Paint Shop – 85 : Norfolk Franklin & Danville Boxcar 2384, part 2

: NFD2384

Here are the data of the car and a belief history of the railroad.
　
　
NF&D 2341 – 2441 series boxcars:
According to Classic Freight Cars the Series vol. 8, NF&D class B-56 XM #2341 to 2441 series boxcars were built in 1967. But these Improved Dreadnaught ends with “rolling pin” ribs appear in the prototype photo were produced between 1948 and 1954. Therefore, the information offered at Norfolk and Western Historical Society (NWHS) website may be accurate: these cars are transferred in 1967 from N&W class B-56 boxcars nee NKP #86100 to #86199 built by ACF in 1949.

The Official Railway Equipment Register (ORER) for April 1974 shows the group #2341 to #2441 with all 101 cars in place, described as follows:
AAR Designation XM and description “Box, Stl. Stagg. Doors”. The inside length of these cars was 50 feet 6 inches, inside width 9 feet 4 inches, inside height 10 feet 6 inches, outside length 56 feet, extreme height 14 feet 11 inches, door opening 15 feet, and capacity 4985 cubic feet or 110,000 pounds.
　
　
Norfolk Franklin & Danville Railway (reporting mark NFD) was a little more than 200 miles line connected its namesake cities in Virginia. It was established in 1882 as the Atlantic and Danville Railway. It reached Danville in 1890. Southern Railway (SOU) leased the company between 1899 and 1949.

Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) acquired the company in 1962 and reorganized it as Norfolk Franklin & Danville Railway. However, unfortunately, the company was dissolved in 1983 after the creation of the Norfolk Southern Corp. Few portions of the line are in use today.

The map below is the part of the “Union Pacific Map of the United States” printed in 1971, with the 1966 NF&D route traced in red line by the author.

: 1966 NF&D route
　
　　
以下に、該当車両の概要、およびNorfolk Franklin & Danville Railwayの簡単な歴史を記す。

NFD 2341 – 2441 series boxcars:
AARによる分類：XM
内寸：長手50フィート６インチ、 短手9フィート４インチ、 天井高10フィート６インチ
外寸：長手56フィート、 最高高さ14フィート11インチ、扉開口幅15フィート
容積：4985 立方フィート／110,000 パウンド
101両在籍（April 1974 ORER）

Norfolk Franklin & Danville Railway (reporting mark NFD)は、1882年に設立された、ジョージア州NorfolkおよびDanvilleを結ぶ、Atlantic and Danville Railwayを前身とする鉄道である。Danvilleには1890年に到達した。永らくSouthern Railway傘下にあったが、1962年にNorfolk and Western Railwayにより買収、NFDに改組された。1983年にNorfolk Southern Corp.に吸収され消滅。路線は現在も存続している。

地図は、筆者の手元にあった1971年発行のUnion Pacificによる全米路線図上に、該当路線を赤色で書き込んだものである。