PC: NYC/PC Pulpwood Cars

["Jeff & Laural Feldmeier" <J-LFeldmeier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have a challenging inquiry for any of you PC freight car buffs out
there...

I would like to find out more about some pulpwood cars that were
essentially "kit bashed" by NYC c. 1965 and were in service into early PC
days.  Much of what I do know comes from a correspondent who remembers
seeing them in service in the Clearfield, Pennsylvania area.  My
correspondent worked for NYC, PC, and now CR.

The cars MAY originally have been NYC 750000-750079.  If so, they were
quickly renumbered into the NYC 609956-609999 prior to being placed in
service in the Clearfield area.  This "kit bashing" involved the
following...

"NYC built these by simply taking the sides and ends of scrap gondolas and
putting them on top of old but serviceable gondolas, welding them fast and
cutting slits in the side to allow water to run out."

These NYC cars were painted in NYC Century Green.  PC simply relettered
them (they retained the same road number).  Some even got a full PC
repaint.

These cars lasted until about 1971 by which time Hammermill Paper Co. had
bought their own cars.

btw, as far as I know, this project has nothing to do with the hopper car
photo in the center of page 72 of the new PC Color Guide book.

Does anyone know anything further about these cars?  Were they upgraded at
Beech Grove, Despatch Shops, or both?  Does anyone have any photos/slides
of these odd cars?  Any info would be appreciated.

Jeff Feldmeier