L&N 41499

Built in 1917, this unusual piece of rolling stock was built for one specific purpose. Throughout the world, most if not all railroads employ heavy duty scales to measure how heavy each individual car within a consist weighs. To calibrate these scales for accurate readings, railroads use these, “scale test cars,” that are built to an exact weight of so many tons. These are essentially small flatcars that are bulked up with heavy metal weights, and required special handling so as to not shift the weight. When sitting on the scale, the scale itself can then be adjusted to the right amount for measuring.

This version was built originally for the Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway, and rated at 90,000 pounds. Incredibly, this car would outlast the NC&StL itself, and continue in revenue service through the various mergers throughout the later 20th Century, with its last recorded use was in the 1990s. That’s almost eighty years of continual use!

Following this illustrious career, this car would be picked up by the museum.

*This Piece of equipment is stored off site and is not currently available for viewing.