Bx-11/12 Raised Roof Renumberings

 The Santa Fe modified most of its Bx-11 and Bx-12 fleet during the early years of WWII to increase capacity.  The initial design raised the roof by six inches, increasing cubical capacity of the modified cars from 3550 to 3712, equivalent to the Bx-27/28/31 all steel cars.  Inside height increased from 9’5 to 10’.  An unknown number of Bx-11 received this original mod, along with 39 Bx-12 which are listed below:

 

Bx-12 with 6 inch sidewall extension

 

126118, 126205, 126247, 126296, 126410, 126529, 126675, 126816, 126855, 126930, 126938, 127156, 127472, 127535, 127599, 127769, 127867, 127956, 128047, 128065, 128113, 128119, 128175, 128181, 128294, 128319, 128346, 128375, 128553, 128735, 128736, 128782, 128840, 129114, 129228, 129255, 129288, 129290, 129372

 

Source: ATSF Freight Car Folio 211/4, Sheet B-10, dated November 29, 1948

 

Raising the roof was a good idea and a success, but the standard for new and rebuilt cars on the Santa Fe had increased to 10’6.  The upgrade program shifted to an even taller side panel extension that raised the roof by a foot.  All of these conversions took place in 1941-1944 when sheet steel was in short supply.  Santa Fe increased cubic capacity even further with this greater roof raising, to 3898, slightly larger than the Bx-37 and later steel rebuilds of the Bx-2.  At least 961 Bx-11 and 3213 Bx-12 received this modification.  Initially, the cars retained their original numbers and were not broken out in the ORER listing.  Starting in 1945, Santa Fe re-numbered cars with the 12 inch extensions into the 210000-211049 (Bx-11) and 211051-214549 (Bx-12) series.  211050 was a Bx-12 experimentally re-sheathed in plywood, increasing cubical capacity to 3942 with the thinner side walls.

  

Up to 250 Bx-12s were not rebuild with either raised roof.  If a Bx-12 not in the 39 listed above still had it’s original number after 1952, it had the original roof height.  Here’s an example that Stan Kistler caught in LA in 1968.  With a 1953 reweigh date, it hadn’t been in revenue service since the mid-50’s, but it was soldiering on for the RR in it’s original form.  

 

Monday, 13 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine S-16 (SS-121) is accidentally damaged by USAAF plane off coast of Panama.

            Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) sinks Japanese auxiliary vessel Shinyo Maru 10 miles northeast of Cape Varella, French Indochina, 13°05'N, 109°29'E.

            PBYs (VP 71) attempt daylight bombing of Japanese base at Tulagi-Gavutu, but bad weather forces a second straight cancellation of the mission.

            Japanese transport No.3 Mikage Maru is sunk in collision three miles south of Tsuru Jima, Japan, 33°00'N, 133°00'E.

            Japanese Combined Fleet is reorganized in the wake of the disastrous defeat suffered at Midway.

ATLANTIC—Naval Air Facility, Grand Cayman, British West Indies, is established.

            German submarine U-153, damaged by submarine chaser PC-458 and USAAF plane off coast of Panama, is sunk by destroyer Lansdowne (DD-486), 09°56'N, 81°29'W.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Oneida, straggling from convoy NG 359, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-166 approximately two miles north of Cape Maysi, Cuba, at 20°17'N, 74°06'W. Six crewmen perish; the 23 survivors reach the Cuban coast in two life rafts.

            Survivors from U.S. freighter Andrew Jackson, sunk by German submarine U-84 the day before, reach Vavendero, Cuba, by life boat.

GULF OF MEXICO—U.S. tanker R.W. Gallagher is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-67 approximately 80 miles from Southwest Pass, Louisiana, 28°32'N, 90°59'W, and abandoned. Eight of the ship's 40 man merchant complement die in the attack, as do two of the 12 man Armed Guard. Coast Guard cutter Boutwell (WPC-130) rescues survivors; two men later die of their injuries.

NORTH RUSSIA—Survivors of U.S. freighter Carlton (sunk by U-88 on 5 July) receive rations dropped by a British plane (see 14 and 24July).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—During 13/14 Jul, B‑17’s bomb Tobruk harbor, and B‑24’s hit ships and harbor at Bengasi. Heavy AA fire accounts for loss of Island B‑24.

US ARMY

PACIFIC—Operation Plan TULSA-II A is drawn up. U.S. 32d Division begins movement from Adelaide to camp near Brisbane, Australia. Maj General George C. Kenney, CG of Fourth Air Force, is directed to take command of Allied Air Forces, replacing General Brett.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 12 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Nichizan Maru off Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina, 13°47'N, 109°33'E.

            Salvage party from VP 41, transported to Akutan Island in district patrol vessel YP-151, begin salvage of ZERO fighter discovered on 10 July. Their initial efforts reveal more work will be required (see 15 July).

