lettering for C&O’s 10’-0” IH 50’ auto cars from Pere Marquette

After the C&O’s acquisition of the PM in 1947, the C & O began transferring the Pressed Steel built PM Series 71000-71249 auto cars with end doors into it’s system beginning in July 1949 and through 1954. Cars were re-lettered in various groups when transferred to C&O lettering while retaining the PM series numbers by adding a 2 in front of the PM original number. Some of these cars were equipped with special loading devices and renumbered into the range of 59500-59728 (not inclusive) This Series came with Chicago-Cleveland Radial Roof and a vertical staff hand brake. End doors were supplied by Standard Railway Equipment Co of Chicago, as was the 3/3/3 Dreadnaught square corner A end.

Originally built as PM Series 71000-71249, 250 cars, by Pressed Steel Car Co, Lot 5, and delivered to the PM in October, 1930

Paint & Lettering: Cars were repainted with C&O’s freight car brown: Matches TCP-219. By the early 1950’s the cars were repainted with a dark oxide red: TCP- This original color is very dark and needs to have a small amount of TCP-179 gray added to replicate normal oxidation. Ends were painted black and some Lot’s came with black doors also.

C&O 271074 above, (Michael Gruber photo collection), was photographed in 1964 in Alpena, Michigan. At this time the auto loading racks have been removed, the left door fixed and an auto parts symbol painted  on the right door indicating that the car was dedicated to autoparts service, most likely with an agreement with an auto parts manufacturer.

Lettering was all white stencil paste. Reporting marks and road name were all 9” lettering. The ‘C and O for PROGRESS’ slogan did not appear until April 1948. This 1960’s paint scheme seen on 271074, used the later C&O For Progress with “diesel smoke”

Decal set designed and created at Protocraft Decals
Printed by Microscale Industries