On Jan 17, 2021, at 10:55, Daniel Bourque <deltabourque@...> wrote:

What I haven’t been able to figure out with these “articulated” cars is how they were coupled. I would assume a drawbar, but photos aren’t clear. How do you designate an A and B end with brake wheels on both? I know the idea was to cut costs for shipping because it was technically a single-car movement, but still a strange car. 

I’ve seen pictures of these cars made from either ex-Interstate hoppers (similar to AAR rib-side hoppers) or rebuilt war-emergency hoppers with the diagonal bracing. Paint schemes also seem pretty varied including both black and red. Some cars have the big split letters, and some have “SOUTHERN” on the “left” car and the car number on the right. 

Dan

On Jan 17, 2021, at 7:33 AM, sgwarner88@... wrote:

Those hybrids were strange looking.   Around ‘65 or so I recall seeing one standing under the Gay St. viaduct, and asked a Sou. Carman what they were.  His answer was less than printable, likely because I suspect that they would have a double AB valve and brake systems (Plus eight journals) for one car.  I seem to recall that it was a combination of off-set hoppers, permanently coupled.  The split lettering was an eye-caitching.