9.4 Rolling Stock - OPLC

9.4.1 OPLC Freight Cars

9.4.2 OPLC Work Cars

 



Assumption
OPLC and CLC would have old equipment, equipment which had been recycled for newer operational requirement or equipment purchased through used equipment dealers of class 1 or class 2 railroad equipment.
WWSL would have older rolling stock purchased thruough used equipment dealers and some new equipment purchased.

OPLC

The Olympic Peninsula Logging Company began service with a small collection of odd freight cars inherited from the US Army's Spruce Division line's contractors, or purchased used from equipment brokers, many dating from around 1890 or earlier. These included the usual collection of bunk and dining cars, various undescribed "outfit cars" which probably included both box cars and flat cars for tools and supplies, a water tank car, a ballast plow and a pile driver. The line also owned five Rodger ballast cars and four cabooses. Most of these early cars were only used in construction work, though some certainly saw limited freight service.

The company initially purchased from the Fitzhugh-Luther Car Company flat cars in the 200 - 250 series. In 1925, the OPLC started building in their own shops skeletal flatcars similar to the Pacific Coast skeletal flat design.



Fitzhugh Luther & Company or Fitzhugh Luther Locomotive Company.

It appears that they were a second hand equipment dealer from around 1903 to 1913. Mr. Luther was the son in law of a PRR executive of some type. They started out dealing in Narrow Gauge locomotives, but moved into standard gauge locos, cars, steam shovels and other trolley/electrical equipment. At one point they seemed to have a car repair shop of sorts in New Jersey with 20 employees. A NY Times article from 12/16/1903 stated that the FLC purchased the plant of the United States Locomotive Company in Hammond Indiana with the intent to reactivate the plant.

In 1930, the OPLC began building gondolas for sand and gravel service using the flat cars in the 200 - 250 series. They