lettering for Berwind hoppers for NRBX series

The Berwin-White Coal Company was formed in 1886 by Edward and Charles Berwind with Congressman Allison White. The Berwind Corporation, a large privately held company, was one of the largest coal producers in the country at the turn of the century located in the New River Coaleld, and created towns such as Windbar, PA and Berwind, WV. The company owned over 1,500 hopper cars mostly built by Cambria Steel Company and Pressed Steel Car Company, between 1901 and 1913. In 1940, and later 1949, Berwind Shops built an additional 450 50-ton hoppers of the same design. Many built in 1902-05 were rebuilt in 1949 at Berwind shops and renumbered into 5000-5190 series. By 1950, the cars began to be transferred to the PRR, and by 1964, all went to the PRR with reporting marks dropping the X.

 

The Company was in two parts: the Berwind White Coal Mining Company of Philadelphia, PA, with reporting marks BWCX with a white square with a black circle in the center.; and the New River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, also of Philadelphia, PA. with reporting marks NRBX and a square shield and white circle in the center. Both the C&O, N&W and Virginian railroads mainlines ran through the New River coal elds with spurs branching o in many directions. Use Protocraft decal set Berwind Hopper-1 for cars with BWCX reporting marks, and Berwind Hopper-2 for cars with NRBX reporting marks.