Is anyone aware of a website that outlines the different types of boxcars and the associated features and nomenclature (symbols (i.e. DF, etc) for each?
Thanks much,
Stack
You might try David Casdorph’s website. Also, the SP freight cars page has some of that type of information on it. Below are the cars types. Carl, how does it look?
AAR Mechanical Designations
XM - Plain boxcar, no insulation or load restraints, for general purpose loading
XL - Same as XM but with load restraints
XP - Boxcar modified for certain type of load
XAP - Auto parts boxcar
–I Suffix for the above types, indicates car has insulation (presumbaly not as much as an RBL)
RB - Bunkless reefer (Heavily insulated boxcar, no cooling means)
RBL - RB with load restaints
RP - Mechanical reefer
RPL - Mechanical reefer with load restaints
RC - Cyrogenic reefer
DF stands for Damage Free, it is a company’s name for its load restaints. Other brand names you will find are Car-Pac (load restraints) and Hydra-Cushion (underframe); I am sure there are others that I have forgot about.
All of the car types can have cushioned underframes. Also, all of the insulated boxcars have plug doors. Some non-insulated boxcars also have plug doors.
Looks pretty good, Eric, except that even auto-parts box cars are XP nowadays.
I suspect that there aren’t many XL, RBL, and RPL cars being built these days. The reefers are mostly RP, and the box cars are mostly XP. (That’s one of the drawbacks of my research–I look at builders, numbers, dates, etc., and forget to look at the most basic things, like Mechanical Designations!).
Here’s a good spot for everything: http://www.nakina.net/aartype.html
Some other features I forgot are dreadnaught ends, rolled ends, exterior posts, interior posts rivet to the sides, and interior posts welded to the sides.
Unfortunately, none of these features are exclusive to or from a particular type of boxcar with the exception that insulated cars will have plug doors. Of course, mechanical reefers can be distinguished by the refrigeration unit, or openings and vents for it.
Really, the only way to distinguish one car type from another is to look at alot of boxcars. Even then sometimes it is unclear what type of car it is. You car also learn the tell the manufacturer from how the car looks.
Carl, I just remembered something odd. A while ago I looked up the characteristics of some FBOX, or perhaps TBOX, boxcars with a railroad. They showed these cars as being XP. I wonder how many of these cars are XP.