A roster of the G-50-23 class gondolas is provided as follows:

	SP 150000-150999	(re #'d to SP 381499-382498 for general service)
				(re #'d to SP 358000=359614 for sugar beet service mixed with G-50-20 cars)

These 41'-0" drop-bottom, composite gondolas were built by General American in 1949 and featured 1875 ft3 capacity and improved drednaught ends.

Many cars from this class received wooden side extensions for sugar beet service. It appears that no cars from this class were modified for wood chip service. When renumbered for sugar beet service, however, these cars were apparently renumbered mixed with cars from the G-50-20 class indiscriminately in the SP 358000=359614 number series.

These cars ran well into the 1980's in service for SP hauling sugar beets. Many were later sold to sugar producers such as Union Sugar Division of Holly Sugar as USGX 1-578.

For a detailed study of SP's sugar beet cars and operations, see SPH&TS's magazine Trainline #?? and Tony Thompson's book SP Freight Cars Vol 1: Gondolas and Stock Cars. Also, an article detailing the sugar beet cars with drawings and detail photos by Al Armitage can be found in the February 1984 issue of Mainline Modeler magazine.

Photo by: Bob Dengler

Sugar Beet Service:

Graduates:

Back to Gondola Page

Back to Main Page