RVRR freight car history?

[nyandw]

Box car #2050 was behind the passenger coach that the RVRR used as its offices in the Cahill years (1975-1986). I read somewhere that this box car had come from the Raritan River Railroad in South Amboy, NJ, which was taken over by Conrail in 1980 which may explain the Conrail logo spray painted over in the below photo. I believe that the Rahway Valley Railroad used this boxcar for filing space to keep all of their records, bill, receipts, etc. Info: Rich King

[RS115]

I don't know the origin of the car as it had been painted by the time I was around. I worked at the RVRR summers and school vacations of 1980 and 81. The box car was Mr. Cahill's private office. There was a structure with windows built inside the sliding door which he would open in the morning and close at night so he had light and a view of the yard. I was only in there a couple of times and just remember it being an office - nothing fancy but you didn't know you were sitting in a box car either. I have a vague recollection that the end of the car away from the ex-LV office car was sectioned off and may well have been a file/storage room.

Mr. Cahill was old school but a real gentleman. I often wish I'd had the opportunity to talk to him more and hear some more of his railroad stories. Among the employees he was simply "The Boss" and we all respected and admired him.

[L&HR C&S]

This car is currently located on the NYS&W at the Rochelle Park, NJ station.

[lvrr325]

If one was to zoom in on the upper right of the car, it clearly has some kind of trust info indicating the original road and car number as on many Conrail freight cars and cabooses.

[nyandw]

I don't know the origin of the car as it had been painted by the time I was around. I worked at the RVRR summers and school vacations of 1980 and 81. The box car was Mr. Cahill's private office. There was a structure with windows built inside the sliding door which he would open in the morning and close at night so he had light and a view of the yard. I was only in there a couple of times and just remember it being an office - nothing fancy but you didn't know you were sitting in a box car either. I have a vague recollection that the end of the car away from the ex-LV office car was sectioned off and may well have been a file/storage room.

Mr. Cahill was old school but a real gentleman. I often wish I'd had the opportunity to talk to him more and hear some more of his railroad stories. Among the employees he was simply "The Boss" and we all respected and admired him.

Thank you for the info! Steve

[nyandw]

This car is currently located on the NYS&W at the Rochelle Park, NJ station.

Great! In what capacity? Anyone with a photo? Thank you! Best, Steve

[L&HR C&S]

While not the actual subject in these two photos, the ex RV boxcar can be seen in the background as coach 599 was removed from the Rochelle Park station grounds in early part of 2010. Both cars where used as additional office space.

[nyandw]

Really neat photos of the pass car! I don't believe it is the RVRR car as follows: NYS&W would not have redone the RVRR car in their paint scheme as it is a non revenue car and waste of $$$. The RVRR had its side ladders removed. NYS&W would not have installed them. (however we are looking at the other side of the car perhaps, but removal of all ladders typically occurred at the same time, as it was a safety compliance issue). CR (very likely)/RVRR removes them(why bother a non-revenue/interchange car), NYS&W does not put them back on. The roof details appear to be different. These nice shots are 2010. The photo I posted is (1975-1986) as can be seen by the stencils (1974) and the yellow inspection dot (March 1978 U-1 wheel inspection dot: The yellow dot cars do NOT have the defective wheel type.) Thus, an interchange car as of 3/78+. This is a CR discard therefore after that time. I am of the belief that perhaps the RVRR office car was scrapped. Why obtain another lines office car when you can create your own on site dirt cheap?

Interesting stuff for us RVRR folk!

[L&HR C&S]

It's going to be a little bit of time before I can get a photo of the other side, but I can further add a few details. The boxcar in the photos came to the NYSW during the years that they where operating the Rahway Valley, and what we cannot see is that the side facing the street has the boxcar door open with the wall of glass windows showing. Both the boxcar and coach 599 (which had been in Central Vermont paint) recieved NYSW paint prior to being moved from Little Ferry to the Rochell Park station, at about '91 or 1992. The air conditioning system in this car was replaced in the late 90's, hence the different roof top equipment. The roatery vent fan and door cut into the end of the boxcar can be seen in both your photo and the 2010 photos.
As for the hand rails, the NYSW in the mid 80s had a few movies filmed along the line, and boxcars used for the films had handrails and roofwalks reapplied to back date them for the films. This may or no be the case here, but it is possible. On several storage boxcars that are around, you can see that they where reapplied hastily, for film use only.

[nyandw]

L&HR C&S: Nice info which I need to add to the cars history! The photos of the car and other sides would be great to confirm. I appreciate the insight and the mini Sherlock Holmes pursuit on this car. Let me know!
Regards, Steve

[NYC27]

This car appears to be a product of Reading's rebuild program of the late 60s/early 70s in which 40' cars were stretched to 50'. If you look at the side panels/seams you can see that the two panels on either side of the door do not match the rest of the car. NYC also had a similar program which wound up in the CR fleet, but the car has the trademarks of a RDG car, including 4-4 rolling pin taper ends and a 6 panel Superior door. I'm sure someone from the Reading Historical and Technical Society could confirm this and perhaps give you additonal details. If you can get the CR class which should be the stencil below the consolidated stencils (black and white boxes) from the first photo you should be able to trace it backwards.