Family Resemblance

Frank writes...

We've been posting images from the Clemons Collection, and last week one photo in particular caught the eye of our official interurban researcher, Art Peterson.

This is Indiana Railroad 1150, which had quite a unique history. Art provided the following details:

The 1150 was built by Jewett in 1913 for the Grand Rapids, Grand Holland & Chicago, originally GRGH&C 20-23. This group became Michigan Railway 112-115, but were returned to the GRGH&C ca. 1924. This car was sold to UTC (less motors) for $860 in 1927 (no apparent record as to which GRGH&C car became which UTC car). By the time of the 11/30/32 IR equipment survey, the car was out of service at Anderson and later was converted into the wreck/tool car 1150. It remained active till the end of IR rail service in January 1941.

Art also sent a couple of truly fascinating interior photos of this car - partial interior shots of the car that Jim Cook took during the January 1st, 1941, fan trip that was run with car 1150.

Of course, what leaps out to me? The stained-glass windows! On the outside, this car has rectangular upper-sash windows with rounded corners, but its inside sash are arched - and they look identical to the stained-glass windows used in CA&E 316-321. And indeed, car 1150 was probably under construction at the Jewett plant in Newark right alongside the CA&E Jewetts, even though they were much more archaic-looking cars. If the CA&E had been a bit more adventurous, their 1913 order may have looked more like car 1150.