I’ve been cataloging my small amount of rolling stock and I have a question on Build Dates. Below is a list of my rolling stock with the date information found on the cars:
Steel Boxcar: Build Date 8-57. Note: This had a roof walkway which I have removed.
3-dome tank car: New 7-37, Built 4-27, Tested 4-57 The “New” and “Built” dates seem to be at odds.
3-dome tank car: Tested 1-3-60 is the only date listed.
Steel Boxcar: New 3-75.
I remember reading somewhere about a 50 year rule, but I can’t remember where or the specifics of the rule. I would like to stay prototypical with my rolling stock so I would like to know what can stay in service and if there are any restrictions on the cars.
Also, would someone please explaine the difference between “New”, “Built” and “Tested”?
EDIT: I forgot to add, I’m modeling the current time period.
NEW is actually New Empty Weight - anytime the car was modified, a new empty or tare weight was needed to be able to accurately know the weight of any cargo carried. This is why you will see NEW dates more recent than BLT dates. The Tested date on the tank was the date of the most recent pressure testing of the tank - this wouldn’t be found on other car types.
When a freight car is built, it gets two dates: BUILT and REPACK.
The BUILT date stays the same on the car for its entire life, and notes the month and year the car was actually completed.
The REPACK date is MUCH different. Most models represent this date as NEW, but for about 90% of our modeling purposes, that nomenclature is WRONG. The second date changes every time the car’s bearings are repacked, which had to be done every 18-48 months by law, depending on the car type (repacking is only necessary on old friction-bearing trucks). This date needs to be restencilled every time a car gets this servicing, to tell other shopmen when it’s due for it’s next repack. The newly stencilled date will have the shop’s initials on it followed by the date. There are lists for all the shop initials online (someplace…)
That date is also used to denote other major “life changing” events in the car’s life. If the car is rebuilt, the date changes. If the car gets reweighed (generally everry four years) it gets a new date. If the car is repaired in any significant way after a wreck it gets a new date. On modern cars that don’t require repacked bearings, this second date reflects these sorts of changes.
So on any model railroad, our REPACK dates should only be one to four years behind our target modeling date (if you care). The specific ICC regulations on how often cars needed to be repacked (more often for boxcars, less for reefers, IIRC) are also online…somewhere…
And cars have a 40 year rule, not a 50. After 40 years the car cannot be used for interchange service (revenue service), and after 50 cannot be used for non-interchange revenue service. In MOW service, a car can last forever (I saw a gon with friction-bearing trucks in MOW service this spring!). So if you’re modeling the “modern era”, you can’t have cars rolling with BUILD dates after 1966. That 1927 date is WAAAAYYYYY off!
Just to complicate things a bit further, I have seen photo examples where an older tank was placed on a new frame, so the tank’s date was not the same as the tank car’s.
What would be interesting to know is how often a violating car is detected. Just because a rule exists or a car cannot be run by law does not mean it doesn’t happen. I seem to recall that it took a while for all the arch bar truck and truss rod cars to finally be removed from interchange – and that was after their “off” dates had been extended a few times.
Thanks for the info, Ray. Good stuff! [:)][tup] I assume though that you meant BLT dates BEFORE 1966? (I had to read it a few times just to make sure that I wasn’t misunderstanding it.)
Thank you. If I understand things corectly. If I wanted my cars to be “legal” I should replace the trucks to model non-friction-bearing and redecal with more current dates. Correct?
Newbie Question: What trucks are non-friction bearing?
In regard to the use of “NEW”, this refers only to the car weight at the time of construction (or rebuild). The date following “NEW” should correspond to the “BLT” date or, if applicable, the “REBLT” date. Repairs and modifications don’t usually result in the car being classified as “rebuilt”, and this term was more commonly used to denote changes for accounting reasons. When the car is due for re-weighing, the “NEW” and the date following it are painted over, and the area is re-stencilled with a shop symbol (2 or 3 letters indicating the shop where the re-weigh was done) and the date that the work was performed. This information refers to the weights (CAPY., LT. WT., LD. LMT., etc.) that are immediately to the left of weighing/re-weighing date. For instance, a car whose LT. WT. (empty weight) had increased, perhaps on account of a repair, would have a corresponding decrease in the CAPY. (capacity, or weight of cargo.)
The repack data, as noted, refers to repacking of the journal boxes on friction bearing trucks. This information used to be stencilled on the car, seemingly in random positions, and usually read: RPKD, followed by a date, and the shop symbol of where this occurred. Nowadays, I believe that this info is included in the “COTS” label, that black
Based on the information about the 40 year rule, your 1957 boxcar cannot be in interchange service, and, a year from now, will have to be either scrapped or downgraded to non-revenue service. Your older tank car can only be used in non-revenue service, such as a company-service diesel fuel car or as a water car, and the newer tanker, last tested in 1960, will also probably have to be downgraded to company service. Regulations for tank cars differ from those for most other car types, so I’m not sure about that one. Your boxcar with the “NEW 3-75” stencil was built in March,1975, so is still okay for interchange service. However, you should paint over the “NEW 3-75” and re-stencil a date closer to your present-day modelling date. If I can find it, I have information on just exactly what is covered by those b&w consolidated stencils, and I’ll add any new info in this thread.
There is more information here than you can shake a stick at. Wade through it and you’ll find most of the freight car info you need and then some. http://www.hosam.com/mod/rsdet.html
Non friction-bearing would be roller-bearing styled trucks as seen on virtually all modern equipment. Interestingly enough some railroads retro-fitted older style trucks with roller bearings on some older freight cars. I’m unaware of any companies making models of these style trucks but if someone knows of such models feel free to post a link.
Interesting on the 40 / 50 year stuff. Almost daily I see Norfolk Southern hoppers on coal trains pass Olean, NY on the WNY&P short line with build dates in the 1963-64 range. So, are they illegal? or what?
As noted, New referred to a new empty weight, which could be a result of several factors:
Car fitted with special devices for handling a specific commodity.
Removal of such devices.
Modification or repair short of a major rebuild.
Other (have fun thinking about that one!)
For the specific example given, Built 1927, New 1937, I’d bet that the New date corresponds to removal of the type K brake system and installation of type AB components. The time frame is ceertainly right.
Now in my oppinion, build dates don’t matter that much in modeling. Who’s going to take a magnifying glass and check every one of your cars as they roll by? More importiant though are spotting features. these are things that people will pick up just by seeing your trains. In the modern time period, there are many differences between cars now and back in the 1950s. In modern railroading, roofwalks have been removed from all boxcars and reefers in interchange service. There are no three dome tank cars in current revenue service. Tank cars with outside frames are very very rare. All cars in interchange service are on roller berring trucks. This doesn’t mean that you have to throw away your cars however. I have four Athearn 10,000 gallon tank cars, I redetailed them and use them as fuel tenders on my logging branch. Creativity will keep them in service somehow. As for more modern cars, try Athearn Blue Box kits. My favorite kit of all time is their railbox kit. Incredibly easy to put together, good runners, good looking and cheap. Most of the real railbox style cars were built in the last 30 years, well within the 40-year window. For tank cars, Walthers, Atlas and Athearn all make good models although tanks can be more expensive than boxcars because of the detail used. Those same three manufacturers offer everything from covered hoppers to gondolas and pretty much whatever else you need with good quality and great detail. Good Luck Mate! ~METRO