Southern Pacific Flat Car
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Number: #142260 (original) & #562565 (renumbered 1956)
Southern Pacific Railroad
Builder: American Car and Foundry
Class: F-70-7
Date Built: March 1950
Length: 53'6"
Load capacity: 140,000 pounds
Location: Museum's rail display track
This car is a general service car capable of carrying many different types of loads which were securely chained to the car or enclosed by wooden stakes on each side. In May 1953, S.P. was the first railroad to place truck trailers onto flat cars to move freight in the West, specifically the Coast Line, Los Angeles to San Francisco. The trailers were operated by Pacific Motor Trucking Co (PMT), owned by S.P. They were 22' long with two trailers placed on each flat car and were painted in the famous S.P. Daylight paint scheme of red, orange and black. Within 18 months, truck trailers longer than 22' were being used on the roadways so this flat car was returned to General Service work and in 1956 was renumbered #562565. This flat car will be restored to circa 1953 appearance and eventually will have two restored 22' PMT trailers mounted on it. You can view one of the trailers of this type - located in front of the museum building. The museum's PMT trailers are likely the only two of this type still operable in existence so this will be the only exhibit of its kind.
SP TOFC-Piggy Back Future Exhibit
The museum's SP Flat Car (above) and two PMT trailers are destined to become a one-of-a-kind exhibit demonstrating the very early form of road truck trailers that were carried on railroad flatcars, called Trailer On Flat Car (TOFC). Currently the museum has all three pieces for this exhibit and is now working on restoration of them all. The SP Flat Car is on display on the museum's rail display track next to the platform. One of the PMT trailers is located in front of the museum where historically PMT trailers (and other trucks) delivered and picked up freight from the Freighthouse (current site of the museum). The other PMT trailer is currently stored in the museum's Emily Street Yard. The flat car will be restored to circa 1953 appearance and eventually will have both of the restored 22' PMT trailers mounted on it.
For a more complete article on Southern Pacific Piggyback Service, click here.
Here is a model of how this flat car exhibit will look when fully completed:
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