Understood - however, as I stated cars are only viewed from one side to determine if the train is ‘correctly’ coupled. From whichever side the train is viewed - you don’t want to see EITHER painted or unpainted ends paired together. Doesn’t make any difference if the A or B end of the car has the rotary coupler - it makes no difference if the A end Left side and B end Right sides are painted.
They could be going to a site that uses bottom dump and have the rotary couplers pinned.
The Bathtub design of coal cars CAN NOT be bottom dumped. There are no bottom openings.
For anyone with access to the Fort Madison camera, this train can be viewed by rewinding to 8:22AM CDT this morning.
Were they hoppers or rotary gondolas? And where on the car are the coloured spots you’re talking about?
Looking at the video, it look like the stripe is on the two sections that have the reporting marks. It is hard to see from the video if they have any special marking on the end.