Further input on Maine Central Passenger cars and wood combines 501 and 502 in particular.
Here is a picture of MEC wood combine # 502 taken in June 1949 someplace on the Beecher Falls branch.
In researching I found a roster of MEC combines with numbers 501 throuogh 506. After extensive research of photographs I believe that #501 and #502 were near twins. I thought for months that they were different. #501 has 13 windows to a side. Another wood combine used in the area has 8 windows to a side. I just discovered that there was a third combine #505 that served in the area. These cars were the only passenger service between Beecher Falls and Bartlett and vice-versa for many years. #501 and #502 were wood cars with truss rods and oil lamps, dinosaurs in that era. They even lasted into the fifties and the diesel era before all passenger service in that area ended. I believe that these cars were truly unique. Wood cars with truss rods and oil lamps dated from 1890 or so. By 1920 everything was heavyweight and truss rods were gone. These combines were built this way in a time when few others were anyplace as far as I can see. I have searche extensively for anything built by a model railroad supplier that would work for these cars and have come up with exactly nothing. Labelle makes a 60 ft combine as built in 1905 and just bought one of them. The windows are wrong but fixable I think. No one else makes anything even close. I think any of these cars left, like 501, are likely truly rare pieces as very few were built to my knowledge.
I have a picture of combine #506 which was used for many years in Maine on the Hartland branch. This car was steel. I have just found a pic today of #505 on the Mountain sub and its hard to tell but that looks like it has a steel underframe. So 501 and 502 are unique. I have absolutely no idea who built em. Laconia would be a wild guess as they built lots of wooden cars and clung to the technology long after others went to steel. I also do not know what happend to them, with one exception.
Here is #501 taken in Vermont in 1979. She looks great. Not sure if she is still around but suspect so as she looks good in this photo
I am a fan of history and I like a good detective mystery. finding out all I can about these cars has become a passion as I need to model a couple for my railroad. But more than that I want to know the history of them. Fill in the holes if you will.
I would be much appreciative of any info on the cars, any place that would have a roster of MEC passenger equipment, any MEC historical collections etc. I would be very interested in becoming part of any group who wanted to try and amass this information in one place.
Are there any other history nuts like me out there who might wonder the same thing. Wouldn't it be great to actually know just how many MEC passenger cars and special cars like RPO's, these combines and others there may be lurking around.
I think so.
Help the cause if you can.
SRM