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U & R Manufacturing Co., Chenango Bridge, New York, USA

My thanks to TCA members Bill Trappen, Revd. John Williamson and John Newbraugh for the information provided below. Bill kindly provided the photos, and drew my attention to two articles in the Train Collectors Quarterley. The first (October 1963) by Revd. John Williamson, and the second (Spring 1981) by John Newbraugh.

The U&R company apparently ran for about three years, from 1949 to 1952, and produced a series of passenger cars only. No locos, freight cars, track or accessories. The company was owned and run by Donald Ulmer, a toolmaker, and Pete Robbins, an engineer. Manufacture took place in their homes, and a range of six body styles was produced :

Baggage
Mail
Pullman
Coach
Diner
Observation

These six body styles were each produced in four road names, giving twenty four variations to collect. Total production was around 4,700 items, equally split, therefore a little less than 200 of each. The first 200 cars were issued in grey boxes with paper labels. Subsequent cars were issued in the orange and white boxes shown below. The cars are each twelve inches long, and of aluminium construction, with punched windows. The four road names were :

Santa Fe
Lackawanna
New York Central
Pennsylvania

Only one catalog is known.

U & R Manufacturing Co. 
Catalog		 U & R Manufacturing Co. 
Lackawanna		 U & R Manufacturing Co. 
Lackawanna		 U & R Manufacturing Co. 
Lackawanna
U & R Manufacturing Co. 
Car End		 U & R Manufacturing Co. 
Car End		 U & R Manufacturing Co. 
NYC		 U & R Manufacturing Co. 
NYC

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