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From: "Ronald" rdukarm AT roadrunner DOT com
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:52:54 -0400
Subject: Re: (erielack) BCK freight car roster (Was: Mills on BCK)
"Mayor_Griffin_Ron_1984.jpg" - image/jpeg, 1000x1038 (24bit)

> Ron, Just a note to tell you that any RR that had a clean out track had
> many rats as in the old Erie yd the clean out tracks was over run with
> rats and like you say they were BIG. Those tracks were next to what "SK"
> called the jumbo tracks. I belive there were 3 of them. Jerry H.3294

Jerry,

Well, it was really the 20 mills and elevators, plus thousands of leaking
cars, that attracted the rats.The rats were everywhere, and well fed.
Another problem the BCK had was weed control. A lot of these grains leaked
and germinated. The BCK owned a weed burner.

At the clean out tracks contractors ripped out the old grain doors, mostly
cardboard. Then they swept out the cars and I believe steam cleaned them.
Minor repairs were made, such as pulling nails or patching holes. I suppose
at times they had to do some exterminating. The BCK cars were special
"Weevil Control Cars", with some specially treated insulation in the walls.
Not sure how well this worked. The cars when new were stenciled with this.

The cars were based on an LV design, as noted in the corporate minutes.

It was thought that the big flour bag logo would help ID these cars for
flour/food loading, and help keep them out of any service which would
contaminate them.

The BCK was only six miles long and totally located in the City of Buffalo.
They kept up good relations with the City. I think half the employees were
policemen or firemen moonliting. Mike can speek to this. Our most famous
Mayor, Jimmy Griffin, was a BCK engineer before he got into politics. When
we were trying to secure the PRR I-1 steamer out of Pittsburgh in 1983,
Jimmy gave us a letter of support which helped convince Westinghouse to
donate the steamer to us. Attached is a photo of me presenting him a photo
of the locomotive back in 1984.

Ron Dukarm


Mayor_Griffin_Ron_1984.jpg

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