Some of the steel coil cards read Spring Hill Express. I'm guessing they are in service with the GM automobile plant in Spring Hill, TN. That's neat that CSX honors an important shipper and receiver with these and perhaps the equipment is kept in faster rotation too.
Those hoppers had more than just a bad hair day... The first two look like rollovers, but the last one has quite a gouge in its side...
You have it right. Those were painted back in 1990 (I think I have that right) when production first began at the Spring Hill TN plant. I managed to catch one when they were brand new and submitted slides to several of the rail magazines. None were used at the time but some 8 years later, one of the shots was finally published in a magazine called Rail Classics
Oh man, that is really cool and a great shot. That's amazing that you were able to come upon it eight years later. Magazines sometimes seem fickle, sticking with a narrow band of familiar photographers for most everything.
