# Florida East Coast Railway question



## crackerpete (Jan 3, 2008)

Does anyone know what color FEC's prewar outside braced box car were. 
What did they use for a logo? Does anyone have any pictures? 

I would like to redo a USA Trains outside braced box car, any help sure would be appreciated. I've tried to find this information elsewhere and am getting no where... So I thought I'd come to the experts!! 

Thanks, 
Pete Smith 
P & S Central RR 
Florida


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Pete, 
Not sure, really a modern FEC fan, did look thru Speedway to Sunshine, and did not see any good photos of what you are looking for. But just such a question is perfect for the FEC yahoo groups. There are 3--The FECrailway group, the FEC modelers group, and the FECRS group (you need to be a member to join this one). I am sure someone on one of these groups has the info you need ro can get it for you. You can click on the logo below to go to the FECRS web page, which has links to the other Yahoo groups. 
Hope this helps. 
Matt


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## crackerpete (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Dr. G 
....and thanks for the reply. I found them the other day and sent a question.....haven't heard anything yet.. 

Regards 
Pete


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## crackerpete (Jan 3, 2008)

I have learned a few things today about the FEC Railway. First, they did not have any outside braced box cars. They did have ventilated and insulated box cars. Early years the freight cars were "squash yellow" and then red oxide... About 1936 or so, they started to use the "Speedway" logo and the freight cars were ether blue or red oxide. 

Pete Smith 
Florida


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Pete, 
Here is a photo of one of the ventilated boxcars. (Well we'll see if I can post it from the FECRS photo section) 
Matt


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Pete, 

Since I seem to be on a roll with the photo thing... 

Sorry, I do not know who is responsible for the excellent modeling.


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## crackerpete (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Dr. G 
That is a nice job of modeling.... WOW... please tell me that is HO... You did good finding the other photograph... I had been searching high and low with out success. My hat is off to you! 

Thanks, 
Pete


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Yah its HO. And if I am not mistaken it is the work of Cal Winter. I have not seen his layout in person (yet) but it is a 1930's model of the Key West Extension, it has been in Model Railroader and is the subject of an Allen Keller video. I hear it is amazing. 

There was an open house after last years FEC convention. The Fall 2008 convention is in Ft Lauderdale, so mabye it will be open again. If you attend the weekend convention you will not be disapointed. I know I will be there./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif 

This is one of my favorite photos of the layout. Now just immagine a concrete viaduct over the pool!!!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif 

Matt


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## Dougald (Jan 2, 2008)

Pete 

I checked in with the resident freight car expert here in the faroff Ottawa Valley. Tom Hood of CDS Lettering and freight car afficionado found a few references for me that only begin to tell the story. 

It seems the FEC owned very few freight cars. According to Tom and his sources (Seth Bramson who authored the book Speedway to the Sun and Kline & Culotta who wrote The Postwar Freight Car Fleet), the FEC built their initial ventilated boxcars (17000 series) in 1920 followed by cars to the USRA 40 ton design in 1924 (20000 series). These cars were straw coloured initially with a circular herald. 

Later in 1945, steel boxcars were built in the 21000 series. These steel cars were, as near as can be dtermined, all boxcar red with the Speedway herald. 

The wooden cars with steel underframes were all double sheathed. Although initially straw coloured, these cars were rebuilt beginning in 1937. The rebuild removed the ventilated door and added steel Youngstown ends to the cars. The paint scheme also varied over time and while it is tempting to place repainting at the rebuild time, anything is possible. The colour scheme changed from straw with a dark roof to straw with vermillion!? car ends to boxcar red. I could find no pictures of these wooden cars with the Speedway herald but no doubt they existed. I have seen a picture of car 20671 painted boxcar red with a circular herald depicting palm trees (Kline & Culotta p57) and a picture of 17001 (Bramson p 269) painted boxcar red with a circular "Overseas" herald. I believe both pictures are postwar. 

Regards ... Doug


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

You know about the G scale club track that is being planned at the Tradewinds & Atlantic 7.5" railroad in coconut creek. It will be going in next to the existing 7.5" track. 
Will be Electric and Live Steam stainless steel track. 

Reason I say this, I am looking for fellow G Scalers interested in running there equipment at the club for fun. Jon Hollahan (Currently works for FEC) is the club president. 

http://www.livesteamers.org 

I just designed and installed a brand new website for them. hehe 

Andrew 

(old posting looking for local g scalers ) 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/12/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/16959/Default.aspx#16959


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