Interline

While observing trains at one of my favorite central Texas spots, a UP container train passed. It had two sets of new or at least newly pained Florida East Cost well cars. They were finished in blue with white lettering. There was not a graffiti mark on them.

The cars had “do not interline” stamped on the side. What does this mean?

It means do not interchange to some other railroad OR keep them at home on the FEC. Clearly did not happen in this case.

Or, they were being delivered from the manufacturer…

Thanks for the information.

The cars were loaded with containers; they were on a northbound UP train that probably originated in Laredo, TX.

I’ve seen well cars from FEC, BNSF, and other railroads in UP intermodal trains. Until that one recent thread about well cars being stenciled not for interchange or restricted interchange, I never thought much about it. (I guess I still don’t because I don’t look for the interchange restriction/prohibition warning when I have the chance.)

Could some of these cars be in an intermodal equipment pool, going between set origin/destination points? While it means going on another railroad, it’s not the “next load/any road” sort of interline/interchange.

Jeff

Probably meet AAR-STB interchange requirements, but are labeled because they are dedicated to a specific service and must be kept in that specific service.