Elvas Tower: AT&SF USRA 50-TON,40-ft Double-Sheathed Boxcar #37462, 1920'S Markings - Elvas Tower

The United States Railway Administration took over the railroads in December 1917 in an
attempt to ease the freight car shortage. As part of the program it designed standard cars,
had them built and assigned them to the various railroads. 24,500 double sheathed cars
were built beginning in late 1918 and assigned to 25 roads. Too late to aid in the war effort,
the design set a standard for the following decade. The USRA design was the last double-sheathed design to be built in large numbers. Requiring more maintanance than single-sheathed or steel cars, they were rebuilt or scrapped earlier than the more modern designs. By 1940, AT&SF, ACL, C&NW, DT&I, EJ&E, SL-SF, GTW, RI, and Wabash had steel sheathed some or all of their DS cars. Other roads never rebuilt them except for modern appliances, running them through the 1950's. MP and NYC are examples of the latter.

Santa Fe received 2,700 cars from AC&F and Laconia in 1919-20, classed Bx.2 and given
series 37001-37700. Delivered with the large herald, the smaller one was applied in the late
1920's. Cars requiring rebuilding in the early 1930s received side banding, a process that ran
at least through 1935. All of the cars were rebuilt with steel sheathing in 1937-41.
-Data from a Westerfield HO Car Kits catalog.

Original File Name = ATSF_USRA_BOX_37462.zip