Lamberts Point: Ugly Imitation Electric Lokie

[NW Mailing List]

Abram,
Good afternoon!  I do not have answers to all of your questions, and have some of my own, but you can see these 'electric hopper cars' in action in the video Pocahontas Glory Volume 4 by Herron Rail.  The action starts at about minute 35, and was apparently located at pier 4 until 1962.
Enjoy!
Vic Chudoba
Member in Woodstock, IL


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From: NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org> On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Friday, July 12, 2024 11:49 AM
To: N&W Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Lamberts Point: Ugly Imitation Electric Lokie

One of the Lamberts Point photos in the John W. Barriger Collection at the Saint Louis Mercantile Library has raised a few questions in my Hood - things I never thought about.

That photo is attached. It shows an ugly boxcar-like thingie, numbered "11" which appears to be impersonating a real locomotive. It is equipped with double poles for trolley wires, and there are third-rails in the foreground of the photo. Good Grief !!! One of its siblings, numbered "20." is snoozing next to the nice stone building at right.

Here are the questions:

- What was the proper name for those ungainly monstrosities ?
- What were their exact duties ?
- Are there any articles detailing technical information?
- What craft operated them: a standard Engineman, or a Barney Yard employee ?
- Was the receiving yard wired, or just the "Barney" area ?
- How long did these things last, and what replaced them ?

-- abram burnett
>From Inside the Turnip Beltway