TS 520 Audio Tour

TS 520

Audio Tour

TS 520

Cornucopia Boxcar

Listen to a short audio clip about the TS 520

0:00 / (length available when played)

Builder	Pullman-Standard
Builder Lot Number	8240
Built	July 1955
Type	PS-1 XM Boxcar
Volume	4844 cubic ft
Capacity	50-tons
Operational Weight	52,000 lbs
Interior Length	50 ft 5-9⁄16 in
Interior Width	9 ft 2-1⁄16 in
Interior Height	10 ft 5-1⁄2 in
Length Over Strikers	51 ft 10 in
Overall Width	10 ft 5-1⁄16 in
Overall Height	14 ft 11-15⁄16 in
Clear Door Opening	8 ft 0 in wide X 9 ft 10-5⁄16 in high
Door Type	Superior 6-panel sliding
Trucks	Scullin A-3 Ride Control

Audio Transcript:
Tidewater Southern 520 - Boxcar

For most of its history, Tidewater Southern was a subsidiary of the Western Pacific Railroad.

The Tidewater's 501 series boxcars comprised 25 cars delivered in July of 1955. They were the first real fleet of interchange freight cars owned by the railroad.

The 501 series appear to have been a follow-on to a Western Pacific order delivered in June 1955. WP 36011, part of that order is part of the WPRM collection.

The most interesting aspect to the Tidewater cars was the unique logo they were delivered with. This special logo depicted a cornucopia, or "horn of plenty", with the slogan "Serving California's Heartland". This was one of the most colorful logos ever used in railroading and was only used on these 25 cars.

Before it was donated to the museum, Tidewater Southern 521 was reassigned to maintenance-of-way and renumbered WPMW 37-10. It is now at our museum hidden under silver paint and lettered as WPMW 37-10.

700 Western Pacific Way, P.O. Box 608, Portola CA 96122-8636 | 1-530-832-4131 | email us at: info@wplives.org