I have several freight cars in the modern era that a small decal that says something like “Plate C”, or “Plate F.” What does it mean?
That refers to clearence diagrams. Different clearence “Plates” have different clearence dimensions, a specific route would have a plate rating based on the most restrictive clearence along that line. Knowing these plate restrictions would (Hopefully) prevent things like a double stack or auto-rack from traveling a route that it would not fit, like the SP’s Donner Pass before the tunnel work.
All it takes is one low over pass to restrict a some times long stretch of track. Clearence plates also can restrict for side clearence as well as overhead.
Doug
Thanks Doug,
I would have never thought about clearance. I thought it had to do with something like weight or something else.
To see some examples of Plate Diagrams, do a search for AAR Plate Diagrams on images.google.com. You’ll see several there - including some diagrams that include more than 1 Plate in an illustration.
Gil, known as Bill somedays … [8D]
One more piece of information for every car in interchange service in an ORER.
In easily-understood terms, the “plate” is the size of a hole in a wall through which a particular car can pass. Google will provide prototype dimensions, and scale conversion will give the dimensions for modeling use.
Assuming, that is, that you follow North American prototype. If you don’t, the “plates” have no exact equivalent in overseas prototype practice (where the 3’6" gauge railways of Japan and South Africa have larger clearance diagrams than the standarg gauge railways of the United Kingdom…)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
For more of a description of Plates, you can check out this page…
Technically a “plate” is a drawing or diagram. Plate C is drawing C or appendix C.
Our Kalmbach hosts have provided a couple of brief discussions right on this website as it happens:
A famous Milwaukee modeler whose name is known to all of you once joked at an operating session that model railroad layouts need wide aisles “because most modelers exceed Plate C.”
Dave Nelson