Car 54, There You Are

Back about three years ago, in this post, I described removing several cars from the PNAERC list that had simply gone missing. Without any recent news, I presumed that the cars - most of which had been in private hands - were gone. I'm happy to say that the very first one on that list has now turned up intact!

Kansas City Clay County & St. Joseph 54 is a rather unusual all-steel box motor, one of only two cars still in existence from that line and the only box motor. It's shown above in a photo taken, and posted on Facebook, about two weeks ago by Mr. Bob Matthys of Camden Point, Missouri. Mr. Matthys is apparently the new owner of car 54; judging from the photos, the car had been abandoned derelict in a grove of trees on a farm, but Mr. Matthys purchased the car, cleared the trees as shown below, and hauled it off the farm.

I'm not sure what the long-term plans for car 54 are, but it appears to be on a substantial trailer and not in immediate danger of dissolving. I believe this car has the same construction as the KCCC&StJ's passenger cars, which means it has a steel roof, which has presumably helped it. With luck, perhaps it will be fixed up for display on its home territory. Thanks to Johnny Myers for making me aware of this.