I was on the way to work this morning and I suffer the horrible fate of having to sit at a crossing while a mixed freight rolls by. I was sort of early morning glazed over and watching the freight when it dawned on me that something was not kosher. Looking closer I realized that the first car in the train was a BN green 40' boxcar. I had been led to believe that 40' boxes were no longer in revenue service. Am I crazy or did I see a 40 footer?
Yes, you are crazy. Sorry, I can never resist that one! Maybe is was an ex-BN car lettered for a short line? Are you sure it was a 40'?
There is a picture on TrainBoard of a 40 foot boxcar in current service that has been posted in the last two weeks. The picture was of a small CSX engine terminal with a yard in the back ground. I don't remember the subject, but the picture was about the engine; it was CSX or lease or something. The boxcar was sitting in a string of other cars. I made a comment about it at the time and, as usual, I was ignored. I don't know why that is? Anyway, I have searched and cannot find it. I am not sure the photo was in RailImages, but the post was here on TB.
It was awefully short. I know my cars and it was a 40' car. I even have the MT release of just that car in BN. I know that 40' cars can't be interchanged between lines, but what if it just stays captive on BNSF? I saw the car on the joint line south of downtown Denver heading north. I guess my main point was just letting all those proto guys know that they can pretty much run what they want on a modern layout.
Geeky Question, why is it that 40 foot box cars cannot be interchanged between lines. Is that universal across the USA and Canada?
Forty footers I retired from the railroad at the end of 1999, at that time there were still around 350 40 foot boxcars in revenue service listed in the Official Railway Equipment Register. The only Class I listing them was the BNSF, with BN reporting marks. I think Traingeekboy has confused the 40 year rule with 40 foot cars. Cars exceeding 40 years in age cannot be interchanged unless rebuilt, which extends life to 50 years. Post 1979 cars can be interchanged for 50 years. Now, 1966 was 40 years ago, and all 40 footers we no doubt built before then, making them not interchangeable. But, BN possibly rebuilt some, which could still be used for specific movements. :cat:
The only 40ft Boxcars that the BN rebuilt as far as i know was for grain service on the granger lines which could not handle 100t Covered Hoppers, not sure if any of the old granger lines are still in use though with the light rail loading.
The 40 foot boxcar picture I saw here on TB was not BN reporting marks. I presume it was a private company and a "captured" service use.
How on earth did you find the 350 or so boxcars? mg: Did you have to go through EVERY railroad listed to see what their boxcar fleet was composed of in order to find the 40' cars? I used to have an ORER until hurricane Katrina hit, but I never saw a universal breakdown of freight car types anywhere in it!!!
