by GAZKGK » Thu Sep 18, 2014 7:51 pm
Once more... the things are more complicated than they seem...
But yes, 387 0 500-549 are the ones which were initially numbered Νφπ 217501-550. These were built between 1942-1945 in USA but of course not by UNRRA. U.N.R.R.A. stands for "United Nations Relief & Rehabilitation Administration" and was not a manufacturer. However, it is possible that the wagons were built for UNRRA, and were not actually used by others (e.g. USATC) before coming to Greece. Their builders were surely one or more of: "ACC", "P-SCM Co" and "GATC", but unfortunately i have not verified that via the builders - numbering plates.
In the late 1960s (the UIC numbering system was already being used) SEK started picking a number of 4-axled flat wagons to convert for carrying tanks for the Army. These were all the 217501-217550, plus some other USA flatbeds, and some left-by-the-Germans flatbeds, and later in 1970 (before the convertion) started being mixed in a new formed, transitional series of N9 (for the 2175xx) and N12. The number of the first one was 31 73 387 0 000 and as more wagons were picked, they were added to the series, which finally must had ended with 31 73 387 0 078, but i am not 100% sure.
In the next years, 1972 and 1973 the conversions started. The underframes were reinforced with additional tough truss rods (that is the reason why the USA plates are not visible nowadays and the builders can not be verified), and were also widened, so they could carry tanks of the types M48, M47, M44 and M52A1. The converted cars, formed the new series, in this case N9 30 73 387 0 500-549.