EBT Billmeyer & Smalls Closed End Coal Dump Body

In 1874, the EBT awarded a contract for 75 wooden, flat bottom coal dump cars to Billmeyer and Smalls of York, PA, to move coal along the line. These cars were 23.5 feet long and 6 feet wide and featured Z-braces for strength. They rode on 20 inch arch bar trucks and had a nominal capacity of 20,000 lbs. The wooden car sides extended to the end of the car, closing the triangular areas formed by the Z-braces and vertical posts at the car ends. Gradually, the cars began to sag and outside truss rods were introduced to strengthen the cars.

We are pleased to offer one piece 3-D printed car body models in HO, S and O scales to represent this early B & S coal dump car. The picture, courtesy of Ric Case, shows the HO version unpainted. Trucks, couplers, truss rods, and brake "wheel" shown in the photo are not included. Car body is unpainted and may have excess material from the 3D printing process that must be removed using a knife, nippers, or other similar tool.

See the article in the Timber Transfer, Vol. 34, No. 4, Winter 2022 issue, for an in-depth article about these early EBT coal cars.