A few years ago, it was common to see CSXT and WSOR RBLs hauling products from food processing plants. It has now been a couple of years since I saw a CSXT RBL. It also seems like WSOR RBLs only come to the Seneca Foods cannery in Modesto. The RBLs out here today are mostly UP system and STE. Another change is that tomato processing plants seem to be shipping more of their products in XM and XP cars than they used to. I wonder what is causing the changes.
Eric, I hate to sound flippant, but you might be in a better position to handle this one yourself than I, with your recent ORER.
I don’t think that too many RBLs have been built lately, and it wouldn’t surprise me if most of CSX’s ex-FGE RBLs are approaching their age limit.
I’ve seen a few of the tomato-laden box cars you’ve been talking about (and Joe Kohnen sits at the receiving end of some of them). Could the non-use of insulated cars be a seasonal thing?
The WSOR 503xxx RBLs seem to have a built date around 1970. Maybe they are getting close to the limit.
We have two major companies shipping canned goods. Del Monte has a large plant in Markesan that ships 10-20 cars at a shot, once or twice a week, in season. They also have a plant in Cambria, which ships infrequently. Two cars this year so far. Seneca has a few plants. The one in Ripon doesn’t seem to ship much lately, and the Cambria plant is slower than usual. The Mayville plant is going pretty good though, usually 6 cars a day. A year or two ago, we had a few CSXT RBLs go to Mayville Seneca for loading.
A few warehouses that receive tomato paste have been getting RBOXs.
I did check the ORER, it lists significant quantities of CSXT RBs and RBLs still on the roster. The listings occupy almost three pages, most lines have 1 to 12 cars with a few lines having a few dozen cars, so I have not added them yet. There are a little over 200 WSOR cars left.
The amount of tomato products that are shipped is seasonal, however these past few seasons seem to have more being moved in XM and XP type cars than in RBL types. One thing that I did just remember hearing about is that changing dietary patterns have had an adverse affect on tomato products, this could be a possible reason. Unilever recent closed is Merced Ragu plant, and Con-Agra has cut back production at its Helm plant.
On a positive note, I did get to see an unrepainted DRGW RBL today. Unfortunately, the only SP and SSW RBLs I saw were in Golden West Service paint.
The CSXT cars that have approximately 50’ IL and 70 tons occupy 182 lines, there are 726 of these cars listed. The CSXT cars that have an IL of from 57’ to 63’ and 100 tons occupy 22 lines, there are 167 of these cars listed. CSXT has 893 RBs and RBLs.
The only limit on the use of a freight car is an interchange limit if the car has not been updated with the current appliances once it reaches 40 to 50 years old. Once the upgrades have been made, the car has no interchange limits by the A.A.R. or the F.R.A…
Andrew
On Friday, I drove by a tomato processing plant that previously I had seen only RBLs at it. This time the majority of the cars were TBOX and cars similar to TBOX cars. There were also a few FBOX cars, and some RBLs.
Where did you get that information? The AAR Rule 88 states that cars built prior to July 1, 1974 have a 40 year age limit unless rebuilt or comply with the requirements of the Extended Service Status. If one of these two are done, the car can remain in interchange service 50 years from the month and year that the car was built. There were no exceptions for cars with certain parts listed. I have not seen anything about an age limit for cars built after July 1, 1974. Carl, do you know where that is found?
No, but I’d sure like to!
This sounds like some of the rare and exotic ilk that Houston Ed can dig up, if he’s so inclined.