TOFC head-end traffic in passenger consists

The pictures at the following links are of Rock Island passenger trains in 1966 (mainly the "Cornhusker") which depicts TOFC flat cars as head-end traffic in the passenger consist.

http://www.bcoolidge.com/RI%20Pix/W%27b ... Edited.jpg
http://www.bcoolidge.com/RI%20Pix/W%27b ... _15_66.jpg
http://www.bcoolidge.com/RI%20Pix/W%27b ... _15_66.jpg
http://www.bcoolidge.com/RI%20Pix/E%27b ... _15_66.jpg

As you can see in the pictures, steam is escaping between the cars which makes it obvious to me that these particular TOFC flats were equipped with steam lines to allow steam to pass through to the passenger cars for heating purposes. Rock Island is not the only railroad that is known to have operated TOFC cars in passenger consists (although I can't think of names of other railroads off the top of my head at the moment). So my question is, who would have been the owner of these TOFC flat cars specially equipped for passenger service? The railroad, Trailer Train, Railway Express Agency, someone else?

Anyone have any links to "roster shots" of these cars in service?

General Discussion: Locomotives, Rolling Stock, and Equipment Moderator's Note:

Since the Rock Island is long a fallen flag, and since steam as a heating method is pretty much gone from major passenger carriers, I'm moving this to the Rock Island forum, but keeping a shadow topic here.

Have a great Labor Day weekend, one and all.

Not uncommon at all. Erie Lackawanna also did this sometimes on the Mail/Express trains that also had a coach for passengers. There's a picture of a it someplace (I can't remember if it's fallenflags or Zimmerman's book or somewhere else.)

And yes, the pig is behind the engine, so there must be a steam line to pass on to the bag's and lone coach.

I would expect the few times they ever did this involved some very special traffic.

Any high-priority TOFC freight was placed on passenger trains in the 1960's, many railroads did this - NYC, C&O, IC, RI, EL... I know at IC the flats were steamline equipped and owned by IC - the trailers were even painted passenger brown/org.

Rock Island owned the flats. Also one or two TOFC cars on 11-12 (night Peoria) in '66.