Boxcars
As early as the 1830s the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad had invented the two-truck car. The design consisted of two sets of trucks or wheel housings, that held two axles each, for a total of eight wheels on each car. Springs were mounted in-between each side of the truck assembly. This configuration is commonly seen on today's freight cars. The two-truck cars became quite popular because of their ability to evenly distribute the weight, handle heavier loads, provide better stability, and offer improved cushioning for freight.
On a normal freight train, this boxcar built in April, 1978, would not have been placed immediately in front of this caboose. The trainman sitting in the caboose's cupola would not have been able to view the train in front of him because this boxcar is an extra-tall version so it could carry rolls of newsprint - 1 meter in diameter and weighing 800-900 pounds. Cars such as these would have been a frequent sight alongside paper mills and buildings where large printing presses were located.
All freight cars display weight data that refers to the weight of the freight car and its contents:
CAPY - the intended load-carrying capacity of the car to the nearest 1,000 pounds
LD LMT - 155,900 pounds or almost 78 tons - the maximum weight of cargo that can be carried by the car to the nearest 100 pounds
LT
this page online
Erected by Plainfield Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1978.
Location. 41° 36.536′ N, 88° 12.681′ W. Marker is in Plainfield, Illinois, in Will County. Marker is at the intersection of Lockport Street and Wood Farm Road, on the left when traveling east on Lockport Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 15033 South Wood Farm Road, Plainfield IL 60544, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Caboose (a few steps from this marker); E J & E Depot No. 4 (a few steps from this marker); The Lincoln Highway - The nation's first coast-to-coast highway! (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Interurban Transportation (about 300 feet away); Village of Plainfield (about 300 feet away); Great American Crossroads in Illinois (about 300 feet away); Electric Park (about 500 feet away); Brownson-Martin House (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Plainfield.
Also see . . . Railroad Boxcars, Good to Haul About Anything!
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 395 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 24, 2016, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