ATLANTIC—Twelve survivors from U.S. freighter Thomas McKean, sunk by German submarine U-505 on 29 June 1942, reach Antigua (see 14 July).

            U.S. freighter Andrew Jackson is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-84 approximately 20 miles off Cardenas, Cuba, 23°32'N, 81°02'W. Three of the 38 man crew perish; there are no casualties among the 11 man Armed Guard (see 13 July).

CARIBBEAN—U.S. freighter Tachira, en route to New Orleans, Louisiana, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-129 at18°15'N, 81°54'W. Four of the 32 man crew perish, as does one of the six man Armed Guard; U-129 briefly interrogates survivors and then provides medical assistance and directs them toward the nearest land (see 16 July).

ARCTIC—Survivors from U.S. freighter Peter Kerr (sunk on 5 July) are rescued by Russian motor torpedo boat and taken to Murmansk. Russian whaler rescues survivors of U.S. freighter Washington (also sunk on 5 July). Toward the end of their journey in lifeboats, Washington's survivors (one of whom dies of exposure on 28 July at Archangel) had subsisted on rations scrounged from U.S. freighter Winston-Salem that had been beached by her crew and abandoned on the shores of Novaya Zemlya. British armed trawler HMS Ayrshire rescues survivors from U.S. freighter Fairfield City, (dispersed from convoy PQ 17 and sunk on 5 July) from Novaya Zemlya.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—6 Bostons flown by US crews attack Abbeville/Drucat airfield.

ELEVENTH AF—3 B‑24’s dispatched on weather, photo, and bombing missions to Kiska abort due to weather.

US ARMY

AUSTRALIA—U.S. 41st Division, which has been training near Melbourne, starts to Rockhampton.

NEW GUINEA—Company B, Australian 39th Battalion, advancing overland from Port Moresby, reaches Kokoda.

US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 11 July 1942

US NAVY

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US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—First formal decoration ceremony held in Eighth AF takes place when General Spaatz pins DSC on Maj Charles C Kegelman for extraordinary gallantry and heroism during the raid of 4 Jul.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s attack harbor and shipping at Bengasi during 11/12 Jul.

ELEVENTH AF—4 B‑24’s taking off for weather, bombing and photo mission to Kiska are attacked by seaplane fighters. No losses. A cruiser is bombed with unobserved results.

US ARMY

USSR—Continuing drive on Rostov, Army Group A overruns Lisichensk, on the Donets.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 10 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—PBYs (VP 14) attempt to bomb Japanese base at Tulagi-Gavutu area but bad weather prompts cancellation of the mission.

            PBY (VP 41), returning from a routine patrol, sights Mitsubishi A6M2 type 0 ["Zero"] carrier fighter upside-down in a bog on Akutan Island, Aleutians, where it has been since its forced landing on 3 June 1942 (see 12 July).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ARMY AIR FORCES—AAF planners for BOLERO build-up estimate 137 AAF groups in UK by 31 Dec 43.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—57th Fighter Group, en route from US, is assigned to USAMEAF.

SEVENTH AF—Ground echelon of 11th Bomb Group leaves Hawaii for S Pacific aboard USS Argonne.

ELEVENTH AF—1 B‑24 aborts a reconnaissance mission to Kiska due to weather.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—In response to recommendation of General MacArthur and Admiral Ghormley on 8 July, Joint Chiefs of Staff rule that offensive must be conducted as planned.

NEW GUINEA—Small Allied party flies from Port Moresby to Buna area to reconnoiter for airfield site.

EGYPT—In limited offensive, 30 Corps of British Eighth Army seizes Tel el Eisa mounds, W of El ‘Alamein. Enemy makes a number of unsuccessful attempts to reduce this salient.

USSR—While Army Group B’s 4th Pz and 6th Armies drive along the Don toward Stalingrad, 1st Pz and 17th Armies of Army Group A drive on Rostov. Russians admit loss of Rossosh.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 9 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Sailfish (SS-192) damages Japanese army cargo ship Aobasan Maru, 11°31'N, 109°21'E.

            Submarine Thresher (SS-200) sinks Japanese torpedo recovery vessel Shinsho Maru at entrance to Kwajalein Atoll, Marshalls, 08°43'N, 167°33'E. Thresher is damaged by bombs and depth charges and is briefly hooked by a grapnel trailed by the searching Japanese, but remains on patrol.

