Bunkcar 0565-H

A rare item of TS maintanence of way/support equipment. While the SN's fleet of wooden MOW boxcars was well documented (and continued to kick around the system until the late 1970's), there has never been much notice given to Tidewater company service cars.

TS 0565-H was acquired from the Western Pacific in 1960 under AFE ?. Its acquisition was a direct result of the spectacular fire in Escalon that destroyed a cut of WP MOW cars and the TS Escalon Depot. Needing an office in Escalon, the Tidewater purchased this MOW bunk car from the WP for $? to function as an office. It is not known when this use ended, but the 0565-H reportedly spent much of the early 1970's roaming the TS, SN and WP south of Oroville in MOW service.

TS 0565-H was built in October 1916 as Western Pacific boxcar 15796. Constructed by the Pullman Company and costing $973.63, the car served in revenue service for about 20 years. According to WP records, on September 9, 1936, WP 15796 was renumbered to WPMW 0565 while at Berry Creek serving as a tool car. At some point, probably in the mid 1940's, the car was remodelled by WP as a crew bunk car and the "H" suffix was added denoting its layout. Its final disposition date after sale to the TS is unknown, but it was confirmed to still exist in August 2003. A private owner in Sacramento verified that the bunk car on his property was indeed TS 0565-H.

At its April 2004 meeting, the Feather River Rail Society Board of Directors accepted a donation proposal for the TS 0565-H from its owner, Ted Mitchell. An inspection by Rick and Tom Carter revealed the car to be in great shape, mainly missing just its trucks and brake gear and suffering a deteriorated roof. The Carters reported that, despite being stripped of its bunks and other fixtures, the interior is in excellent condition. The car was finally moved to Portola on December 3rd, 2004 under the supervision of Doug Morgan and Hank Stiles with help from Rushway Trucking.

This is only the 5th item of TS rolling stock to be preserved and the 3rd (joining boxcars 520 and 521) at the Western Pacific Railroad Museum at Portola.

Special thanks to Bart Nadeau of the Bay Area Electric Railway Association for information on the car's history and to Kyle Williams Wyatt of the California State Railroad Museum for his assitance to the FRRS in preserving this car.

Pullman, probably rebuilt by WP

unknown

October 1916, rebuilt unknown

outside braced wooden MOW bunk car

? lbs

42 ft 4 in

9 ft 4-1/2 in

13 ft 1-7/8 in

? ft ? in

Arch Bar, later Andrews

builder..

builder lot number..