The Big White Rectangle

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

At 09:38 AM 9/16/06, you wrote:

>A couple of years ago, while working at the archives, I came across a 

>stenciling diagram of an early gondola with the white rectangle; the 

>notation was that it was to be applied on cars equipped with air 

>brakes.  I made a copy of the diagram and gave it to Westerfield.  As I 

>recall, the diagram also contained stenciling for "Air Brake Equipped" but 

>I didn't keep a copy of it for myself.


  Aha! The "Air Brake" stenciling was part of an MCB recommendation of 1896 
that also called out MCB couplers and draft gear type. It would seem that 
the HD was the first N&W car to have air brakes and MCB couplers, hence the 
stenciling and rectangle.

David Thompson