GULF OF MEXICO—U.S. tanker Benjamin Brewster is torpedoed by German submarine U-67 approximately 60 miles west of Southwest Pass, Louisiana, 29°05'N, 90°05'W, and a good portion of the ship's cargo of 70,578 barrels of aviation gasoline and lubricating oil catches fire. In the resulting conflagration, 25 crewmen die. Survivors (10 merchant seamen and the five man Armed Guard) are rescued the following morning by fishing boat, whence they are transferred to the Coast Guard.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Santa Rita is torpedoed by German submarine U-172 approximately 700 miles northeast of Puerto Rico,26°11'N, 55°40'W, and abandoned; three men are killed in the torpedoing, a fourth drowns during the abandonment. U-172 then shells the ship, makes the master a POW, and sends a boarding party to scour her victim for provisions before shelling and sinking her. Destroyers Livermore (DD-429) and Mayo (DD-422) and a crash boat rescue the 48 merchant seamen, two passengers and the 9 man Armed Guard who survive the loss of the vessel.

NORTH RUSSIA—Ordeal of dispersed USSR-bound convoy PQ 17 to German submarines and planes continues: U.S. freighter Hoosier is straddled by bombs and damaged irreparably, 69°45'N, 39°35'E. The 42 man crew and 11 man Armed Guard abandons ship and is rescued by British corvette HMS Poppy.  Free French manned British corvette HMS La Malouin takes the crippled merchantman under tow, but discontinues the operation and recovers her salvage party put on board the freighter earlier when the escort vessel sights German submarine U-255 trailing at a distance of four miles. La Malouine's attempt to scuttle the freighter fails. U-376 later finishes off Hoosier with a torpedo and the latter sinks early the following morning. This same day, survivors from U.S. freighters Fairfield City, (sunk on 5 July) and Olopana (sunk on 7 July) reach Novaya Zemlya (see 12 July). Corvette HMS La Malouine rescues 22 merchant seamen and 8 Armed Guards, survivors from U.S. freighter John Witherspoon (sunk by German submarine U-255 on6 July).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—7 P‑38’s arrive in UK via N Atlantic route, this being the first time single-seater AAF aircraft have flown this route.

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—6 B‑24’s dispatched against shipping are attacked by fighters; 1 B‑24 is lost and the others return to base without bombing targets.

ELEVENTH AF—5 B‑24’s fly photo, weather, and bombing missions to Kiska but return with the bombs due to weather.

US ARMY

SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA—Australian 7th Brigade commander and advance elements of the brigade leave Townsville, Australia, for Milne Bay, New Guinea.

USSR—German Army Group South is divided into 2 groups. Army Group A, on S consists of 1st Pz, 17th, and 11th Armies. Army Group B comprises 2d, Hungarian 2d, 4th Pz, and 6th Armies. Group A is to seize Rostov, where major Soviet forces are believed concentrated, then continue S through the Caucasus. Group B is to drive along the Don to Stalingrad, thence along the Volga to Astrakhan.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 8 July 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine S-37 (SS-142) torpedoes and sinks Japanese transport Tenzan Maru about 30 miles west of Rabaul, 04°00'S, 151°50'E. Escorting submarine chaser Ch 30 depth-charges S-37 without success.

ARCTIC—Ordeal of dispersed USSR-bound convoy PQ 17 to German submarines and planes continues: 19 survivors (16 merchant seamen and three Armed Guard sailors) of U.S. freighter John Witherspoon (sunk by German submarine U-255 on 6 July) are rescued by Panamanian freighter El Capitan. German bombers, however, attack the latter and sink her. British armed trawler HMS Lord Austin rescues the 19 John Witherspoon men and takes them to Archangel (see 9July).

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker J.A. Moffett, Jr. is torpedoed by German submarine U-571 three miles south by west of Tennessee Reef, Florida Straits, 24°47'N, 80°42'W; and is run aground on Tennessee Reef to prevent the ship's loss. The ship's master is the only fatality; the survivors (36 merchant seamen and the 6 man Armed Guard) are rescued by Coast Guard auxiliary craft Mary Jane and Southbound and cutter Nike (WPC-112). Later salvaged, J.A. Moffett, Jr. is written off as a total loss.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

US ARMY MIDDLE EAST AIR FORCE—B‑24’s bomb harbor and shipping at Bengasi during 8/9 Jul, while B‑17’s hit harbor at Tobruk.

TENTH AF—A single B‑25 piloted by Col Caleb V Haynes, bombs Japanese HQ at Tengchung near Burma border. Bad weather, pilot fatigue, and maintenance halt major operations for several days.

ELEVENTH AF—404th Bomb Squadron arrives in the Alaskan Theater with B‑24’s—originally destined for N Africa. 1 B‑24 flies 2 photo missions over S shore of Kiska and over Little Kiska. Bombing mission canceled due to weather.

US ARMY

PACIFIC—General MacArthur and Admiral Ghormley recommend that offensive be postponed until SW and S Pacific forces can be strengthened. Admiral Nimitz issues his final plan of attack, ordering S Pacific Force to seize Santa Cruz Islands. and Tulagi- Guadalcanal area in the Solomons.

CHINA BURMA INDIA—General Chennault takes command of CATF.

USSR—Russians announce evacuation of St Oskol, SE of Kursk.

US MARINE CORPS

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