Conrail Caboose Photo Archive

The ex NYC/PC N7, N-7A, N-7C Classes

N7
Built by the New York Central Railroad 1948 - 1949 as Lot 782 (NYC used lot numbers rather than classes) Built at the NYC Despatch Shops in East Rochester NY, it was NYC's first all-steel caboose. There were 95 cars in the Lot 782.

 

The first three Lot 782 cabooses were built in 1948 (numbered 20200, 20201 & 20202) Under Penn Central they became 21511, 21512 and 21537. Five N-7's were constructed for the Boston & Albany (a NYC subsidiary) in 1949 . Their original B&A numbers were 1300-1304. When the NYC absorbed the B&A they were renumbered NYC 20498-20502. Penn Central renumbered them 21516, 21721, 21734, 21793 and 21795 in 1968.

The bulk of the order was built during 1949 and included Nos. 20203-20297. Penn Central's 1968 renumbering is confused . It would seem that since the N7 and N-7A were similar (could the only difference be the builder and Lot number??) they were renumbered as repainted with no thought of original classes.

The caboose numbers of the N-7 class

21500-21505, 21507-21510, 21515, 21517, 21518, 21520, 21522-21525 21533-21535, 21539, 21545-21552, 21562, 21566, 21569, 21582, 21585, 21594, 21605, 21610, 21615, 21619, 21621, 21622, 21630, 21641, 21643, 21647, 21648, 21651, 21653, 21654, 21657, 21658, 21669, 21671, 21673, 21679, 21680-21685, 21687, 21690, 21695, 21696, 21698, 21702 21703, 21705, 21708, 21713, 21720, 21726, 21736, 21740, 21741, 21745, 21748, 21751, 21753-21756, 21758, 21759, 21763, 21765, 21768, 21785, 21791, 21792

Conrail had 91 N7 cabooses.

 

 N7

 Location

 Date

 Photo Credit

21503
   

 Jim Hebner

 21507

 Buckeye Yard
Columbus OH
  

 Jim Hebner
21507      
21654  Springfield OH  

 Jim Hebner
  21726

wrecked by 9/79
seen on a flatcat in Youngstoen OH

   
21736  Reedville MA  8-22-81  from the
collection of
Albert Phleep
21758  Columbus OH
Buckeye Yard		  

 Jim Hebner
 

 21754

 Shohola PA
Preserved on PA Route 434 near the Shohola-Barryville Bridge over the Delaware River. Painted as a Erie caboose, it was placed on its current site on March 19, 1991, NYC built it in January 1949

Visit it's web site
    

 

N-7A

There were 196 of these ex-NYC bay window cabooses on the Conrail roster.
Conrail numbers 21506-21798 , but not consecutive.

Built in 1952 by the St. Louis Car Company as NYC Lot 827. These were virtual copies of the original N-7 design. NYC numbers were 20298-20497 (200 cars).

Penn Central renumbered into 21506-21798 grouping the N7 and N-7A in a strange and complicated (or sloppy) numbering system. Conrail used the same system.

If anyone can explain it please let me know.

21506, 21513-21514, 21519, 21521, 21526-21532 , 21538, 21540-21544, 21553-21561, 21563, 21565, 21568, 21567, 21570-21581, 21583, 21584 , 21586, 21593 21595-21604, 21606-21609, 21611-21614, 21616, 21618, 21620, , 21629, 21631-21640 21642, 21649 , 21644-21646 21650 ,21652, 21656, 21655, 21659, 21660, 21668 , 21670, 21672, 21674-21678 ,
21686, 21688, 21689 , 21691-21694 21697, 21699-21701, 21704, 21707, 21706, 21709-21712, 21714, 21721-21725, 21737-21739, 21742, 21744 21747, 21746 21749, 21750, 21752, 21757, 21760, 21762, 21764, 21766, 21769-21784, 21719, 21727, 21735, 21767, 21786-21790, 21793-21798

.

 N7A

 LOCATION

 DATE
  PHOTO CREDIT
 Buckeye Yard
Columbus OH		  Sept 1976  Jim Hebner
 Orrville OH  

 from the
collection of
Jim Hebner
 Steubenville OH
in Marina Park

 Sept 13, 1997

 Jim Hebner

21541

 Used on the Black River & Western at Ringos NJ. Find out more at Dan's
Black River & Western site.

