In the early 2000s, Besse Forest Products operated a loading spur alongside the former ACR Steelton yard for loading export pulpwood, and their privately owned flatcars could be seen around the Sault Ste. Marie area. This pair represents one such series of flatcars owned by Besse, a 52’6″ car rebuilt with side stakes.
Photographed August 18, 2004 at Sault Ste. Marie.
Assuming these were built by AC shops is Sault Ste. Marie? You wouldn’t happen to have or know somebody who has drawings would you?
These cars are Hawker-Siddeley built 52’8″ inside-length flatcars with the side stakes added on. They weren’t built or modified by the AC shops, these photos were taken in the mid 2000s and the cars were probably modified for Besse sometime in the 1990s. This pair and several other Besse cars were seen around town and the log yard on the ACR property near the old car shop (then disused) had signs for Besse Forest Products on my 2004 visit. However this operation was just one location; this company has operations in Michigan and Wisconsin, and their fleet of cars isn’t unique to Sault Ste. Marie.
These cars could be easily modeled with the Walthers (in HO) or Prairie Shadows (in N) models with the side stakes added on similar to the prototype “kitbash”.