Roy Jay Holden, Jr., Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
Newman Library
Virginia Tech
P.O. Box 90001
560 Drillfield Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (540) 231-6308
Fax: (540) 231-3694
Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Roy Jay Holden, Jr. Papers, Ms1991-023, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Summary

Extent:
15.0 Cubic Feet 10 boxes
Creator:
Holden, Roy Jay, 1921-1989
Abstract:
Papers of Roy Jay Holden, Jr. (1921-1989), an authority on railroad tank cars and the handling and transportation of hazardous materials, working for the American Car and Foundry Industries (1947-1970) and the Bureau of Explosives (later, Hazardous Materials Systems) of the Association of American Railroads (1973-1989). Includes reports, correspondence, drawings, specifications, and printed materials relating to the design and construction of railway tank cars and the handling and transportation of hazardous materials.
Language:
The materials in the collection are in English.
Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Roy Jay Holden, Jr. Papers, Ms1991-023, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection contains the papers of Roy Jay Holden Jr. (1921-1989), a Virginia Tech graduate (BS mechanical engineering, 1942), an expert on railroad tank car design and the handling and transportation of hazardous materials employed by ACF Industries and the American Association of Railroads (AAR). The collection contains such materials as correspondence, reports, drawings and specifications, and printed materials, all related to tank car construction and hazardous materials. Included are applications from various shipping car manufacturers for approval and certification from the AAR; reports on peformance of various tank cars and on mishaps involving tank cars; papers and journal extracts on hazardous materials; and promotional materials from various manufacturers and shippers. Also included are correspondence and meeting minutes of the AAR's Tank Car Committee, files relating to hazardous materials training and government regulation of shipping and hazardous materials. Of Holden's personal papers, the collection holds only a few files devoted to his search for employment in the early 1970s, some personal ephemera, photographs, and a book in which he recorded World Series baseball statistics.

Biographical / historical:

Son of Roy Jay Holden, a Virginia Tech professor of geology, and Elizabeth Virginia Evans Holden, Roy Jay Holden Jr. was born in Blacksburg, Virginia on December 13, 1921. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech in 1942, Holden joined the U. S. Army and served with the Coast Artillery Corps and Corps of Engineers during World War II. Following the war, Holden worked briefly at the Glenn L. Martin Company--specializing in design of aircaft controls, heating and ventilation, and electronic equipment--before joining ACF Industries in 1947. As chief project engineer for railroad tank cars, Holden designed and developed new containers and manufacturing methods. His curriculum vita during this time period lists three patents held in his name. In 1973, Holden became a technical service engineer for the Bureau of Explosives (later Hazardous Materials Systems) within the Association of American Railroads (AAR). At the AAR, Holden responded to questions from manufacturers, shippers, and railroad inspectors regarding tank car problems; assisted in the preparation of technical manuals; and participated in responses to--and clean-up of--railroad tank car accidents. He participated in technical meetings of the Chlorine Institute, the National LP Gas Association, and the AAR's Tank Car Committee and was involved in the establishment of the Transportation Test Center's Tank Car Safety School. He also presented technical papers and delivered addresses on the transportation of hazardous materials and emergency response, and he was sometimes called upon as an expert witness in court actions. He married Jane Elizabeth Hockenberry (1924-2015); the couple had one daughter. Roy Jay Holden Jr. died in Washington, D. C. on December 11, 1989.

Acquisition information:
The collection was acquired by Special Collections and University Archives prior to 2002.
Processing information:

Processing of the Roy Jay Holden Jr. Papers commenced in December 2025, and was completed in March 2026.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in alphabetical order.

Physical location:
Please note: This collection is in off-site storage and requires 2-3 days notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives for more information.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard