Reply to "Head End Cars?"

CO HI Railer - Yes, it was the original Allied Full Cushion trucks that gave the Q the problem. I was quite disappointed to learn that, as I remember seeing those BME (Baggage/Mail/Express - hate when people use abbreviations w/o translation, but BME is what the Q called the cars) cars flying through my home town on the Burlington, on such trains as the combined Coloradoan/Nebraska Zephyr. Thought those trucks looked quite formidable and quite capable of high speed. Bettendorfs were used on 40' boxcars that were equipped with steam and signal lines and were the predecessor BME's on the Burlington. They apparently were quite successful, plus the troop cars equipped with Bettendorfs remained in service on the Burlington until the mail contracts started evaporating in the late '60's.