Could someone please tell me where to go on the internet (or whereever else) to find a list of reporting marks/numbers for ACF 3-bay covered hoppers? I’m specifically looking for Burlington Northern and ACFX circa mid-1980’s. I know a list must exist out there somewhere, but I’ve searched to no avail so far. Thanks alot.
The Official Railway Equipment Register issues January 10, 1983 lists lots of covered hoppers for both BN & Shippers. Bn has one list for Covered Hopper, Airslide, Center Flow with plate C dimensions numbered 413290-413299 (10 cars). It shows many covered hoppers with no designation as to the number of bays but on a few lists either 2 or 4 bays so I would assume all the others are three bays. There are many listings of Airslide alone or specifying three bay and other nominclature but this was the only one I found that may fit your description for BN. ACFX has 15 pages of Covered Hoppers but not specifying the type that I can decipher. If I find more on that I will reply again.
Go to the Freightcarworld Yahoo group and ask this again. The folks behind that group published Eric Neubauer’s book on the history of the ACF Center Flow, with the cars’ serial numbers, road numbers, and all sorts of descriptive detail. The book came out in the late 80s, so it ought to be just about right for your era.
P.S. You’re talking about a lot of cars!