Looking for information to tell me if these cars are still running, or when in the 2000’s they stopped.
I think building started in the mid 1960s, for CNW at first.
Gidday Douglas, the RR Picture Archives, has photos of these dated 2006, 2007. Some of them are looking rather manky.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=905898
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=316822
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
Doughless,
The ACF 2971 was built between 1974 and 1975 with a total of 1053 cars being constructed at their Huntington WV plant. These cars were all stenciled for 2970 cu. ft. They carried reporting marks for C&EI, D&RGW, MP, MKT, P&LE, SLSF, and SP. Leasers operated under ACEX,CRDX, ENDX,NAHX, PQX, TRAX, as well as ACFX, the leasing arm of ACF. To the best of my knowledge, this car has never been offered in HO.
ACF also cataloged a 2980 cf car built between 1966 and 1982, at their Huntington WV and, Milton, PA works. The stenciled capacity on all cars built between 1966 to 1973 was 2970 cf. Sometime in 1973 ACF Centerflows underwent a design change. The large longitudinal stiffener on the upper portion of the sides became three much smaller “flutes” on the panel immediately below where the roof joins the sides.
The cars offered at times, from Athearn and Intermountain are examples of the earlier 1966-1973 production. There was a total production of 4056 of the prototypes with 464 of the pre-1973 production going to the CNW, in number series 96620-96769, 96800-96813, 175000-175299. Other pre-1973 2980s operated under the reporting marks of: CB&Q, D&RGW, EL, GN, GTW, MON, NP, RI, TP, and WM. Due to mergers, many of these cars sported new reporting marks of their new owners. The lease fleet carried the initals ACEX, BSMX, DUPX, and SHPX which later became ACFX.
I hope this information, taken from Eric A Neiubauer’s “A History of the ACF Center Flow”, which as the title implies, is everything you would want to know about these cars, at least up to 1987 when, it was published as: ISSN 0884-027X.
AS a SP guy, I’m STILL waiting for a model of the 1973-1975 2971s. With manufacturers now producing models of cars that the total production was 400 or less-there ma
You’re absolutely correct. Back, before I backdated my layout to the late '30s, I had at least a half-dozen of those Ramax cars. A few minutes ago, I saw a reference to them my log-book, with a 1982 date, but no mention of the manufacturer’s name. I then pulled out my January 1982 issue of RMC, and found the reference there to Ramax.
Those kits were actually quite nicely-done, as they were easy to assemble, with the parts mating very well. If I recall correctly, the price was very reasonable, too…well under $10.00.
I sold mine, along with another hundred-or-so other cars that were too modern for my current layout.
Wayne
[quote user=“NHTX”]
Doughless,
The ACF 2971 was built between 1974 and 1975 with a total of 1053 cars being constructed at their Huntington WV plant. These cars were all stenciled for 2970 cu. ft. They carried reporting marks for C&EI, D&RGW, MP, MKT, P&LE, SLSF, and SP. Leasers operated under ACEX,CRDX, ENDX,NAHX, PQX, TRAX, as well as ACFX, the leasing arm of ACF. To the best of my knowledge, this car has never been offered in HO.
ACF also cataloged a 2980 cf car built between 1966 and 1982, at their Huntington WV and, Milton, PA works. The stenciled capacity on all cars built between 1966 to 1973 was 2970 cf. Sometime in 1973 ACF Centerflows underwent a design change. The large longitudinal stiffener on the upper portion of the sides became three much smaller “flutes” on the panel immediately below where the roof joins the sides.
The cars offered at times, from Athearn and Intermountain are examples of the earlier 1966-1973 production. There was a total production of 4056 of the prototypes with 464 of the pre-1973 production going to the CNW, in number series 96620-96769, 96800-96813, 175000-175299. Other pre-1973 2980s operated under the reporting marks of: CB&Q, D&RGW, EL, GN, GTW, MON, NP, RI, TP, and WM. Due to mergers, many of these cars sported new reporting marks of their new owners. The lease fleet carried the initals ACEX, BSMX, DUPX, and SHPX which later became ACFX.
I hope this information, taken from Eric A Neiubauer’s “A History of the ACF Center Flow”, which as the title implies, is everything you would want to know about these cars, at least up to 1987 when, it was published as: ISSN 0884-027X.
AS a SP guy, I’m STILL waiting for a model of the 1973-1975 2971s. With manufacturers now producing models of cars that the tot
The Athearn car, (which I do believe is an RTR version of the old Ramax kit), is an accurate representation of the 1966-1973 ACF 2980. Even ACF got it right, after after the 1973 revamp of the prototype. Up until then, what in truth was a 2980, was stenciled by the builder as 2970. Why, who knows? Maybe someone figured 10 cubic feet in a railroad car didn’t make a whole lot of difference, especially since these cars were designed for much more dense cargo, unlike the grain, chemical and, plastics cars.
As far as the pre-1973 cars being accurate after 2013, one way of determining, that would be to trace the number series on one of the photo websites such as www.rr-picturearchives.net or, www.rr-fallenflags.org. Sometimes they show cars in their original owner’s paint, as well as cars that have survived a merger, in their new paint and lettering. The best way would be to acquire a copy of the Official Railway Equipment Register for the year that interests you. Quite often the ORER will list cars acquired through merger under the old road’s reporting marks and number group, with total number of cars extant under them. Armed with the cubic capacity and certain other pertinent data, the new, merged number block may be traced.
As far as these cars being on the rails after 40 years, it may very well be possible. Remember, the merged railroads after 1996 were much, much bigger than the merger components, serving far beyond their original boundaries. As an example, consider todays BNSF. Into BNSF went BN and ATSF. BN was created by the amalgamation of the CB&Q, GN, NP and, the SP&S. Later, it absorbed the Frisco (SLSF), giving them a system that could load a car in the western most reaches ot the state of Washington and send it all the way t