Lamberts Point: Ugly Imitation Electric Lokie

[NW Mailing List]

Vic and Abe

I believe the railroad called these Pier Cars. The Virginian had some as well.

https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/listdocs/select.php?index=search&Searchword=pier+cars

Best
Ken Miller

> On Jul 13, 2024, at 3:12 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> Abram,
> Good afternoon!  I do not have answers to all of your questions, and have some of my own, but you can see these 'electric hopper cars' in action in the video Pocahontas Glory Volume 4 by Herron Rail.  The action starts at about minute 35, and was apparently located at pier 4 until 1962.
> Enjoy!
> Vic Chudoba
> Member in Woodstock, IL
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org> On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 11:49 AM
> To: N&W Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Subject: Lamberts Point: Ugly Imitation Electric Lokie
> 
> One of the Lamberts Point photos in the John W. Barriger Collection at the Saint Louis Mercantile Library has raised a few questions in my Hood - things I never thought about.
> 
> That photo is attached. It shows an ugly boxcar-like thingie, numbered "11" which appears to be impersonating a real locomotive. It is equipped with double poles for trolley wires, and there are third-rails in the foreground of the photo. Good Grief !!! One of its siblings, numbered "20." is snoozing next to the nice stone building at right.
> 
> Here are the questions:
> 
> - What was the proper name for those ungainly monstrosities ?
> - What were their exact duties ?
> - Are there any articles detailing technical information?
> - What craft operated them: a standard Engineman, or a Barney Yard employee ?
> - Was the receiving yard wired, or just the "Barney" area ?
> - How long did these things last, and what replaced them ?
> 
> -- abram burnett
> From Inside the Turnip Beltway
> 
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