Freight Car Upgrades
- Freight Car Weight
–
- Box Cars
- Covered Hoppers
- Cabooses
- Cargill
- W. H. Shurtleff Co.
I would love to hear from anyone who may have any more information on NAHX “Maine Marine Products, Inc.” of Portland, Maine branded cylindrical hoppers.
CRDX (Chicago Freight Car Leasing) 5105 (and others?) Mirro Craft Box Car
Archer Daniels Midland ADMX
ADMX series 80056-80165 built by American Car & Foundry Feb-1981 to Mar-81.
“Early one morning in September 1983 the local out of Danville Junction crossed the Androscoggin River bridge between Auburn and Lewiston, about to arrive at the Lewiston Upper yard on the “Back Road” mainline. Chopnose GP7 number 593 is in the lead, with historic repaint GP7 number 572 trailing, as the still water of the diversion canal provides a nearly perfect reflection.”
- Atlas – 50 000 073 – Covered Hopper, 4-Bay, ACF Centerflow – Archer Daniels Midland – 80117
- Atlas – 50 000 074 – Covered Hopper, 4-Bay, ACF Centerflow – Archer Daniels Midland – 80165
Kaolin
- Engelhard Tank Cars (ACFX)
- Freeport Kaolin (ACFX)
- Georgia Kaolin Company, Inc. Tank Cars (ACFX)
Newsprint
- DWC (403018)
- CN (400350,400357,400382,400418,400522,400599,401082,404028)
- CNIS (413020)
- CP (80978,81032,81037,81042,81110,85099)
- CPI (85010,85635)
- CV (402327,402353)
| 85000-85499 | XM | Boxcar | 500 | 7/1969-1/1989 | 50.7 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 5100 | NSC | 5-8/69 | Stl. Cush. underframe, nailable stl. flr. & ends, stl. lining, lading strap anchors. re#CP 85000-85499, some re#CP 79990-79999 /70-/75. |
| 85500-85634 | XM | Boxcar | 135 | 1/1975-1/1983 | 50.6 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 5111 | NSC | 3-5/75 | Stl. Stl. lining, lading strap anchors. re#CP 85500-85634 /78-/83. |
| 85635-85734 | XM | Boxcar | 100 | 1/1978-1/1983 | 50.6 | 11.0 | 9.0 | 5111 | NSC | 9-10/77 | Stl. Cush. underframe, stl. lining, lading strap anchors. re#CP 85635-85734 /78-/83. |
- http://www.nakina.net/cp/cpi.html
- https://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/
- https://vanderheide.ca/blog/2019/04/05/freight-car-friday-72-cp-80967-model/
CP paper service boxcars – 50′ roster info
CP 80000-80499 blt. /64 Hawker-Siddeley
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp80097&o=cprail
CP 80500-80966 blt. /65 Hawker-Siddeley
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp80580&o=cprail
CP 80967-81216 blt. /67 National Steel Car (Proto1000/Atlas model)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp81110&o=cprail
CPI 85001-85499 blt. /69 National Steel Car (proto1000/Atlas model)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cpi85232&o=cprail
CPI 85500-85634 blt. /75 National Steel Car
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cpi85594&o=cprail
CPI 85635-85734 blt. /77 National Steel Car (Atlas model)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp85718&o=cprail
QC 75000-75099 blt. /79 National Steel Car (Atlas model)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=qc75081&o=cprail
QC 75100-75299 blt. /80 National Steel Car (Atlas model)
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=qc75206&o=cprail
CP paper service boxcars – 50′ roster info 2
CP 84989-84999 ex-CP 80967-81216 series re/blt with extended height /71
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp84996&o=cprail
CP 84977-84988 ex-CP 80967-81216 series re/blt with extended height /72
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cp84983&o=cprail
CPAA 89981-89999 blt. /6x Pullman-Standard ex-TLCX 40-59 /71
(no photos online as CPAA on canadianfreightcargallery.ca, rr-fallenflags.org or rrpicturearchives.net)
CPAA 89910-89980 blt. /62 Pullman-Standard ex-TLCX 1001-1075 /73
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cpaa89958&o=cprail
CPAA 86000-86091 blt /69 National Steel Car ex-MDW 7000-7099 /87
http://canadianfreightcargallery.ca/cgi-bin/image.pl?i=cpaa86051&o=cprail
The Hidden Complexity of International Service Boxcars
The seamless movement of goods between Canada and the United States hides a fascinating history of regulations, reporting marks, and creative logistics. Among the most interesting relics of this history are the International Service cars operated by Canadian railroads like Canadian Pacific (CP) and Canadian National (CN). These cars, with reporting marks such as CPI and CNIS, were stencilled specifically to prohibit domestic use in either country, a restriction that shaped how railroads managed cross-border freight for decades.
