Wreck & MOW
Reading Company MOW Gondola, Class GMLA, #23016
Background & History
23016 began life as a Class GML gondola built between 1923 and 1927
In about 1938 or 1939, 23016 along with nine other cars were converted to Class GMLA. Class GMLA and GMLB cars were renumbered 23000 thru 23035. The cars were 46’ long and rated for 70 tons. Being designed to carry twelve “drop-bottom” containers, its capacity was rated as 134 cu. ft. per container.
These cars were assigned specialty cargoes and were able to handle drop bottom and controlled discharge containers for LCL (less than carload) shipments. Containers were arranged in groups of twelve per car on the Reading and were so indicated in “The Official railway Equipment Register”.
Looking somewhat disheveled, Gondola 23016 sits at the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg, PA after its move from Leesport Yard in August 2008.
(Photo courtesy of MP&RE Collection, Tim Weidner)
Gondola 23035 above shows the container configuration for a Class GMLA car.
(Photo Courtesy John W. Hall)
After aging out and becoming too old for revenue service, Car 23016 was moved to Maintenance of Way service to finish its career.
Many thanks to John W. Hall for providing the technical information on this car as well as the photo above. An error on our old web site had the car miss-numbered as well as miss-classed.
The future of the car at the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg, PA calls for a repaint into its original black color with white lettering as shown above.