Big white rectangle

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

>   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



Think that was more coincidence... Dow's book goes on to state that all N&W 
cars had air brakes by 1909, and the big white rectangle denoting dedicated 
service was still used till ~1920.

Robb Fisher