The Reason for International Service Cars
In the mid-20th century, customs regulations in the U.S. dictated that foreign-owned freight cars spending more than a certain amount of time (e.g., 60 days) within the country were considered “imported” and subject to duties and taxes. This rule left Canadian railroads with three options:
- Pay duties and taxes for unrestricted use of a large portion of their fleet.
- Track individual cars meticulously to ensure they didn’t overstay the limit—a logistical headache.
- Designate a subset of cars specifically for cross-border service, avoiding duties as long as they weren’t used domestically in either country.
Option three became the most practical solution for many railroads, especially for commodities like newsprint, lumber, potash, and auto parts that frequently crossed the border.
How the System Worked
International Service Cars like those marked with CPI (Canadian Pacific International) or CNIS (Canadian National International Service) were a special class of rolling stock. These cars were stencilled with warnings like “For International Service Only” to indicate their restricted use:
- They could carry freight between Canada and the United States.
- They could not be used for domestic traffic within either country.
By adhering to these restrictions, railroads avoided the complexities of customs duties and taxes. However, this arrangement required careful oversight to ensure compliance. Misrouting a CPI-marked boxcar into domestic U.S. service, for example, could trigger fines and create operational headaches.
To complement these International Service cars, railroads also employed another set of reporting marks for cars designated for unrestricted use in the U.S.
- CPAA (Canadian Pacific Assigned America): Used for U.S.-built or acquired cars for unrestricted domestic service in the U.S. and cross-border traffic.
- CNA (Canadian National Assigned): Canadian National’s equivalent for unrestricted U.S. service.
These marks allowed Canadian railroads to maintain a portion of their fleet fully integrated into U.S. domestic service, free from customs constraints, while also maintaining the specialized CPI and CNIS fleets for international-only traffic.
The Role of Grand Trunk Western and Other Subsidiaries
Canadian National’s operations in the U.S. were bolstered by its American subsidiaries, including:
- Grand Trunk Western (GTW): Operating across Michigan and neighbouring states, GTW was CN’s primary U.S. presence.
- Central Vermont Railway (CV): Serving New England, this subsidiary also managed cross-border traffic.
- Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific (DWP): A smaller subsidiary connecting northern Minnesota with CN’s Canadian network.
Each of these subsidiaries played a role in cross-border logistics. They also carried their own versions of International Service marks:
- CVC: Used by Central Vermont for Canadian-built newsprint cars in international service.
- DWC: Used by Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific for similar cars.
In contrast to CNIS or CPI cars, which could not be used domestically in either country, these subsidiary-marked cars (CVC and DWC) were integrated into U.S. operations as part of CN’s domestic fleet.
The End of an Era
The Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement of 1989 (later replaced by NAFTA) largely eliminated the customs regulations that necessitated International Service cars. With duties and taxes no longer an issue, the need for specialized marks like CPI and CNIS faded. Today, reporting marks like GTW and DWC persist but are primarily used for accounting or business purposes rather than customs compliance.
Legacy of International Markings
The stencilled warnings on International Service cars—”NOT FOR DOMESTIC USE”—may no longer be common sights on North American railroads, but their legacy endures. They serve as a reminder of a time when the logistics of cross-border freight demanded ingenuity and precision. These cars, and the regulations they adhered to, represent an era of railway innovation that kept goods flowing between nations, even under challenging restrictions.
