A freight motor, in its simplest terms, is a motorized boxcar.  This car however, started out as a passenger car similar to Lake Shore Electric (LSE) 151.  Car 42 was rebuilt in 1929 from car 141, a 1907 built passenger car.  LSE removed the seats, sheathed the wooden sides with steel sheets, cut large loading doors into the center of the car and re-numbered it 42.  In the late 1920s LSE has several older passenger cars surplus to their needs but was short on freight equipment.  So, they did what any cash short industry would do, make do with what they already owned.  Re-purposing equipment in this way was a common practice on many lines.  Car 42 ran between Toledo and Cleveland until 1937 hauling freight and towing box trailers.  Declining freight revenues and a labor dispute caused the LSE to suspend freight operation in that year.

In 1937 the car was retired and stripped of its running gear.  A primarily wood bodied car had little value, but the trucks, wiring and other electrical gear had value as scrap.  Many farmers bought these bodies to use as very sturdy sheds.  Even when transportation from the rail shop to the farm was factored in, this was still a very economical way to add covered storage on your farm.  Number 42 was moved to a property east of Sandusky, Ohio where the owners took good care of the car.  They used it as a farm shed.  The car received very good care over the years allowing it to survive into the 1990s.  In early 1998 the Museum acquired it and move to our Museum campus.

Builder	Niles Car Company
Type	Electric Freight Equipment
Description	Single End Double Truck Arch Roof Wood Motor
Year Built	1907
Retired	1937
Acquired	1999
Seats	n/a
Length	50′ 11″
Width	8′ 7″
Height	12′ 11″
Weight	73,600
Trucks
Engine
Control
Brakes
Compressor