Thanks for that info. If anyone had it, I knew it would be you! [bow]
Also confirms my educated guesses about its provenance.
Separately, to clarify my comment above about the “age gap”: So there’s a 10-year period - from about 2014 to 2024, which we’re in the middle of now - when not many cars will be retired because of their age. All of the pre-1974 40-year old ones should be gone by now (unless waivers have been obtained), and time hasn’t run out yet on the 50-year cars (until 2024 and afterwards).
Trains a year or so back had something in it’s question section that included a picture of a test car showing a build date of like 10-98. In their answer, they pointed out that the car was built in 1898, not 1998, but was still in service (or had been until recently).
Last 2-axle test car that came through our terminal a couple months ago was a 1908 model. A young kid. I rememeber a few years ago having ones with build dates of 1899 or 1900. They are rare anymore for our road, due to operational restrictions compared to the more modern 4-axle ones.
The last MOW train (camp cars and equimpent flats) I took a look at had cars built in the 1930s.
There were a few of these back when in same series. Aledged to be constructed in the ‘teens from locomotive tender components??? On roller bearings, tho’. 1995.
CANAC still has a few two-axle scale test cars in service. CN no longer allows them to move on their own wheels in a movement, so I have only seen them being transported on a specialized flatcar with a fold-up ramp. Never been close enough to grab a build date, but they certainly are ancient!
I, just this past weekend, saw a couple of Penn-Central gondolas very faded lettering. One on the CSX A-line in Fayetteville, NC and the other coming into Hamlet, NC from the East.
As has already been mentioned, there are two sets of age limits for freight cars; those of the AAR and the FRA. The AAR’s limits apply only to ars in interchange service. The AAR has no enforcement mechanism for cars that stay on the owner’s rails or operate by agreement among specific carriers. Starting in 1971, the AAR’s age limits were gradually reduced from 50 years from the date originally built or rebuilt until they reached 40 years in 1981. The FRA’s limit has been 50 years from the original built date, whether rebuilt or not, from the beginning and its limit applies to all cars operating on mainline railroads, not just cars operating in interchange. While I was a member of the AAR Equipment Engineering Committee representing TTX in the 1990s, we made to revisiions to the AAR’s age requirements. First, we permitted cars built after June 1974 to operate for 50 years in recognition of more stringent requirements introduced then for new cars. We also established a new category, Extended Service Status, that permitted cars built prior to July 1974 to operate for 50 years after meeting requirements less onerous than those required for rebuilt status.
In 1999, another change was instuituted that permits some cars to operate for 65 years from their original built date. As auto rack superstructures were able to live longer and longer during the 1990s, railroads were becoming increasingly reluctant to apply new auto racks to cars with less than 30 years of remaining life. This presented a problem for TTX, as we had thousands of 89’ flatcars that were suitable for many more years of service under an auto rack that were not acceptable to the rack owners. We requested the AAR and FRA to allow these cars to operate for up to 65 years (two 30-year rack lives plus 5 years for removal of the first rack, car reconditioning, and application of the new rack) if they met several very stringent requirements. After a good deal
If you mean before the mandatory 50 year inspection, NS has many old coal cars still in service from the early 1970s. Look for the “Top Gon” logo and check the built date in the painted black box on the cars.
i have seen similar hoppers go through St Paul the last couple of summers, also marked for RFMX, pulled along by Twin Cities & Western power. It is astonishing how old some of those cars are, and until this thread, I had no idea there was actually a clock ticking on all them. There are also a good number of PS hoppers (originally CNW) which are something to look at; not sure how many times some of these changed hands, as they are patched and over-patched a few times.
I’m trying to model “present day“ on my layout, but I might have to lock into a time period soon if these are going to start disappearing because they ”time out”; I’ve got several models like this for my layout and they have great character. Guess I’m getting old enough that the things I’m familiar with are starting to disappear, and the new things are going to pass me by!