Today, while railroads no longer face the same barriers, the story of CPI, CNIS, CPAA, and CNA reporting marks offers a fascinating glimpse into international commerce’s complexities and the railroads’ creativity that navigated it.
- AAR Type Codes
- AAR Loading Gauge
- PLATE B: Unrestricted interchange service standard adopted in 1946. Revised 1972, 1983, 1988.
PLATE C: Limited interchange service standard (will clear 95% of total rail mileage) adopted in 1963: revised 1983, 1988, 1991. - EXW –
EXH – Height of the car at the sills.
EW – Width of the car at the sills, excluding ladders and grab irons.
EWH – Height of the car including running boards.
IL – Inside Length
IW – Inside Width
IH – Inside Height
CUFT – Cubic feet capacity
- PLATE B: Unrestricted interchange service standard adopted in 1946. Revised 1972, 1983, 1988.
- Boxcars
- Incentive Per Diem (IPD) Boxcars
- Railbox
- Woodchip Cars
- 1932 ARA Boxcars
- 1937 AAR Box Cars
- XIH 40ft Box Cars
- FMC 5077 50ft Box Cars
This is FMC’s entry into the Plate B IPD (Incentive Per Diem) box car era. The design was intended to be the “most universal”, interchangeable on most common railroad clearances. The cars were available with and without end-of-car cushioning and offered several door configurations. Over 4,300 cars were produced from 1975-1979 by FMC’s Portland, Oregon plant. The cars were delivered in numerous colourful shortline paint schemes and the nationwide carpool fleet of Railbox. Many secondhand cars were later seen in Class 1 railroads and large leasing company fleets under additional shortline reporting marks.
- FMC 5327
- FMC 5347 50ft Box Cars (Athearn) Trovestar
It was the mid-1970s, and the incentive per diem box car boom was beginning. New, brightly painted box cars seemed to appear overnight. Many were lettered for various short lines. FMC (Food Machinery Corporation) built many of these cars. The 50’ outside post, non-terminating end box car, became the foundation for new per diem cars built in the 1970s. The 50’ FMC cars also varied in door configuration and style to suit each customer.
MEC 31900-32149
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 18175) in 5-6/1980. They featured 10″ EOC Freightmaster cushioning, lading band anchors, 10′ sliding doors and 5347 ft3 capacity.
http://www.railgoat.railfan.net/other_cars/mec_cars/mec_number/031900-032149.htm
- FMC 50 Foot 5272
MEC 31250-31749
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 17660) in 10-12/1976. They featured 10′ Youngstown doors, Keystone 20″ travel cushion underframes and 5272 ft3 capacity.
MEC 31750-31899
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 17977) in 11/1978. They featured a 5272 ft3 capacity.
No n scale supplier. - BF&F (Berwick Foundry & Forge) 50 Foot 5277 (Athearn)
MEC 35000-35199
These 50′-6″, 75 ton, box cars were built by BF&F (Lot 46800) in 6-7/1981. They featured 10′ Superior sliding doors and a 5277 ft capacity. - PC&F 50-ft 70-ton Insulated Box Car (Wheels of Time)
wheelsotime.com/50-ft-insulated-box-car/ - PC&F 50-ft Exterior Post, Insulated Boxcars (Wheels of Time)
wheelsotime.com/pcf-exterior-post-insulated-b/ - FMC 50 Foot 5283 Boxcar (Fox Valley)
MEC 31000-31249
These 50′-7″, 75 ton, box cars were built by FMC (Lot 176117) in 9/1974. They featured 10′ Youngstown sliding doors, Keystone cushioned underframes and 5283 ft3 capacity. - 56′ Thrall All-Door Boxcar
- 53′ Evans
This 53′ boxcar was manufactured in the 1960s and ’70s by Evans Company and was used primarily to haul produce, wood and paper products, and canned goods. This railcar is an insulated RBL (Railcar, Passenger Service, Insulated) featuring a 16-foot opening and double plug doors.
