Freight Cars – Rhubarb Loop

Freight Car Upgrades

Trucks
Wheelsets
Body-Mounted Couplers
Weight
Era-Specific Details
Applying Decals
Custom Cargo Loads
Weathering

–

Box Cars
Covered Hoppers
Cabooses

Bangor and Aroostook Freight Cars
Berlin Mills Freight Cars
Boston & Maine
Canadian National
Canadian Pacific
Cargill
Central Vermont Freight Cars
Clarendon and Pittsford Freight Cars
Conway Scenic Freight Cars
Delaware & Hudson 1983
Green Bay and Western
Green Mountain Freight Cars
Lamoille Valley
Maine Central Freight Cars
Minnesota, Dakota & Western – Maine Paper Service, a group of MDW cars assigned to the Boise Cascade mill in Rumford. IIRC some even had “return to…” stencilling on the cars. The MD&W was owned by Boise.
New Haven
North Stratford
Providence and Worcester
Vermont Northern Railroad VNOR 1976 1977 Lamoille Valley Railroad
Vermont Railway Freight Cars
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.

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.

My N Scale Freight Car Roster

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
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

Trucks

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

http://railcarphotos.com/

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.