What on earth is this?

[magickmaker]

What little research I've done suggests this was a boxcar (perhaps) rebuilt into a head end power car. To make things interesting, the Royal Gorge Route (CRRX) modified it by adding a cab to make it a control unit. I'm just kinda curious if anyone can give me the origins of this car. I have to admit it's unique.

 

[simulatortrain]

Looks like it might have originally been a steam generator car.

 

[magickmaker]

That's possible, though the trucks under it make me think it may have started life as a milk car or express box. Though one other possibility is a rebuilt troop car...

 

[simulatortrain]

I know I've seen steam gens with that same construction and the same trucks, remember that they would also need to travel passenger train speeds. A milk car could be possible as there were a few cars built to that general shape, but I doubt it due to there being no sign of doors ever having been removed. Definitely not a troop car, this is too short for sure, among other things.

edit: it appears GMD built the cars I was thinking of, which also seems to match that: http://cnrphotos.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=13377&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

 

[SouthwestinAZ1]

looks to me like a converted steam gen car, it actually looks quite similar to the one that GCRY has here in AZ, albiet ours has a bit different roof and a door it looks very similar http://www.colinduff.com/usa/az/gcr_gencar460_150810.jpg (GCRX steam gen car picture I pulled from google)

 

[cascaderailroad]

It looks like a "Brick" on RR trucks!

 

[afried]

It looks like a combonation of a boxcab deisel and a boxcar