500-series coal hoppers used to deliver coal onto the car ferries. They closely resembled ore cars.
The tank cars are not well documented in remaining records. Presumably some were used for carrying lubrication oil, while others were water cars.
The cabooses also included many wooden cabs in the A200-, A300-, A400-, A500- and A600- series, which have varied origins and have proven to be somewhat difficult to neatly categorize. Many cars in the A300-, A500- and A600-series closely resembled caboose #A557, preserved at Shelby Township, MI, #A566, preserved at Holland, MI, and #A621, preserved at the Huckleberry Railroad, near Flint.
Numbers Description Inside
LengthCapy.
Cu. Ft.Capy.
PoundsBuilder Year
BuiltRetired
ByA800-A824 Caboose, wood-sheathed 26'1-5/8" n/a n/a Magor Car Co. 1930 1972 A901-A925 Caboose steel 24' n/a n/a Magor Car Co. 1937 mid-1980s A950-A989 Caboose steel 24'1-5/8" n/a n/a St. Louis Car Co. 1941 mid-1980s AD300-AD309 Air dump, steel 34' 808 100000 Magor Car Co. 1927 unknown AD310-AD329 Air dump, steel 33'3" ? 91000 Koppel Ind. Car 1927 unknown CF1500-CF1524 Carferry hopper (steel) 19'11" ? 80000 Pressed Stl. Car 1929 unknown DO-10 Tank (steel) unknown 8247 gal. 102700 Chicago Stl. Car 1916 1960 DO-11 Tank (steel) 29'8" 8148 gal. 93700 PM Railway 1942 1954 DO-12 Tank (steel) ? 8308 gal. 80000 unknown before 1947 1957 DO-13 Tank (steel) unknown 7427 gal. 80000 unknown before 1947 1960 G-1 to G-42 Ballast unknown unknown 80000 Rodgers Ballast Car before 1904 1931 G-43 to G-142 (1st) Ballast, convertible 32'2" unknown 80000 Rodger Bal. Car before 1908 1931 G-143 to G-292 Ballast, convertible 39' 2038 80000 Rodgers Ballast Car 1905 1939 G-100 to G-124 (2nd) Ballast (steel) 33'2" 1717 123100 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1927 1974 1000-1074 Ballast (steel) 33'2" 1982 122300 Amer. Car & Fdy. 1929 unknown S-75 Tank (steel) 30'8" 7080 gal. 104200 General American 19?? unknown S-76 Tank (steel) 30' 7046 gal. 101800 General American unknown unknown S-77 Tank (steel) 28'3" 6320 gal. 63500 PM Railway 1926 unknown
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John F. ("Fritz") Milhaupt on behalf of the Pere Marquette Historical
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