SP box car #34828 was built in 1917. It is a 40-foot 7-inch long, 40-ton
capacity box car. The frame is steel, strengthened with truss rods (one of two cars with
truss rods in the collection). The walls and ends are wood. The doors slide open and the
openings are 6' wide and 8' 4" high. Southern Pacific is cast into the wheels. According
to the 1943 ORER (p. 663) this car was one of 74 in the number series 34700 - 35477 still
in use that were 7" longer than the standard 40-foot box car, and thus had a 3040 cubic
foot capacity rather than 2996 cubic feet. This type of car, built during World War I,
was known as a "steel saver" because there was so much wood in it. The steel bracing is
worn rail. This was a typical SP box car until the early 1950s.
#34838 was donated to the Museum by W. T. Mitchell a former employee
of the Southern Pacific. Joe Bailey wrote that the car was intact when donated, but in
being shipped from Oregon to Galveston, then to his farm in Simonton, the framework gave
way and the car had to be disassembled and reconstructed. Bailey noted that this car was
totally intact and he did not have to hunt for any parts to reconstruct it. It is painted
freight car color and has white markings.
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