https://archive.atlasrr.com/NFreight/arc-n53evans.htm - NSC 50′ Plug Door Box Car
Steel boxcars became the de facto standard for railcar service sometime in the late 1950s. Every major railcar manufacturer had their own version. Plug-door cars held a better seal for air coming in and out of the car interior and operated much the same way a modern minivan side door works. A common feature for plug-door cars such as the offering from NSC was an insulated interior to further protect the contents from the elements. From 1975 to 1980 National Steel Car built over one-thousand 50’6” single-plug door box cars. This being the post-roof walk era, these cars have a simple aluminium roof. Model 5277 had an interior capacity of 5,277 c.f. and model 5177 had a capacity of 5,177 c.f. Most of the 100-ton cars went to Canadian railroads primarily for paper service. Two hundred 70-ton cars went into food service for the Grand Trunk Western. - 60 Foot Auto Parts Box Car (Atlas) ★
- 62 Foot Insulated Box Car Bx-177 (Atlas) ★
- Covered Hoppers
- Flat Cars
- Gondolas
- Open Hoppers
- Tank Cars
- Tank Car, 20.9K, General Service (Rapido)
- Tank Car, Single Dome, Acid (Athearn)
Car Components
- DL&W – Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
- L&HR – Lehigh and Hudson River Railway
- http://rr-fallenflags.org/bar/bar.html
- http://rr-fallenflags.org/mec/mec-frt.html
| AAR Type | Description |
|---|---|
| XI | Insulated box car with side door or side and end doors, wholly or partially insulated. No ventilating devices or refrigeration. |
| XM | General service box car with side door or side and end doors |
https://www.opsig.org/files/resources/AARFreightCarCodes.pdf
| Reporting Mark | Name | Years | States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA | Ann Arbor Railroad | 1895-1976 | Michigan and Ohio | |
| AC | Algoma Central Railway | 1899- | Northern Ontario | |
| ACL | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad | 1900-1967 | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia | |
| ACY | Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad | 1907-1982 | Ohio | |
| AGR | Allagash Railway | ? | Maine | |
| ATSF | Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway | 1859-1996 | Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | |
| BAR | Bangor and Aroostook Railroad | 1891-2003 | Maine | |
| B&O | Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | 1828-1987 | Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia | |
| B&A | Boston and Albany Railroad | 1833-1961 | Massachusetts and eastern New York | |
| BM | Boston and Maine Corporation | 1836-1983 | Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont | |
| BC&G | Buffalo Creek and Gauley Railroad | 1904-1965 | ||
| CN | Canadian National Railway | 1919- | ||
| CP | Canadian Pacific Railway | 1881- | ||
| CG | Central of Georgia Railway | 1895-1963 | Georgia, Alabama | |
| CNJ | Central Railroad of New Jersey | Jersey Central | 1839-1976 | New Jersey, Pennsylvania |
| CV | Central Vermont | 1848-1995 | Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, and Quebec | |
| CO | Chesapeake and Ohio Railway | 1868-1987 | District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin | |
| CBQ | Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad | 1849-1970 | Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming | |
| CIL | Chicago, Indianapolis, and Louisville Railway | 1847-1971 | Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky | |
| MILW | Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad | 1847-1986 | Midwestern and western United States | |
| CGW | Chicago Great Western Railway | 1885-1968 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, Oelwein, Iowa, Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Kansas and Omaha, Nebraska | |
| RI | Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad | Rock Island | 1852-1980 | Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas |
| CNW | Chicago and North Western Transportation Company | 1865-1995 | Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | |
| CRR | Clinchfield Railroad | 1902-1983 | Spartanburg, South Carolina to Elkhorn City, Kentucky | |
| D&RGW | Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad | 1870-1988 | Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico | |
| D&H | Delaware and Hudson Railway | 1823-1991 | Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Vermont, Virginia | |
| DLW | Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad | 1851-1960 | Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey | |
| DT&M | Detroit, Toledo and Milwaukee Railroad | 1905-1983 | Michigan and Ohio | |
| ERIE | Erie Railroad | 1832-1960 | New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois | |
| GTW | Grand Trunk Western Railroad | 1859-2001 | Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio | |
| GN | Great Northern Railway | 1889-1970 | British Columbia, California, Idaho, Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wisconsin | |
| KCS | Kansas City Southern Railway | 1887- | ||
| LNE | Lehigh & New England Railroad | 1895-1961 | New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | |
| LV | Lehigh Valley Railroad | 1846–1976 | New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania | |
| MEC | Maine Central | 1862-1981 | Maine, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, Vermont, Quebec | |
| MP | Missouri Pacific Railroad | 1872-1982 | Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas | |
| NC&StL | Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway | Dixie Line | 1851-1957 | Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia |
| NKP | New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad | Nickel Plate Road | 1881-1964 | |
| NH | New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad | New Haven | 1872-1968 | Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island |
| NYOW | New York, Ontario & Western Railway | 1884-1957 | North Jersey, Upstate New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania | |
| NYSW | New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway | 1881- | New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania | |
| N&W | Norfolk and Western Railway | – | 1870-1982 | |
| PRR | Pennsylvania Railroad | 1846-1968 | Northeastern United States | |
| PLE | Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad | 1875-1993 | ||
| NYC | New York Central Railroad | 1853-1968 | Northeast to Midwest | |
| NW | Norfolk and Western Railway | 1870-1982 | Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio | |
| RDG | Reading Railroad | 1833–1976 | Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania | |
| RFP | Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad | 1836-1991 | ||
| RUT | Rutland Railway | 1843-1963 | New York and Vermont | |
| SP | Southern Pacific Transportation Company | 1865–1996 | Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah | |
| SSW | St. Louis Southwestern Railway | Cotton Belt | 1891–1997 | Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas |
| SLSF | St. Louis–San Francisco Railway | Frisco | 1876-1980 | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas |
| TM | Texas Mexican Railway | 1877-2005 | Maryland, Virginia | |
| TPW | Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway | 1863- | ||
| THB | Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway | 1892-1987 | Niagara Peninsula, Ontario | |
| UP | Union Pacific Railroad | 1862- | ||
| WM | Western Maryland Railway | 1852-1983 | Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia | |
| WP | Western Pacific Railroad | 1903–1983 |
AAR Interchange Rules by Year
1966, 1st April: Federal ban on running boards (roof walks) for new cars delivered. CFR Title 49 Subtitle B Chapter II Part 231 Section 231.27.
1966; 1st October: Federal ban on running boards for new cars delivered
1966: New freight cars ordered after 4/66 or delivered after and with low hand brakes.
1967, 1st January: High-mount hand brakes prohibited on new cars.
KarTrak ACI (Automatic Car Identification) was introduced.
1970: Initial proposed date to require ACI labels in interchange. Cast iron wheels are banned from interchange. AAR mandates ACI labels to be installed no later than 1970.
1972: Final date for ACI labels required in interchange. AAR recommends single-panel COTS stencils for new & rebuilt cars. Roller bearings are required for all cars with 6-1/2″ by 11″ journals.
1974: All cars with an axle loading greater than 55,000 lbs must have roller bearings. Running boards (roof walks) are to be removed from all cars (later extended to 1983). Two-panel COTS stencil is required by FRA for all cars.
1978: White dot/yellow dot wheel inspection begins. ACI labels no longer required for interchange.
1979: ACI labels no longer required for interchange.
1981: White dot/yellow dot wheel inspection ends
1982: 01/01/1982: Third version of COTS introduced. Walkways are banned on boxcars/reefers in interchange.
1983: Running boards outlawed on all boxcars/reefers.
More Information
- Wilson, Jeff. Freight Cars of the ’40s and ’50s. Kalmbach Books, 2015.