 August 8, 1997
  Dan Vaccarella

 Ringos NJ

August 16, 1996
  David Simmons

 21552

 Buckeye Yard,
Columbus OH
    Jim Hebner
 Sold by Conrail in 1987
is used in regular freight service on the Owego & Harford Railway in Owego, NY		  June 2001  
Cresson PA  July 1998  Paul McGrane
 Altoona PA  October 3, 1998  Jeff Lubchansky
 North Elizabeth, NJ  8-7-76  Harv Kahn

21607

 Conneot OH

 August 198?

 Jim Hebner

21644

 Dewitt Yard
    Jim Hebner

21678

 Buckeye Yard,
Columbus OH
    Jim Hebner
 21678
  Ferrona PA    
21709
 Minerva OH
jumped on the main and hit on #3 track		  Feb-10-78  Chip Syme
 Dewitt Yard    Jim Hebner
 Springfield OH
east end of Greenmont yard		 Oct 14, 1979  Jim Hebner
 Springfield OH
detail		 Oct 14, 1979  Jim Hebner
 Springfield OH
the other side		 Oct 14, 1979  Jim Hebner

21778

 Springfield OH
as it appeared in a local scrap yard
reported to have been moved to
Dayton Ohio in 1997

 September 1996
  Jim Hebner
21784
  Minerva Yard 7-3-77  collection of
Chip Syme
 Arlington VA April 1979   Dick Leonhardt
 Minerva OH
Displayed at the W&LE station		 May 5, 1994  Chip Syme
21784
  Minerva OH
Displayed at the W&LE station		 May 5, 1994  Chip Syme

21784

 Minerva OH
preserved next to the station

 September 1997
 Jim Hebner

21797

 Minerva OH

  September 1997
 Jim Hebner

21798

 ???
   

N7C
Four N-7C bay window cabooses, Nos. 21496-21499, were built in 1965 by the International Car Company of Kenton, Ohio, for the NYC subsidiary, Peoria & Eastern . The N-7C was the final evolution of the NYC bay window caboose with a welded car body, a more sculptured bay window and cleaner body style.

When built the cars were painted NYC jade green and wore the NYC cigar band emblem and Road to the Future logo on each side. Small P&E lettering was below the bay window, just above the car number and also just above each of the end doors. At least one, 21498, wore this paint scheme into the Conrail era.

Dimensions:
36 feet, 7-1/4 inches long between platform end sills
11-feet, 9-5/8 inches high from rail head to running board
10-feet, 7-1/4 inches wide between bay window edges

Weight was about 48,600 Ibs.

  N7C  LOCATION DATE PHOTO BY
 21498  Dennison OH
out of service
current location unknown		  March 1992  Mrs. Wm Probert

 21498  Collinwood Yard,
Cleveland OH		  March 3, 1986  Jim Hebner

 

 

Click on the class you want to view

 the N3 ex EL - 24 photos  the N8D class ex DL&W / EL
 the N3A ex EL  the N8 class ex-PRR class - 20 photos
 the N4, N4A and N4B ex Reading and CNJ - 31 photos  
 the N5 class  
 the N5A, N5E, N5F classes  the N6A Transfer Class ex NYC/PC - 9 photos
 the N5B class  the N9 & N9E Transfer Class - 22 photos
 the N5C class - 27 photos  the N11 & N11E Transfer Class - 24 photos
 the N5G class ex PC/LV  
 the N5H class  the N10 class ex Penn Central - 16 photos
 the N5K class ex ATSF/PC  the N12 class ex Penn Central - 14 photos
   the ex New Haven classes NE-6, N8A, N8B
 the N7, N-7A & N-7C classes ex NYC  the N20 class ex Reading
 the N7B class ex NYC  the N21 classes The true Conrail Caboose - 42 photos
 the N7D ex EL - 29 photos  the MW Cabooses
 the N7E ex EL - 9 photos  the MGA ex Monogahela cabooses

or return to the main page