What is the AAR Car Code Letter for Ore Cars (Jimmy/Jennys). The cars I am asking about are also called Minnesota Cars. They are used by the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range and similar lines. Are they H=Hopper or L=Special or something other?
Interesting question Mark. I started with that basic classification list, and went through my collection, and found that more than half of the cars were “L” by those standards. Maybe I was using an old list, but it sure seemed like a lot of common car types were missing.
I marked my ore cars O, my auto racks A, container cars Z. I also created two special hopper classes, E for EDIBLE and D for DRY indicating that the car is covered, but not specificaly for hauling grain or other foodstuffs, and also kept the H class for open tops, including those designed for coal. I also added C for lumber hauling Center beam flat cars, and Y for Piggy back trailer hauling flats or spines.
To answer your original question, I would guess that they would be L special, since they served a special purpose, were owned by the railroad and only hauled one thing.
for the Jenny type ore car the code is GT.
I never really thought about it. I just know I really like them. I must. If there’s such a thing as having too many of something. I am guilty[(-D]
TF
Whats that? 15 year old threads? [(-D]
Mike.
I believe the Minnesota cars are HMA. There are gondola type cars that operate in other regions, but the Minnesota (and Michigan) cars are hopper types.
I have found this list to be helpful, there is an alphabetical listing at the bottom of the page
My copy of the ORER shows ore jennys as either GT or HMA.
Wayne
I’m such a nut on this subject. A yearly trip to Duluth and my love for Ore Cars is not enough. I also must get my quarterly issue of Ore Extra magazine[bow]
[:-^] TF
Hopper type ore cars are HMA.
Gondola type ore cars are GT (solid bottom) or GS (drop bottom).
Yup, Minnesota and (Upper) Michigan ore cars that are designed to dump into an ore dock’s pockets are HMAs.