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Condensed Roster of Pere Marquette Freight Cars

Updated: 31-OCT-2015

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 Boxcars Livestock Cars Gondola and Early Coal Cars Flat Cars Open-Top and Covered Hoppers Non-Revenue Cars

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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 fruits and vegetables were hauled from other places as well, but mostly from West Michigan (much less-perishable produce, such as beans and sugar beets was hauled from the Thumb) . As a result, the PM was an early participant and stock holder in Fruit Growers Express.

Numbers	Description		Inside Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By
1-10	Refrigerator (wood)		27'6"		?		50000		?		before 1904		1931
11-110	Refrigerator (wood)		32'1"		?		60000		?		before 1904		1931
111	Refrigerator (wood)		33'4"		?		60000		?		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		?		before 1939		1954
67001-67010	Box (steel underframe)		33'2"		1880		80000		?		before 1939		1949
69001-69004	Ins. Box		39'7"		2370		80000		?		before 1941		1954
69011-69018	Ins. Box (steel u.f.)		40'6"		2896		80000		?		before 1947		1954

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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.

Four ex-PM boxcars are preserved. Two steel 50' boxcars have been cosmetically restored, #72222 at Grand Haven, Michigan and #72332 at Owosso. Two 40' single-sheathed wooden boxcars are preserved, #58305 at Owosso, Michigan and #88958 at the B&O Museum in Baltimore. At least one other wooden ex-PM boxcar is stored in Ludington, Michigan, as well.

Numbers	Description		Inside Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By
500-805	Furniture (wood)		40'		3010		60000		?		before 1900		1931
806	Furniture (wood)		40'		3010		60000		?		before 1908		1931
900-949	Furniture (wood)		38'		2829		50000		?		before 1900		1931
950-958	Furniture (wood)		35'				50000		?		before 1900		1931
960-985	Furniture (wood)		40'8"		2760		50000		?		before 1900		1931
986-995	Furniture (wood)		50'		3780		40000		?		before 1904		1931
996-999	Furniture (wood)		45'		3673		50000		?		before 1904		1931
999	Furniture (wood)		49'6"		3726		50000		?		before 1904		1931
1700-1799	Charcoal (wood)		33-35'		?		30-40000		?		before 1900		1931
1800-1825	Charcoal, tight roof		33-35'		?		30-40000		?		before 1900		1931
2800-3016	Box (wood)		27-29'		?		24-35000		?		before 1900		1931
3017-3149	Box (wood)		27-29'		?		24-35000		?		before 1900		1931
3150-3479	Box (wood)		32-34'		?		40000		?		before 1904		1931
3489-4999	Box (wood)		32-34'		?		30000		?		before 1904		1931
5000-5185	Box (wood)		32-34'		?		40000		?		before 1904		1931
5200-5383	Box (wood)		33'6"		2002		50000		?		before 1900		1931
5610-5633	Box (wood)		33'		1637		60000		?		before 1904		1931
5635-5669	Box (wood)		33'6"		1810		60000		?		before 1904		1931
5850-5858	Box (wood)		37 '5"		2419		50000		?		before 1900		1931
5870-5888	Box (wood)		37'4"		2562		50000		?		before 1904		1931
5895-5999	Box (wood)		37'4"		2452		50000		?		before 1904		1931
6000-6249	Box (wood)		35'10"		2332		60000		?		before 1900		1931
6300-6923	Box (wood)		38'		2459		60000		?		before 1904		1931
6989-6999	Box (wood)		34'		1950		60000		?		before 1904		1931
7000-7155	Box, ventilated (wood)		38'		2429		60000		?		before 1904		1931
7200-7207	Box, ventilated (wood)		36'		2440		60000		?		before 1904		1931
7500-8499	Box (wood)		38'		2429		60000		?		before 1904		1931
20000-21999 (lst)	Box (wood)		33'		?		?		?		before 1904		1908
22000-22999	Box (wood)		33'9"		?		30000		?		before 1904		1908
26000-26999	Box (wood)		33'9"		?		50000		?		before 1904		1908
28000-28049	Box (wood)		36'2"		?		60000		?		before 1904		1931
30000-30099	Box, ventilated (wood)		36'		2448		60000		?		before 1904		1931
30100-30513	Box (wood)		36'		2448		60000		?		before 1904		1931
30514-30527	Box (wood)		36'		2448		60000		?		before 1908		1931
31000-31999	Box (wood)		36'		2448		60000		?		before 1904		1931
32000-33249	Box (wood)		36'		2424		60000		?		before 1908		1931
40000-42649	Box (wood)		38'		2136		60000		?		before 1904		1939
42650-43149	Vehicle (wood)		36'		2524		60000		?		before 1904		1939
43150-43649	Box (wood)		38'		2118		60000		?		before 1904		1939
50000-52499	Box (wood)		36'		2524		85000		?		before 1908		1939
52500-52999	Auto (wood)		36'		2524		85000		?		before 1908		1939
53000-53999	Box (wood)		36'		2524		85000		?		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
56200	Auto (steel)		40'6"		3712		75000		Pressed Stl. Car		1929		1973
56300-56316	Auto (steel underframe)		40'6"		3712		65000		Pressed Stl. Car		1929		1957
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
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		?		1919-20		1949
62001-62015	Box (steel underframe)		40'6"		3098		80000				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		?		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		?		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		?		1919-20		1949
70000-70999	Box (steel center sill)		40'		3060		80000		Haskel & Barker		1917-18		1949
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
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
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
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
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

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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 Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By		Comment
1915-1969	Stock, single deck		32-33'		?		28-40000		?		before 1904		1931
1970-1999	Stock, single deck		38'		?		60000		?		before 1904		1939
2000-2199 (1st)	Stock, single deck		38'		2362		60000		?		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		?		before 1904		1931
2250-2308	Stock, adj. dbl. deck		38'		2362		60000		?		before 1908		1931

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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 Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By		Comment
9000-9100	Coal, drop bottom		35'6"		?		60000		?		before 1904		1931
9101-9200	Coal		34'10"		?		60000		?		before 1904		1931
9201-9300	Coal, drop bottom		34'10"		?		60000		?		before 1904		1931
9301-9400	Coal		34'10"		?		60000		?		before 1904		1931
9450-9499	Coal		32'6"		?		50-60000		?		before 1904		1931
9500-9949	Coal		31-35'		?		35-60000		?		before 1904		1931
9969-9999	Coal		19'4"-31'		?		24-40000		?		before 1904		1931
10000-10199 (1st)	Coal Gondola		35'6"		?		60000		?		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'		?		30000		?		before 1904		1931
11000-11089	Coal Gondola		32'1"		?		60050		?		before 1904		1931
11100-11199	Coal Gondola		36'6"		?		80000		?		before 1904		1931
12000-12799	Coal Gondola (dropends)		35'1"		?		80000		?		before 1904		1931
12800-12899	Coal Gondola (side dump)		33'4"		?		30000		?		before 1904		1931
12900-12999	Gondola		36'6"		?		80000		?		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		?
18400-18649	Gondola (stl.,dropends)		50'6"		1439		140000		Greenville		1930		1974
18650-18849	Gondola (stl., dropends)		50'6"		1439		140000		Bethlehem Steel		1941		?
18850-18949	Gondola (stl.,dropends)		52'6"		1745		140000		Bethlehem Steel		1944		?

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Flat Cars

Numbers	Description		Inside Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By
13000-13413 (1st)	Flat		28-34'		n/a		24-30000		?		before 1904		1919
14000-14350 (1st)	Flat		33-34'		n/a		40000		?		before 1904		1923
14576-14999	Flat		36'		n/a		40000		?		before 1904		1931
15000-15019 (1st)	Flat		33-34'		n/a		50000		?		before 1904		1927
15020-15103 (1st)	Flat		34'		n/a		50000		?		before 1904		1927
15104-15482 (1st)	Flat		34'		n/a		50000		?		before 1904		1927
15500-15628	Flat		36'		n/a		50000		?		before 1908		1931
15629-15999	Flat		36'		n/a		50000		?		before 1904		1931
16000-16267 (1st)	Flat		36'		n/a		60000		?		before 1904		1931
16300-16399 (1st)	Flat		36'		n/a		60000		?		before 1904		1931
16400-16999 (1st)	Flat		37'		n/a		60000		?		before 1904		1931
16000-16099 (2nd)	Flat (steel)		42'1"		n/a		100000		Bethlehem Steel		1930		?
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

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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 Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By
13000-13499 (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 tanks 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 Length		Capy. Cu.Ft.		Capy. Pounds		Builder		Year Built		Retired By
A800-A824	Caboose, wood-sheathed		26'1-5/8"		?		?		Magor Car Co.		1930		1972
A901-A925	Caboose steel		24'		?		?		Magor Car Co.		1937		?
A950-A989	Caboose steel		24'1-5/8"		?		?		St. Louis Car Co.		1941		?
AD300-AD309	Air dump, steel		34'		808		100000		Magor Car Co.		1927		?
AD310-AD329	Air dump, steel		33'3"		?		91000		Koppel Ind. Car		1927		?
CF1500-CF1524	Carferry hopper (steel)		19'11"		?		80000		Pressed Stl. Car		1929		?
DO-10	Tank (steel)		?		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		?		before 1947		1957
DO-13	Tank (steel)		?		7427 gal.		80000		?		before 1947		1960
G-1 to G-42	Ballast		?		?		80000		Rodger Bal. Car		before 1904		1931
G-43 to G-142 (1st)	Ballast, convertible		32'2"		?		80000		Rodger Bal. Car		before 1908		1931
G-143 to G-292	Ballast, convertible		39'		2038		80000		Rodger Bal. 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		?
S-75	Tank (steel)		30'8"		7080 gal.		104200		General American		19??		?
S-76	Tank (steel)		30'		7046 gal.		101800		General American		19??		?
S-77	Tank (steel)		28'3"		6320 gal.		63500		PM Railway		1926		?

 

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