1919 Boxcar

Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend Railroad Boxcar #203

Car #203 was built in 1918 as Western Pacific Car #18102, by the Mount Vernon Car Manufacturing Company, in Mount Vernon, Illinois. It was part of a series numbered 16801-18300. The boxcars in this series were double-sheathed construction and were built with wooden ends but were modified in 1929, receiving the current inverse Dreadnaught steel ends.

Car #203 came to Ajo for use with the Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend Railroad sometime between 1943 and 1953, most likely after World War II. Further research will determine a more accurate time frame.

The Dalman two-level trucks and the grab-irons to the left of the door that exist today were probably added by the Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend Railroad. #203 and cars like it were probably used in what is termed “less-than-carload” service. Car #203 was donated to the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum in June of 2005 and was moved from Ajo, Arizona, in October of 2005. You can visit the boxcar by special appointment at Old Pueblo Trolley’s Motor Bus Division Yard. At this time access and interpretive signs are both limited.

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